Candelight Cottages up in Mount Dandenong are a beautiful place to getaway from the hustle and…read morebustle of everyday life and relax. They have four self-contained cottages available for hire - the Candelight Cottage, Cottage in the Village, Cottage in the Forest and Clare Cottage. All of them are close to Sassafras and offer open fireplaces and cosy quaint living spaces. I stayed in the Cottage in the Forest for one night in early March and found it to be absolute bliss. Tucked away on an acre of forested land, the open plan cottage features a king-size bed that overlooks a floor to ceiling window through which is a gorgeous view of the forest. The bathroom has a two-person spa bath and another large window overlooking the trees. There were a reasonably good selection of books and DVD's provided, I remember watching "Meet the Parents" snuggled up on the comfy couch in front of the warm fire. The owners are really kind people and make your stay comfortable by providing breakfast provisions - they even stocked up the fridge with vegetarian delights, as my companion didn't eat meat. I was really surprised and appreciative of this. Pricing is quite high but the place is amazing and definitely worth a visit. For Cottage in the Forest and Twilight Cottage it is $245 per couple per night Monday-Thursday and on weekends it is $599 for two nights. Clare Cottage is $230 per couple per night Monday-Thursday and $570 for a two-night weekend. Candlelight Cottage is $260 per couple per night Monday-Thursday and $630 for a two night weekends. They often have deals and special offers so make sure to check out their website ahead of time.

Stayed in the Fernwood cottage (one of the 2 cottages that has a hot tub) would highly recommend!…read moreThe owners are very nice, making sure you're comfortable and recommending things to do in the area if you're up for exploring. The hot tub was such a great extra!

We booked a table for 2 last night in the bistro. My partners meal was okay, nothing to rave about,…read morebut my meal (roast beef) was without doubt the worst meal l have ever had in a hotel in my life. (67 years) The vegetables were over cooked, soggy but at least were edible. However, the roast beef was paper thin, stringy & devoid of any flavour. I did not consume it as it was inedible. A very nice young man collected my plate & l explained the situation to him & asked him to alert the "chef"of my dilema. No response. I would have taken the matter further, but we had to go to the 1812 theatre for an 8pm start. Considering the meals were priced @ Restautant quality, it is no wonder the place was only quarter full on a Friday night. Something's got to change before we ever step foot inside this establishment again.

Sitting where it stands in Upper FernTree Gully for what must be 100 years now, The Royal Hotel, or…read more"The Royal" to its customers, is a pub, hotel, bistro, gaming, live music venue. Like others of its kind, its all flashing lights and open spaces here. With the front bar operating like a normal pub, and hosting live music a few nights a week, usually of the covers variety, The Royal is where you go if you want a bet, a meal or to play the pokies. With a bunch of good live music venues in the area, you wouldn't hit the Royal to catch a band. The fact that its pen until 3am also gives indication to the clientele. Late night staring at a poker machine isn't for everyone, but the Royal offers those who like this form of 'recreation' a place to go that also does good food and warm hospitality. If you took out the gaming machines, the Royal would stand as a good glimpse of a local iconic hotel that still operates pretty much as it always has. Another local watering hole unfortunately now tainted by gambling.