Our group consisted of six adults, and the Midland was exactly what we were looking for in a place…read moreto stay in Castlemaine. Although this hotel doesn't have a restaurant, and is only open on weekends, it is full of charm and very cosy. The rooms were in appropriate style, and were clean and comfortable with modern bathrooms. The Midland is run by friendly owners, and the shop incorporated into the building has an ecclectic mix of high quality goods.

Absolutely charming hotel with both Victorian and Art Deco architecture just by the Railway…read moreStation. Mauro, the host, is a friendly and welcoming fellow who is keen to make sure you make the most of your stay in this beautiful small town. Take advantage of the bar, the charming courtyard, or the magnificent sitting room, which is a real treat. Perfect base for a weekend in Castlemaine.

Having purchased a new "car" in Melbourne and heading home to Adelaide my Dad and I were late…read moreleaving and had arrived in Ballarat around 7pm. After sorting out some dinner it was close to 9pm before we decided to sort out some accomodation. Two unanswered phone calls to caravan parks and we gave the Comfort Inn a call, and Susan answered straight away. Although the check in desk was slated to close at 9, she was more than happy to organise us two rooms and hang back to check us in. Upon arriving we found the whole motel clean tidy and up to date. Over the years I have done extensive travelling for business both across Australia and overseas, and. I would have to say walking into my room reminded me of walking into a room in a Marriott or similar hotel across the United States. My Dad, who by his own admission is a picky old coot, was extremely impressed with not only the quality of the fit out but the cleanliness and obvious upkeep of the facilities. I would highly recommend this motel to anyone looking for a one night stop or an extended stay in the area. I will certainly be heading back with wife in tow for a quiet getaway ASAP!

This turned out to be a rather nice pub, though it would not necessarily be one of those pubs that…read morehappens to end up at the top of my must-visit again list. Mind you, that is exactly what I ended up doing, namely because that not only did they have prettty awesome service, but that there was quite a large beer garden out the back, and a pretty good one at that. Okay, while it does happen to be an old man's pub, and the beer selection is rather limited, there were elements of it that made this place pretty good.

Apparently this place has the largest range of beers of any pub in Australia. Sure, when you look…read moreat the tap beers it doesn't seem to be all that extensive, though I should point out that there are some pretty good ones there nonetheless. However, it isn't just the tap beers, but rather the selection that they have elsewhere. The menu is nothing short of massive. In fact I spent ages just looking through it. Oh, and the alcohol selection beyond beers is also pretty good. Yeah, and the service is pretty top notch as well. This is definitely a place to check out if you love your craft beers.

Love it here. Been here several times over the years including twice this weekend. Genuinely…read moreinteresting restaurant with a range of lovely thoughtful dishes that can hit lofty heights. Examples of superb dishes are the beef cheeks and pie of the day. The wine list is also nicely composed with a refreshing emphasis on the superb local wines from one of the best but strangely unappreciated wine areas in the country. This is easily the best eating option in the area. Can't wait to return.

Staying at the Lodge overnight when coming to Ararat for a tour of the gaol and asylum made all the…read moreexperience and ensured a cosy night after several hours digging up history. Although this hotel's features are quite dated, for a budget hotel the room itself was quite spacious and very homely. There was a nicely set out lounge area, with a small table and chairs next to the full length window next to the door where I was able to set up my laptop and not be facing against anything. A definite winner. The kitchenette area had a bit of a strange layout. The bathroom sink in some way doubled up as a kitchen sink, with the mini bar fridge and microwave to the left of it on a type of low bench with coat hanging railing above it. The bathroom was in a separate space to this mind you. The shower went over the bath tub, with no glass screens or curtains, which was also capable of being a single person spa bath. The motel offered up a selection of room service breakfast items. Fairly traditional western foods like toast, cereals, variety of spreads, coffee and tea. The bathroom also came with a generous amount of hygiene products, including a conditioner and a bubble bath/body wash, which I've noticed a lot of places don't bother offering. The Lodge was a lovely place to stay. The owners are Chinese I think, and there is a Chinese restaurant at the reception area of the motel which is handy. On Saturdays they offer up a buffet dinner, and Sunday's the restaurant only do dinners for patrons who ask for room service dinner. I'm yet to try out the restaurant, which I'll do one day as I would consider staying at this motel again. Was a great experience.

This place really wasn't all that spectacular. Basically it is one of those places that obviously…read moreat one stage was a pub, but really isn't that way any more. It isn't as if it couldn't be a pub, namely because I could see plenty of unused rooms, one of which could at least serve as a front bar. But alas, that is not the case. Anyway, they did sell be a beer, but then rather gruffly told me to go and sit on the couch, of which there weren't all that many. Oh, and as for the beer, yeah, the selection was quite limited, particularly for a place that is trying be to somewhat fancier than normal.

Excellent service and a great atmosphere. Good sized meals, and very tasty. The coffee is…read moreexcellent, with non-dairy options available.

Relaxation akin to Meditation that simply melts your stress away.-…read more Another delightful visit to Darlinton's Elephant Bridge Hotel. We led into the visit with a BBQ lunch at Deep Lake at Derrinallum which was very enjoyable, with a pleasant number of people around engaging in yachting, kayaking, camping and chatting. Arrived at Darlinton's beautifully refurbished Elephant Bridge Hotel at 2pm complimented with a warm welcome from owner Karin. If you are looking for an escape into a totally different dimension of life, as we were, I suggest you take a picnic rug and lay under one of the large palm trees on the undulating slope in the rear garden, with a good book and a friend to read it to you. The clouds and sky are a beauty we take for granted and rarely we take the time to lie on our backs to observe and appreciate them. On this day the sky was a brilliant blue and the fluffy white Cumulus clouds contrasted with the distinct feathery lines of the Cirrus clouds, reminiscent of those often depicted in early paintings, all of which helped to transport us back to a time that was fitting for such a fine old building. As requested in advance, Karin prepared a very pleasant evening meal and joined us later over tea, coffee and wine. Conversation flowed easily and Karin is an excellent hostess. The rooms are immaculately furnished and decorated to perfection and the bed comfortable, with a height that immediately makes my mind flash back to my grandmother's high bed from my childhood. The bathroom is large, exquisite and conveniently located. Breakfast of a magnificent nut muesli, and a generous variety of toasted breads, with a selection of spreads, is provided with the option of adding a cooked breakfast for an additional cost. To complete the day we ventured back into Derrinallum and later onto Terang Hotel Bistro, next door to IGA, for lunch, which was also an excellent meal. In the past a climb up Mt Noorat has added an interesting completion to our stay at Darlington's Elephant Bridge Hotel. Noticed on a more recent visit that the Mt Elephant Tourist Centre is open on a Sundays 1-4pm. Thus it is easy to pad out a stay at Darlington's Elephant Bridge Hotel with some simple, pleasant activities that allow the body to slow down and recharge.

Today's ride to the Redesdale Hotel was long and hard , upon pulling up to this quaint rustic…read morelooking country pub (in need of some TLC inside and out ) , it appeared to be quite popular , the staff were very friendly and helpful , a large menu on the board with some daily specials , reasonable pricing f Or a pub in the middle of nowhere. A nice little beer garden that is in need of some decent tables and seats , I Ordered a Chicken Parma .......... first mistake it wasn't horrid but the salad was wilted (or put through the microwave with the chicken to heat up ) and the chicken tasted like it had been nuked (a very fat breast ) it looked appealing but wasn't that great a parmy (although my friends reckon theirs were great as where the rest of the meals ) salads on most of the dishes didn't look impressive though and one mate had a pasta which was over sauces and very small , worth trying if you're looking for some good friendly county hospitality