What we have achieved is a relaxed environment that feels more like a home away from home, than a hotel stay. The space really emulates a countryside, guesthouse escape.
Linda Boronkay – Linda Boronkay Design Studio
HOTEL WITH HISTORY
THE Southern Highlands town of Bundanoon is home to regional Australia’s newest place to stay with Osborn House occupying an historic 19th-century guesthouse.
The 22-suite address, which occupies a picturesque plot between Bundanoon village and Morton National Park an easy two-hour drive from Sydney, has opened its doors after founding director Adam Abrams spent two years searching for the “perfect spot” to open a hotel.
It then took Abrams and his team another five years to restore the original home, which was built in 1892 by transforming the property into an elegant place to stay with 15 suites and seven cabins set to take in views across the bush to the “undulating hills that border the property”.
General Manager Adrian Levy says guests will enjoy two premium dining and drinking experiences, with Dinah’s restaurant and George’s bar offering indoor and outdoor terrace spaces with views over Morton National Park.
“At Osborn House, we take our guests on a magical journey which imparts new experiences, ideas and memories. Osborn House does manifest its own time and place in the world, making it a truly special offering in Australia,” Mr Levy says.
Executive Chef Segundo Farrell, who spent “time learning the art of fire cooking with Latin American food legend Francis Mallmann”, will be leading the team in the kitchen preparing a menu that’s been described as a “rustic yet sophisticated food offering”.
“I love that I get to bring my passion for cooking with fire to this incredible location (and) the best part is having the opportunity to work closely with our local producers, using only the freshest local ingredients,” he says.
“The majority of our produce has been sourced directly from the Southern Highlands including eggs and honey from Musset Holdings, ducks from Tathra Place Free Range, and olive oil and tomatoes from Wollumbi Estate.
“Our kitchen garden is coming along nicely too, and I look forward to harvesting from there as soon as we can.”
The Osborn House wellness facilities include a 25m lap pool with a retractable room that will open to bring the “leafy surrounding” inside, a day spa with four treatment rooms, sauna, steam room and a fully-equipped gym.
“The team is building on this rich legacy of leisure, tapping into its affluent and quirky history and the privacy of its hilltop locale to create instant escapism for guests,” a media statement announcing the opening explains.
“At Osborn House, the team have mastered a special blend of country club hospitality, bespoke design, inimitable dining, restorative spa treatments and curated outdoor experiences that allow you to soak in the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
“The true Osborn House experience begins as soon as guests arrive at the property, with a long and meandering path through established gardens leading them to a thoughtfully restored and transformed heritage-listed building.
“From there, guests will embark on a journey which is unique to the Southern Highlands and reimagines the boutique hotel experience in Australia.”
Far Near Or Here 