BH’s Lancemore Milawa Review
We often take this sunburnt nation for granted, favouring the novelty and exoticism of foreign countries for those holiday needs over our very own backyard. Thanks to a hefty seven-figure investment made by the Lancemore Group, however, there’s now someplace domestic that offers the best-of-both-worlds intersection between European sophistication, Australia’s extremely enviable local produce, and Australia’s equally-enviable surrounds.
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Lancemore Milawa Review – Table Of Contents
Location
Nestled within the northeast region of Victoria – right at the gateway of King Valley – the Lancemore Milawa is perfectly situated for those of you who are low on the annual leave balance, but still craving an escape that feels like an escape: less than three hours on the road from Melbourne or under an hour’s drive from Albury Airport if you’re arriving interstate.
Long before you pull into the gravel driveway of this enchanting boutique stay, which is backed up against the lush and verdant vineyards of Brown Brothers Winery, you’re greeted by open skies and a mountain range that’s dramatic in both appearance and past. Powers Lookout, for example, was once the hideout of notorious gentleman bushranger and Ned Kelly’s mentor, Harry Power.
“The land adjoining is exceedingly good with fine hills and grassland, it is as pretty a spot as I have seen since leaving home.”
Explorers Hamilton Hume & William Hovell (1824)
As the epicentre of the Milawa Gourmet District, opportunities to sample renowned wine, gin, cheese, and artisinal produce in the Lancemore Milawa’s immediate vicinity are plentiful. Pro tip: definitely stop by Milawa Providore down the road for some delectably crafted wood-fired pizza; Sam Miranda of King Valley for a long, boozy lunch that lingers late into the afternoon.
In terms of day trip potential, Beechworth – the historical town of Beechworth Honey and gold rush fame – is just a short 25-minute drive away. While Yackandandah – yet another former mining village now home to a few cracking distilleries – is a little further away at 45 minutes.
Design & Features
After its multi-million-dollar refurbishment led by award-winning designer Hana Hakim (The Stella Collective), the Lancemore Milawa now boasts a gorgeously contemporary, Mediterranean-influenced interior complete with world-class finishes. Here, you’ll find the sheer poetry of craftsmanship unfold before your very eyes.
We’re talking custom joinery, custom stonework, and impressive displays of high-end coffee table books ranging from the obligatory Slim Aarons compilation to the latest Tom Ford print release, to imported furniture that gently lulls you into a state of surrender, specially-commissioned artwork, polished concrete floors, and charmingly bucolic fireplaces.
“As a special part of our family’s hotel portfolio, we wanted to elevate Milawa on the global stage and deliberately sought to work with someone with the vision to do just that,” said Lancemore Group CEO Julian Clark.
“The hotel was first born as a dream of my parents and the Brown family winemakers many years ago and it is a great honour to continue that legacy for the next generation of guests to discover.”
The common areas are panelled with impossibly clear glass, which not only showcases a well-manicured lawn, landscaped vistas, as well as the Lancemore’s other on-site delights – pond, pool + sauna, outdoor patio, hammocks, daybeds, etc. – but also welcomes an abundance of natural lighting. Every corner of the place resembles an Instagram-worthy snapshot posted by the likes of The Local Project.
Rooms
The Lancemore Milawa contains 40 generously-proportioned rooms and sumptuous suites. We stayed in an exceedingly tasteful Superior Balcony Sunrise room (42m²), overlooking the property’s eastern side where the sun bathes the grapevines in its heavenly glow. Waking up, and falling asleep for that matter, has never been more pleasant.
Key features of the Superior Balcony Sunrise room include the following:
- King-size bed
- Bouclé daybed
- Smart TV
- Mini-bar
- Ensuite stocked with complimentary Mr Smith product
- Shared balcony
Our only critique? Privacy issues regarding the shared balcony aside, no soaking tub – much to me and my bath bombs’ disappointment.
Here’s a full breakdown of every room/suite available at the Lancemore Milawa in addition to the Superior Balcony Sunrise room:
- Garden Sunset
The Garden Sunset opens out to the western hedged gardens, with masses of wisteria in spring. - Garden Sunrise
Within wandering distance to a nearby sun lounge in summer or fire-pit in the cooler months, the spacious Garden Sunrise room looks out to lush vineyard views making it an ideal spot to unwind. - Superior Balcony Sunset
The spacious Superior Balcony Sunset rooms offer elevated views across the western gardens and Milawa-Bobinawarrah Road towards the historic Brown Brothers vineyard. - Superior Balcony Sunrise
As the morning sun caresses the grapevines to the east, the Superior Balcony Sunrise rooms offer views as far as Mount Buffalo. The shared balcony overlooks the eastern fish pond, bordered by fragrant roses. - Balcony Sunset Suite
The spacious Balcony Sunset Suite offers an elevated west-facing aspect of the historic Brown Brothers vineyard and features a standalone bar with kitchenette and ensuite. - Garden Sunset Suite
The Garden Sunset Suite is a spacious suite appointed with a standalone bar with kitchenette and ensuite. The shared ground-floor terrace is a welcoming spot to unwind, spilling out to hedged gardens and the western pond. - Family Garden Room
The Family Garden Room, comprising two interconnected rooms, opens out to hedged gardens with a large water feature, and masses of wisteria in spring.
Food & Drink
In the week preceding our time here, I’d had the pleasure of dining at Sydney’s two-hatted Porteno and the much-vaunted Botswana Butchery during back-to-back evenings. And would you believe the Lancemore Milawa’s in-house Restaurant Merlot trumped both establishments in food quality by a considerable margin while only costing a fraction of the price?
The man responsible for this feat is none other than executive chef Aaron Jose, who wears over 20 years of culinary experience from award-winning restaurants on his sleeve; experience which includes a stint at another two-hatted joint, MoMo. Pair Jose’s paddock-to-plate genius with an extensive wine menu that’s bolstered by a selection of highly-drinkable local drops, and you have yourself a winning combination.
This is what we decided to order in terms of food – the specific wines we consumed on this occasion have since escaped our memory (there were several glasses and nary a note written down):
- Entree
Milawa goats chevre tortellini, roasted pumpkin, spinach butter, & local mushrooms
Milawa honey glazed duck breast, ratatouille, baba ghanoush, & rice crisp - Main
Chermoula spiced lamb backstrap, sweet potato, beetroot gnocchi, & asparagus
King Valley Angus Eye Fillet, potato dauphinoise, & Bordelaise sauce - Sides
Broccolini, smoked almonds, Milawa olive oil, & lemon
Duck fat roasted Stanley potatoes, rosemary, & Murray River salt - Dessert
Caramelised lemon tart, lemon marshmallow, Milaway honey, & yogurt sorbet
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Duck fat roasted Stanley potatoes, rosemary, & Murray River salt
Service
Flawless.
There was never a desire that wasn’t promptly fulfilled or even a single instance without a warm smile.
Whether this was due to the fact that staff had ample time to attend to us given it was a preview opening or just business as usual… who knows. All we can say is, we couldn’t fault any part of the experience.
Top marks in our books.
Verdict & Value
As you may have deduced by this stage, the Lancemore Milawa is precisely the type of place you’d book a getaway with your significant other.
For a weekend in the Superior Balcony Sunrise room similar to where we stayed (check in Friday arvo, check out Sunday morning), it’ll set you back around:
- $459 per night for the Bed & Breakfast Package
- a pricier $619 per night for the Dine & Unwind Package
- and an even pricier $729 per night for the Overindulgence Package
While the latter two are options you’d probably reserve for a special occasion – to celebrate some kind of achievement, anniversary, or weaponise as some form of an apology – for our money, we’d happily pony up for the basic Bed & Breakfast Package again.
Lancemore Milawa (Victoria)
Address: 223 Milawa-Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa VIC 3678
Contact: (03) 5720 5777
Rates start from $379 per night.
Now that you’ve read our Lancemore Milawa review, check out the 17 best country pubs in Victoria that are certifiably road trip-worthy here.
