Peter de Graaf checks into the Aire Valley Guesthouse, Victoria, Australia
Location: On the Great Ocean Highway west of Apollo Bay, a 230km drive from Melbourne.
Check-in experience: Utterly informal and welcoming. It feels like dropping in to stay with friends. Room: With just four to choose from, I opt for the Lake Room, overlooking the broad Aire Valley and, no surprises here, a lake. It has a comfy double bed, a ceiling fan, French doors opening on to a deck, and an en suite bathroom. Though the room is in a newish extension to a centuryold farmhouse it has been finished with vintage fittings, giving it a historic feel.
What’s in the neighbourhood: The Great Ocean Highway (for road tourers) and the Great Ocean Walk (for hikers), Castle Cove surf beach, and Aire Valley Wildlife Reserve. If you go a little further you’ll get to Great Otway National Park, Cape Otway lighthouse and a zipline called the Otway Fly. A striking series of coastal rock formations called the 12 Apostles are about 70km to the west.
Food and drink: Host Susie McDonald is an outstanding cook, so you won’t go to bed hungry. One night I had freshly caught snapper with roast veges; the next was a jungle curry with most of the ingredients coming from her own garden. She’s also a former winemaker who’ll match your dinner with a bottle from her extensive cellar.
The bed: Supremely comfortable.
Wi-Fi: Free but downloads limited.
Noise: None, unless you count the magpies and kookaburras. Australian birds are a raucous lot. Exercise facilities: The Great Ocean Walk is a short drive away.
What’s so good about this place: The setting, the food, a communal room crowded with books and art, the vege garden and freerange chooks; and an open fire on chilly nights. However, the biggest drawcard is probably Susie — winemaker, cook, art-lover, Francophile and Chinese medicine practitioner.
Perfect for: Bushwalkers (that’s trampers in Australian) on the Great Ocean Walk who don’t like camping but do like a fine meal and a comfy bed. Price: $250 per couple per night or $275 FridaySunday. Includes breakfast; dinner is $75 extra. Website: airevalleyguesthouse.com.au