Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2008 - (Page 23)

A WINDMILLS DELUXE COURTYARD ROOM (left) boasts a private garden courtyard with chaise lounges and tables. CAPE LODGE (shown here) faces its own private lake and is located on the Margaret River vineyards, surrounded by karri forests. Three hours south of Western Australia’s lively capital of Perth is a soulful, laid-back land of gorgeous beaches and forests, where world-class wineries and warm, hospitable people await your clients. The Margaret River Region in the “Sou’western” part of Australia delivers a superb vaca- tion and truly memorable Down Under experience. We felt totally at home here in three distinctly individual luxury boutique properties, located in or near the seaside township of Yallingup. All cater seamlessly to the requests of visitors who know what they want—and they receive it, delivered with good-natured Aussie style and a genuine smile. Close to both mostly deserted Dunsborough and Yallingup Beaches on the cobalt Indian Ocean, Windmills Break (www. windmillsbreak.com.au) opened in November 2007 after a massive, year-long renovation directed by local high-end builder Keith Russell. Owner Geoff Larsen and General Manager Dave Larsen (manager@windmills break.com.au), Geoff ’s son, are consistently at the ready, tending to contented adult guests. Families who book the entire property are welcome to include children (celebrities and VIPs frequently do this, they say). The intimate hotel’s 13 rooms are set on 10 acres of lush gardens, where blue wrens serenade at liberty. Accommodation types number four: Deluxe Courtyard Rooms, Executive Spa Rooms, Premier Spa Suites—our choice during the stay—or the sole Premier Spa Apartment with lounge, kitchen and dining area. Our suite featured a very generous deck and sunken living room, two LCD TVs, plus a spacious granite spa and bathroom. Larsen told us he sourced the “finest accents” for the property, including rich suede curtains and sumptuous linens; he also sought out photographer Christian Fletcher—“Light is everything”—to provide realistic art of local regions. We especially liked the large, cushy leather chairs throughout all the interior spaces and the beckoning patio lounge chairs outside our doors. Those are set in expansive courtyards separated by spindly, six-foot-high brushwood fences for maximum privacy. The absolutely exquisite pool, with an appropriate “windmill” waterfall, is nearby, bolstered by a spa pool; beach towels are in your closet. The tennis court is adjacent and doubles as a helipad. A round-the-property walking track is ideal for a leisurely stroll, or more enthusiastic guests can choose treadmills in the gym. A 150-DVD collection is available for borrowing in the lodge’s www.luxuryta.com November 2008 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 23 http://windmillsbreak.com.au http://windmillsbreak.com.au http://www.luxuryta.com

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Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Las Vegas Australia Virginia's Northern Neck Posh Penthouses K Club Four Seasons Florence Entertaining Luxury Caribbean Spas The Pulse Jetset Report Luxury Lifestyles Just Back Luxury Travel Expo Sightings Source List Virtuoso Insert

Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2008

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