The sprawling Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains has it all

Megan ArkinstallBy Megan Arkinstall
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For the ultimate family-friendly accommodation in the Blue Mountains or a getaway with friends, the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains can’t be beat.

When travelling with kids, there are often a few more checkboxes to your accommodation search. The Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains ticks all those with its epic offering of family-friendly facilities, from an indoor playground to an ice-skating rink to a treetop adventure course.

But it’s not just the kids who have the fun: there’s also a hip underground whiskey bar and fine dining, a golf course and a day spa, and the pretty village of Leura just a short drive away. You could say that the Fairmont Blue Mountains is a people-pleaser with all you need at your fingertips, making it the ideal place to stay with a group of friends too.

the lake at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains in autumn
The resort is adjacent to a serene lake. (Image: James Horan; Destination NSW)

Location

Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is nestled in the quaint village of Leura, high up on a ridge overlooking the Jamison Valley, in the UNESCO-listed Blue Mountains National Park. Leura is regarded as the prettiest town in the Blue Mountains, with its leafy town centre, heritage buildings and charming cafes and boutique stores.

an aerial view looking over the Fairmont Resort in Leura and across the Jamison Valley
The Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains sits atop a ridge with views overlooking Jamison Valley. (Image: Destination NSW)

The town is also home to Leura Cascades and Sublime Point, a lookout with panoramic views over the blue-hazed landscape. Neighbouring suburb Katoomba, the main hub of the Blue Mountains, is an eight-minute drive away. Here you’ll find the famous Three Sisters rock formations and Scenic World, where you can take a ride on the world’s steepest passenger railway to the valley floor.

sunrise over the Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters, Blue Mountains, Katoomba
Catch incredible sunrise views over the Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters. (Image: Destination NSW)

Style and character

Part of the M Gallery Hotel Collection, Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is a sprawling resort that has a cosy mountain chalet feel from the moment you enter the lobby. Think high ceilings with exposed beams, warm timber floors, red plaid rugs, alpine stone features and a fireplace, with floor-to-ceiling glass framing the mountains in the distance.

The decor and styling in the public spaces and guest rooms (a mix of black leather lounges, striped fabric lounges, heavy red curtains and beige carpet) may be a little dated, however it’s comfortable and well-kept.

a look inside the lobby at Fairmont Resort in Leura
The lobby evokes a cosy mountain chalet feel. (Image: Destination NSW)

Facilities

The Fairmont is a fully serviced resort that caters to travellers of all kinds, but it really stands out as an excellent family-friendly resort. The resort features indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a basketball court, an indoor kids’ zone of soft play equipment and arcade games, an outdoor hedge maze, miniature train rides, a treetops adventure park with a climbing course and an ice-skating rink.

an outdoor pool with sun loungers at Fairmont Resort in Leura
The indoor and outdoor pools are great family-friendly additions to the resort. (Image: Destination NSW)

Phew! After all the fun with the kids, there’s a day spa to unwind. Leura Golf Club is also located on-site and features an 18-hole golf course and clubhouse. There are seven other restaurants and bar on the property, too, so there are plenty of choices to explore during your stay.

Reception is open 24 hours, there is free parking on-site and electric car charging stations, and there’s also a boutique shop where you can pick up everyday items, gifts and souvenirs.

Rooms

There are 224 rooms at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, boasting views over the Jamison Valley or the resort’s beautiful gardens.

Accommodation includes Standard Rooms, which feature a king or twin beds, Superior Rooms which feature a king or two queen beds, and a Courtyard Room with a king or two singles and an enclosed courtyard on the ground floor overlooking the gardens. The more spacious Deluxe Balcony Rooms have high chalet ceilings and a balcony. There is also a Deluxe Spa Room with a corner spa in the bathroom.

an aerial view of the Jamison Valley from Fairmont Resort in Leura
The rooms feature breathtaking views of the Jamison Valley. (Image: Destination NSW)

Families can choose the Family Suite, which comprises interconnecting rooms – a king bedroom and a twin room (sleeps four). Other suites offer more space, such as the Junior Suite, which has an open-plan lounge room with a balcony (sleeps two), a Luxury Suite, which has a lounge room and dining area (sleeps two), and a Deluxe Suite with one or two bedrooms and a marble fireplace (sleeps up to four). The Deluxe Grand Suite also has a fireplace and features two balconies (sleeps two).

The Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is a pet-friendly resort too. The Pet Rooms are on the ground floor and feature an enclosed courtyard for your furry friend to stretch their legs.

Food and Drink

Jamison’s Restaurant is where buffet breakfast is served alongside an outlook of the sprawling valley and sandstone escarpments in the distance. Bi-fold windows can be opened to allow a fresh breeze in the warmer months. High tea is also served in this space daily, with kids options available.

Embers Grill is located just off the lobby and has soaring windows for captivating valley views. The intimate restaurant keeps cosy during the winter months with a fireplace and serves a steakhouse menu for lunch and dinner.

dining at Eucalypt Restaurant inside Fairmont Resort in Leura
Enjoy fine dining at Eucalypt Restaurant. (Image: Destination NSW)

Another dining venue with – you guessed it – unbeatable views is No.1 Sublime Point. This fine dining restaurant offers a five-course degustation with matching wines, inspired by seasonal produce.

Contemporary Italian cuisine is served in Azzurro Trattoria, which has a casual atmosphere and a kids’ menu for the little diners. Think family favourites such as pizza and pasta.

the Embers Restaurant inside Fairmont Resort in Leura
Dine at Embers for captivating valley views. (Image: Destination NSW)

Sublime Lounge is adjacent to the lobby and is a cosy spot for a coffee and cake or a cocktail. It has a fireplace and is open all day. While down in the basement, Two Doctors Whiskey Tavern is filled with leather chesterfields and velvet chairs and vintage curios. You can come for a drink or stay for dinner, with late night live music from Thursday to Sunday.

Leura Golf Club also features a bistro that’s open for lunch and dinner. The whole family will love the pub-style menu of burgers, steaks, salads and the like. There’s a kids menu too.

guests dining at Eucalypt Restaurant inside the Fairmont Resort & Spa, Leura in the Blue Mountains
The elegant Eucalypt Restaurant delivers meals and views to remember. (Image: Destination NSW)

Experiences

The resort features Ubika Day Spa and salon, which has a range of wellness experiences for some R&R, such as massage, facials, pedicures and more.

The Blue Mountains Ice Skating Rink is also located at the resort. You can book regular ice-skating sessions here or time your visit with special events such as disco nights and ice-skating shows.

a woman getting a spa treatment at Ubika Day Spa
Pamper yourself at Ubika Day Spa. (Image: Destination NSW)

As well as the ample family-friendly facilities – such as the kids’ zone, miniature train rides and treetops adventure park – the resort holds a school holiday program. The schedule is packed with fun activities such as magic shows, face painting, kids’ golf clinics and pony rides.

The resort also offers accommodation packages including a Wellness Package with day spa treatments and a Stay and Play golf package.

a morning yoga session at Fairmont Resort & Spa, Leura in the Blue Mountains
Join a morning yoga session. (Image: Destination NSW)

Accessibility

The Fairmont has accessible rooms available for guests with disabilities, located on lower ground or accessed via a lift. Guests will need to contact the resort directly to book these room types. They feature a walk-in shower with handrail. All restaurants and bars are accessible.

Family-friendly?

The Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is the most family-friendly resort in the area, with a roster of fun activities and facilities for young and old alike, as well as room types to accommodate up to four guests.

Details

Best for: Family friendly accommodation with the views to match

Address: 1 Sublime Point Road, Leura NSW

Megan Arkinstall
Megan Arkinstall is a freelance travel writer who you’ll often find at the beach, bushwalking or boating with her young family. She loves reliving travel memories through writing, whether that be sipping limoncello in a sun-drenched courtyard of Monterosso or swimming with green turtles in the aquamarine waters of Tropical North Queensland.
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Your first look at Australia’s brand-new luxury camp

    Kate BettesBy Kate Bettes
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    The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

    Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

    Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

    Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon.
    Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

    Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

    Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

    Aerial view of Wilderluxe.
    Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

    Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

    On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

    A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe.
    Sleep beneath the stars.

    Style and character

    When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

    Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

    The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe.
    Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

    ‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

    Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

    Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

    While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

    The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake.
    Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

    No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

    Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

    Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

    Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

    A person kayaking through serene waters.
    Paddle into peace.

    The details

    A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

    The interiors of the glamping tent.
    Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

    Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.