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The best Daylesford accommodation for a perfect weekend getaway

Pauline Morrissey Pauline Morrissey
Plan your next getaway around one of these peaceful stays.

With its incredible range of activities and serene landscapes, Daylesford is a destination that deserves the perfect accommodation to match. From luxury lodges with onsite pampering spa treatments to cosy cottages nestled in lush gardens, you’ll find the ideal spot to recharge and make the most of your time in Victoria’s spa country.

In short

If you only stay at one place in Daylesford, make it Lake House – the region’s most iconic retreat right on Lake Daylesford. With its world-class restaurant, beautifully appointed studios and suites, spa offerings and picture-perfect gardens, it captures the essence of spa-country indulgence.

1. Lake House

the pool at the Lake House Daylesford
Unwind in style. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Best for: Iconic spa-country indulgence

Overlooking the still waters of Lake Daylesford, Lake House is a luxurious retreat on beautifully landscaped grounds. This iconic property blends elegant accommodations and natural surroundings, featuring stylish hotel studios, suites and villas. Each space is thoughtfully designed, showcasing custom furnishings crafted by local artisans and adorned with original artwork.

Relax by the solar-heated infinity pool, enjoy a game of tennis, or take a stroll through the picturesque gardens. To elevate your stay, savour the acclaimed a la carte breakfast and buffet, featuring freshly baked sourdough and viennoiserie, or opt for room service for a leisurely morning.

Price: $$$$$

Address: 4 King Street, Daylesford

2. Dairy Flat Lodge & Farm

a cedar hot tub at Dairy Flat Lodge & Farm
Relax in a cedar hot tub overlooking the idyllic countryside. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Best for: Immersive countryside luxury

Surrounded by rolling hills, Dairy Flat Lodge & Farm presents as an exclusive countryside escape just 10 minutes from Daylesford. Each of its six private king suites affords the same level of refinement as its renowned sister property, Lake House, combining lavish designs with custom furnishings and locally sourced art for a truly sophisticated stay.

A dedicated Lodge Concierge is available to prepare a hearty country-style breakfast, light the fire pit, or craft a sunset cocktail. Lodgers can also explore the 40-acre regenerative farm, home to olive groves, vineyards, and lush herb and vegetable gardens. Adding to the sense of retreat, a mineral pool overlooks rows of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines – close enough to catch the scent of croissants baking each morning in the on-site bakehouse.

Price: $$$$$

Address: 238 Dairy Flat Road, Musk

3. Dollywood

Dollywod, Daylesford
Laze the day away on the deck. (Credit: Dollywood)

Best for: Stylish group stays with Americana flair

Exuding retro charm, Dollywood is a chic departure from Daylesford’s usual quaint cottage lodgings. With its bold Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic, this stylish four-bedroom home combines modern amenities with vintage flair. A neon sign welcomes travellers into a vibrant space with a bubblegum pink door, wood-panelled walls and a cosy fireplace.

The open-plan living flows seamlessly onto a wrap-around deck with gorgeous countryside outlooks. Guests can make the most of the well-equipped kitchen, where a servery window connects to the deck – a gathering spot for alfresco dining, while fully immersed in the home’s laid-back California-cool vibe.

Price: $$$$

Address: 82 Central Springs Road, Daylesford

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4. Jumoku

Best for: Design lovers and mid-century devotees

A mid-century lover’s dream, Jumoku is a revived 1970s home offering a moodier, more design-forward Daylesford stay. Wrapped in an all-black, Japanese-inspired palette – a refreshing departure from traditional country cottages – the home takes its name from the Japanese word for tree, nodding to the towering gums out front and sculptural maples in the garden. Sleeping up to eight, it’s ideal for shared weekends away.

Inside, light fills the living spaces throughout the day, while its slightly elevated position captures golden hour across the town. Generous communal areas invite slow mornings, fireside evenings and unhurried time spent together.

Price: $$$$

Address: 46 Vincent St, Daylesford

5. Clifftop at Hepburn

Clifftop at Hepburn luxury villa interior with a fireplace
Take in sweeping views across forested hills and bushland. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Best for: Globe-trotting romantic getaways

Perched high above Hepburn Gorge, Clifftop at Hepburn delivers architecturally designed villas with sweeping views across forested hills and bushland. Flooded with natural light through expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, the villas are designed with couples in mind, pairing privacy with a strong sense of place.

Beyond its classic cliffside retreats, Clifftop offers a collection of globally inspired stays – from Solitude Villas crafted from reclaimed shipping containers to Samurai Villas infused with a refined Japanese sensibility. The experience extends further with Sahara Villas, drawing on African-inspired design with a contemporary, luxury lens. Just minutes away is the Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa, a highlight of Victoria’s legendary spa country and just one of the many incredible things to do in Daylesford.

Price: $$$$

Address: 209 Main Road, Hepburn Springs

6. Headland

the Headland cottage exterior, Daylesford
Sleep in elegance in this French provincial-inspired cottage.

Best for: Couples seeking a quiet, cottage escape

Tucked away in a serene garden, Headland is a storybook country cottage primed for a romantic getaway. With French provincial-inspired interiors – featuring classic white linens, plush scatter cushions, and a wrought-iron bed frame – this snug retreat exudes elegance and comfort. The inviting porch adds to the allure, just the right spot for enjoying tranquil mornings or peaceful evenings in the fresh air.

While its vintage appeal sets a romantic tone, Headland reveals modern comforts throughout. Guests will appreciate the blockout blinds for restful nights, a luxe rainfall shower head in the bathroom, and sleek Smeg appliances in the kitchen.

Price: $$$$

Address: Confirmed upon booking

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7. Shizuka Ryokan

Shizuka Ryokan, Daylesford
Shizuka Ryokan reflects the traditional ryokan style from Japan. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Best for: Authentic Japanese-inspired wellness retreats

Transport yourself to Japan with a stay at Shizuka Ryokan, an adults-only retreat in Hepburn Springs designed to transpose the tranquillity of a traditional Japanese inn. Set amidst immaculately manicured gardens, this getaway crafts an authentic experience, complete with minimalist interiors, private tsuboniwa (small garden), and the calming ambience of tatami floors and futon bedding.

Relax with a soothing spa treatment or unwind in your room’s ensuite bath, donning a yukata (summer kimono) to fully embrace the peaceful ryokan lifestyle. To make your stay extra special, don’t miss the traditional Japanese breakfast, a highlight for many guests.

Price: $$$$

Address: 7 Lakeside Dr, Hepburn

8. Milk and Honey

Milk and Honey bedroom interior, Daylesford
The verandah opens up to breathtaking views.

Best for: Peaceful garden hideaways

Offering a peaceful escape on the northern side of Wombat Hill, Milk and Honey is an elevated retreat that greets visitors with a charming, leafy stairway leading to its welcoming front door. Surrounded by lush gardens, the home boasts two bedrooms, each with king-sized beds and direct access to the sweeping verandah, with breathtaking countryside and Mount Franklin views.

When patrons aren’t enjoying the verandah outlooks or relaxing by the fireplace in winter, the home’s prime location means local gems like the Convent Gallery, Daylesford Sunday Market, and the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens are just a short stroll away.

Price: $$$$

Address: Confirmed upon booking

Pauline Morrissey

Pauline Morrissey

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From coast to bush: these are Gippsland’s best hikes

    Michael Turtle Michael Turtle
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    Video credit: Tourism Australia

    From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

    I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

    For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland, and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

    Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

    The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

    sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

    Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

    a couple on Mount Oberon
    Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit, which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

    a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

    You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk, even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

    the George Bass Coastal Walk
    George Bass Coastal Walk trails for seven kilometres along clifftops. (Image: Visit Victoria/Time Out Australia)

    Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk, usually done over seven days.

    the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland
    Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    The best bush hikes in Gippsland

    the Baw Baw National Park
    The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

    Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

    Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

    Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

    The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

    the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland
    Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

    As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park, along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

    the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park
    Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail, a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

    the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park
    The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

    Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park, known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the WildernessRetreats in The Prom
    Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

    Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

    Eating there

    the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

    Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

    a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.

    Video credit: Tourism Australia