The Blue Mountains is a breathtaking mountainous region that borders the built up area of Sydney with the foothills starting 50 kilometres west of the city. The area is a World Heritage Site and is made up of rugged cliffs, deep valleys and gorges as well as numerous rivers and lakes. There are vast forested landscapes and huge expanses of wilderness making an area of 10,300 square kilometres. A blue mist surrounds the landscape that is created by the evaporation of oil in the Eucalyptus which is dispersed into the air and creates a blue spectrum of light. The effect is really quite magical as a blue halo surrounds the hills. It was a three-hour drive from Sydney into the Blue Mountains and the Wolgan Valley Resort, but it was a beautiful one with picturesque views and dramatic scenery.
After the gorgeous drive we pulled up at Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa. Wolgan Valley is a highly eco friendly hotel and is the first carboNzero certified hotel in the world with many conservation projects including the planting of 175,000 indigenous trees. The building of the resort incorporates green building principles using solar panels and extensive use of recycled materials. The resort is also home to many species of wildlife which we were to discover during our stay.
A glass of champagne was pressed into our hands on arrival and after a speedy check-in we were directed into The Country Kitchen, the hotel’s more casual restaurant, for lunch. Wolgan Valley is a completely all-inclusive resort and so lunch was chosen from a small but diverse menu and starter, mains, desserts and local wines were all included. An absolutely stunning view was also included!
After the delicious lunch we were given a brief tour of the resort here’s pics of the beautiful location
The lovely rooms were more like quaint chalets dotted around the hillside. There are only 36 suites in total so that the resort has a very exclusive and personal feel. We were now shown to our room, words cannot describe it. Here’s some pics!
The living room
The swimming pool
The bedroom
The walk-in wardrobe
The bathroom
Yes!! The pool really was that big!! It also had its own deck and an outside garden and verandah with native shrubs planted throughout. The designer of the suite had payed great attention to detail so that the room’s fixtures and fittings were intended to hark back to the federation period. There was also lovely little thoughtful extras and each room came with a pair of binoculars to observe wildlife and mountain bikes for exploring the nature reserve. Best of all the mini bar was packed with treats all included in the price of the room! This called for cracking open a bottle of wine and getting in the pool!
Evening was drawing in and it was time for our first activity, a wildlife spotting safari from the luxury confines of a four-wheel drive jeep. Driving over the grassland we eagerly spotted the kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos that call Wolgan Valley home. Unfortunately, it was difficult to get photos of these quick moving animals.
The tour concluded with sparkling wine and canapes as night fell. Smiley face!
Dinner was in the elegant Wolgan Valley Dining Room which also offered panoramic views of the reserve.
The next day we had the full day at our disposal to enjoy the resort. Wolgan Valley can be enjoyed in several ways, there many outdoor activities such as nature trails, horse riding, or mountain biking. I’ve never been the outdoorsy type much more the nice food, spa and relaxation type! I did have a little go on the mountain bike and we had a try at riding the horses though we weren’t allowed to take a scenic ride through the bush as we were novices.
However, I did get a fab pedicure in the spa while Mr Silver had a relaxing massage. Much needed after the half-an-hour horse ride!
Dinner was again in The Dining Room and afterwards we chose to take the nocturnal tour where we were again driven out into the bush this time late at night, torches in hand in order to spot wombats and night birds. And we did glimpse a few! Afterwards we returned to the room, turned on the fire and cosied up in bed with a rented DVD and a packet of maltesers from the mini bar!
And so our time ended at one of the most unique and luxurious eco-resorts in the world and we to headed back to Sydney. On the drive home viewing the famous Three Sisters, a rock formation near the town of Katoomba.
We arrived back for another night spent in Sydney where we stayed at the Four Seasons. Now, I really hate to say it because I love the Four Seasons, but the one in Sydney was a little shabby. Ok, so it may have just seemed that way after Wolgan Valley, but here’s the photographic evidence.
However, the hotel is even closer to the harbour than the Shangri-La So we took the opportunity to have another little walk round the Opera House as the next day we would be leaving for the centre of Australia and Ayers Rock!
