Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2007 - (Page 18) PEPPERS THE LOUISE is nestled among a number of esteemed wineries in the Barossa region. bar and dining table and opens to the sloping, vine-covered hillside and private terrace. Regulars appreciate the secluded courtyards in front of each suite and the selection of magazines presented bedside. General Manager Penny Rafferty (penny@thelouise.com.au; 61-8-8562-2722) is your most hospitable point of contact, as- sisted by a can’t-do-enough guest services team (stay@thelouise. com.au). At this completely remodeled and reconfigured 15-suite resort on the Marananga hilltop, guests can grab a bike for vineyard peddling, then have a swim, followed by a visit to the spa and sauna. Note: The Louise is not a family retreat per se, says Rafferty, and does not cater to children under 12. However, for adjoining accommodations, ask for numbers 26 and 27 in the Stonewell Suites or 21 and 22 in the Vineyard Suites; courtyards feature interconnecting doors. Rafferty and her willing staff are pleased to arrange hot-air ballooning, “trike” rides, “Breakfast with the Kangaroos” or private wine tastings. Ask Rafferty about “The Most Brilliant Blend” package, in conjunction with Penfolds’ iconic winery—your clients can try their hands there as winemakers. If the Barossa is about wine and food, the dining component of the equation shines at The Louise’s popular restaurant, Appellation (www.appellation.com.au), with award-winning executive chef Mark McNamara presiding over the venue (think hues of alabaster with big wine glasses and elegant settings). Don’t miss the Signature Tasting Menu with wine pairings, called “Best of Barossa,” for savvy selections that include a tasting plate of Waechter’s Eden Valley duck—oak-smoked breast, rillette and buttery liver parfait— and our favorite starter, the salad of spiced roasted sweet potato, local almonds and pepitas with fresh coriander and toasted-cumin-seed dressing. ACCESS: WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN SYDNEY Take a backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House (www.sydneyopera house.com), then catch High Tea at Guillaume at Bennelong (www. guillaumeatbennelong.com.au) or a concerto by the renowned Sydney Symphony (www.sydneysymphony.com). Visitors can “hang ten” with champion surfer and instructor Brenda Miley at Let’s Go Surfing (www. letsgosurfing.com.au) in trendy Bondi Beach, followed by lunch at the surfside Icebergs Dining Room & Bar (www.idrb.com). Tour on a Harley with Blue Thunder Down Under (www.bluethunderdownunder. com.au), or head to The Rocks Walking Tours (www.rockswalking tours.com.au) and link up with Dee Ladd-Hudson to learn how Sydney was settled. For shopping, hit Queen, Oxford and Williams streets, then drop in for dinner at Hilton Sydney’s (www.hiltonsydney.com.au) Glass Brasserie or a drink at too-chic Zeta Bar (www.zetabar.com.au). See wallabies, koalas and other creatures at Sydney Wildlife World (www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au) or the Sydney Aquarium (www. sydneyaquarium.com.au). WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS Suggest clients stop at Blue Mountain Visitor Centre (www.visitblue mountains.com.au) in Glenbrook to get their bearings. In the town of Leura, grab some chocolate at Café Josophan’s (www.josophans.com. au) before buying antiques, then head to the 2002 Restaurant of the Year in its region, historic Solitary (www.solitary.com.au) on Cliff Drive. Advise clients to meet with Tim Tranter of Tread Lightly Eco Tours (www.tradelightly.com.au) for a wilderness walk like no other. Another 18 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | November 2007 must? A visit to Scenic World (www.scenicworld.com.au) to ride The Scenic Skyway, Cableway and Railway—the world’s steepest incline railway. WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN BAROSSA The wine-savvy Ralf Hadzic of Life is a Cabernet (www.lifeisacaber net.com.au) impresses with his knowledge of this world-famous gourmet region: He will direct foodies to Angas Park Fruits (www.angas park.com.au) and the Barossa Valley Cheese Factory (www.cheese. com.au), or to lunch lakeside at TV-chef Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop (www.maggiebeer.com.au); try the signature “Verjuice.” Visit Barossa’s most historic operational winery, Seppelt (www.seppelt.com.au), to taste the 100-year-old port, then head to Rockford Wines (www. rockfordwines.com.au) for remarkable reds. Sup at 1918 Bistro & Grill (www.1918.com.au) and, on the drive back to Adelaide, visit Molly the koala at Gorge Wildlife Park (www.gorgewildlifepark.com.au). WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN ADELAIDE In Adelaide, hook up with food expert Mark Gleeson and his Chef’s Market Tours (www.centralmarkettour.com.au) and meet Gwynne Brown of Tourabout Adelaide (www.touraboutadelaide.com.au) to check out local museums and government sites. Advise clients to dine in the lap of Aussie luxury at Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant (www. penfolds.com.au); arrange a personalized twilight tour, after which they’ll dive into the five-course degustation menu that’s accompanied by Penfolds wines. The restaurant has one of the most impressive cellars in the world; guests can even taste the legendary red, Grange, by the glass. http://www.scenicworld.com.au http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com http://www.guillaumeatbennelong.com.au http://www.lifeisacabernet.com.au http://www.guillaumeatbennelong.com.au http://www.lifeisacabernet.com.au http://www.sydneysymphony.com http://www.angaspark.com.au http://www.letsgosurfing.com.au http://www.cheese.com.au http://www.angaspark.com.au http://www.letsgosurfing.com.au http://www.cheese.com.au http://www.idrb.com http://www.maggiebeer.com.au http://www.bluethunderdownunder.com.au http://www.seppelt.com.au http://www.bluethunderdownunder.com.au http://www.rockswalkingtours.com.au http://www.rockfordwines.com.au http://www.rockswalkingtours.com.au http://www.rockfordwines.com.au http://www.1918.com.au http://www.hiltonsydney.com.au http://www.gorgewildlifepark.com.au http://www.zetabar.com.au http://www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au http://www.centralmarkettour.com.au http://www.touraboutadelaide.com.au http://www.visitbluemountains.com.au http://www.penfolds.com.au http://www.visitbluemountains.com.au http://www.penfolds.com.au http://www.josophans.com.au http://www.josophans.com.au http://www.solitary.com.au http://www.tradelightly.com.au
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