Oh, I know, we were meant to be getting bags of ice and heading straight back to the wedding venue…read more5 mins outside of Katoomba but you can't walk past a classic slice of Australiana like this one and not toddle inside for a beer, a pie, and a flutter in exactly that order. It didn't disappoint. Old weather-eaten tradies in hi-vis propped up the bar talking about their missing teeth, the matronly woman behind the taps was almost certainly called Beryl, and Tooheys New was like $4.50 a jar or something similarly great. It's old, it's careworn, it's dripping with history and the blue mountains and everything great about this great land. Not a lot of women in here though.

Wow...... It's like stepping back into the 80's. this pub works and does just what you would want…read more..... as long as you don't want something that's up to date or even similar to most pubs but then again, we are not in the city anymore Dorothy !!! Any Hotel that had a pool table these days gets my vote .... so the fact this one has two .... gets two stars just for that. After spending the night before at Leura ..... at the Alexandria Hotel ..... it's kind of hard to believe that they are both owned by the same family. One the crown in the area ..... the other the poor alternative. On a positive note .... not everything has to be brand new, up to date ...... it just has to work, serve cold beer and ok meals ..... which it does. Give it a go ..... nothing to loose except maybe a few hours on the pool table.

This is concerning the restaurant. Additionally, this review is all about the service…read more We went here as part of a tour group of 20. Our orders were taken ahead of time and called ahead by our tour guide. First, let me say, we found the food quite tasty. I had the vegetarian burger with eggplant and chipotle sauce. It was flavorful, well seasoned, and accompanied by perfect hot chips. My husband also enjoyed his grilled fish and chips with tartare sauce. Despite being in a remote mountain town, it was as food or better than anything we had eaten in Sydney. The restaurant itself was quaint and cozy and had beautiful views of the Blue Mountains. But then there was the service. And that's where the three stars come in. It would have been five stars otherwise. One member of our tour group changed their order. Then there was a simple to fix mix up between my order and the order of another group member. The staff member (unsure if he was a server or kitchen manager or what) LOUDLY proclaimed what a pain tour groups are and how ridiculous we all were. He then stomped off. And when he returned, he was extremely RUDE to the group leader. These tour groups must bring hundreds of dollars to this small town restaurant. They bring multiple tours of 20+ people each week. If they don't care about them, I can't imagine this establishment cares about anyone. I don't care how good the food is, I would never return after being treated like trash.

Fancy a getaway only 1.5 hours away from the Sydney CBD in the picturesque town of Leura? Look no…read morefurther as we have the tips for you! It's hard to visit Leura without spending a small fortune, as there's a number of extremely expensive lodgings and restaurants in the town and surrounds. However, we will point you to somewhere that is extremely good value for money at high quality. The Alexandra hotel, established 1903 is the only licensed hotel in Leura and a short stroll from the mall. It is an old quaint boutique building with ornate trims and stained glass windows. The hotel is sectioned off into a number of areas, with a sports bar and lounge bar (with floor to ceiling bookshelf). There's also plenty of space for a party or function. The hotel is right beside Leura train station, but the noise isn't obvious at all. The hotel aptly has has a railway theme to it, with the outdoor bar called "platform 3", and a Leura Rail sign featuring in the dining room. We also stayed in the hotel. It was a comfortable heritage room with vintage furniture, double bed and modern bathroom. They also have some modern additions of an a/c and tv. The room opens onto a balcony with a nice outlook of the hotel's backyard beer garden. The hotel is a great spot to dine, whether it be lunch or dinner in either of the two beer gardens for a more causal vibe or a more upmarket experience in the dining room, named "Redfern Bistro". There's some casual food like burgers and pizzas, with the pizzas made in the wood fired oven by Marco Marano, but we chose to eat in the dining room. The summer menu, prepared by chef Anna Borna features modern Australian gastro pub food, beautifully cooked and presented. We began with a glass of bubbles and some Garlic bread made on a house baked baguette, topped with melted garlic and parsley butter. This came out with the confit mushrooms - portobello and button mushrooms cooked in olive oil with rosemary and lemon with feta, almond and coriander dukkah (gf). Other entrees on offer include oysters, liver pate, calamari and baked haloumi. For the mains, the Pan roasted duck breast instantly piqued our interest. The meat was cooked to perfection, skin nicely seasoned, served with duck fat potatoes and rustic heirloom carrots. It's accompanying home made Peking duck citrus sauce was brilliant and kept us searching the plate for more of it. From specials board, we couldn't go past the pan fried and seared ocean trout. This was a splendid fish dish, the skin salted, nicely rendered and crisp. The flesh was perfect; a lovely pink orange hue, flakey and melt in the mouth followed by the beautiful flavour of the fish. The sauce was a delicious combination of smoked paprika dill and grapefruit veloute, served with roasted potatoes, charred leeks, broad beans, peas and cherry tomatoes. Whilst we were extremely satisfied at this point, we had to go with the dessert option on the specials menu, the banana spilt. Here it is the classic dessert that has been pimped up with two bananas, deep fried in a Moreish crisp salty batter. This has been placed atop a butterscotch sauce and served with vanilla bean ice cream. So tasty, it was irresistible. Worth driving up to the blue mountains for the beautiful pub alone and the scenery in the area is an added bonus.

One of a kind character inn away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney. Located on a farm surrounded…read moreby beautiful scenery, horses, kangaroos, wombats and other wild life, it really is a retreat away from the ordinary, perfect for those who are looking for an authentic outback-like experience while still enjoying their creature comforts. This family owned establishment makes every guest feel right at home. Check out the beautiful national parks surrounding the retreat and end the day warming up and settling down by a cozy fire in the common area that takes you back in time as you're surrounded by historical paraphernalia from the original settlers who first inhabited the area years ago. A wonderful experience for both Aussies and visitors from abroad. Highly highly recommend!!!

So we arrived after a long drive from Canberra, to a beautiful gardened gravel drive way. We are…read moremet at the door by the friendly staff who sit us down in the lounge and take are breakfast order. Then led to our room that has a view of the blue mountains worth dying for, a spa bath and a large bed. The whole room is decked out in a colonial style that matches the area and the age of the building. Then we are offered free champagne so we can relax before dinner. Lots of games, books, games in the lounge area and free port and sherry. Ab-sol-ute-ly fantastic.

This pub was actually pretty cool, especially considering some of the other pubs that I have…read morevisited earlier in the day in this so called tourist spot known as the Blue Mountains. The first thing that stood out was the beautiful old building that the pub happens to be located in, but then again, I suspect that this old building has always been a pub. The thing that really grabbed me though, other than the beer garden of course, was the selection of beers on tap, something that I hadn't seen much of earlier in the day. As such, I pretty much fell in love with this place.

Food was super greasy, service poor. Not sure about the stay, but would definitely not recommend…read moreeating here. Consider going into the town for a better bite.

A great crossover of pub and restaurant. The atmosphere here is great. A great spot for beers after…read morework or a more formal dining on the otherside of the hotel. They do food that won't disappoint. A good special on Monday's is ribs and a pint for $25 (can substitute the pint). The service is there when you need it but not annoying. There's no Riff Raff here, P.s I must admit I haven't seen any kids / families but usually I go on weeknights, so I don't know the policy.

Sustainable. Breathtaking. Luxurious…read more If cost is not a showstopper, this is an absolutely essential experience in Australia. It is a rather infrequent combination where luxury and environmental sustainability merge, to create an unparalleled experience. With a focus on conservation, the lands protected by this property are vast and beautiful. Coming here is literally following Darwin's footsteps, including the 1932 homestead that has been restored. Horseback riding, mountain biking and watching wildlife are probably the top ways to spend time here. The more, the better. Each villa comes with a Trek bike to take to the bush. Observe wombats, wallabies and kangaroos throughout the property and surroundings. Gorgeous birds as well. The food and wine is inclusive. The wine selections are local and the inclusive ones are quite excellent. The meals are Michelin grade quality, from lamb, to pumpkin ravioli, to the waffles and pastries. All was a solid 5 stars. The design and conservation was paramount. No reusable plastics, refillable water bottles, solar power throughout. It's a hotel of the future. Caring for the environment where it is, while keeping guests very comfortable.

The most incredible resort I've ever been to. The service is second to none. The quality of the…read morefurnishings and products on the property are top notch. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and professional. The Spa: Wow! We ended up going several times during our stay and then bought a bunch of their products. It was an amazing experience each time. The Food: Very good, but it's the same menu every day so you can't stay for more than a few days without it getting tiring. Activities: the picnic was magical. I won't ruin it for you, but it takes "picnics" to a whole new level. I also typically refuse to ride horses at resorts because they are rarely treated well but this is not the case here. The horses live in absolute luxury and the trainers are professional riders. The archery activity was also surprisingly fun! It's a relaxing and beautiful place. For you're into enjoying nature and being pampered, this might be the best place on earth.

I had a fantastic stay at the Parklands Country Garden & Lodges in Blackheath. It really is a…read morepicture perfect setting. I booked into one of the loft rooms, which was quite spacious with a king bed and multiple sitting areas, 2 flat panel tvs, rainforest double shower and a working gas fireplace. All of the rooms are brand new as of only a few months ago. The lodges are all situated in a really peaceful setting, and the gardens are a delight to wander around, just be mindful of the duck droppings by the pond. It's worthwhile to get the breakfast option ($25 in advance, $35 on site) which includes a small buffet and a selection of made to order items all served in a charming country house setting with quite the view of the gardens. The location while very relaxing is a bit of a walk from the small village of Blackheath and the scenic lookout point of Govett's Leap, and maybe a 10-15 min drive to the larger towns of the Blue Mountains. There are no dining options for lunch or dinner on-site, so you'll definitely want to bring the car. All in, it's a great spot to relax and really get away from it all.