Hinterland hot spots to hibernate
Mount Tamborine businesses are keeping the home fires burning, with holiday-makers tipped to head to the hills for warm winter hospitality
COSY cottages are hot property as the Gold Coast hinterland heads into its peak season. Bring the blankets to watch the sunset or enjoy a local vino in front of a fireplace when you hibernate at one of these Mount Tamborine hideaways.
ENCHANTED COTTAGE
Bookended by glow-worm grottoes and ancient rainforest, Enchanted Cottage is a stay-cay straight from the storybooks.
Manager Lynn Heanen said the holiday home was usually booked out well in advance, especially in winter when guests could huddle around the floating fireplace.
“The cottage has so many distinctive and quirky details, both inside and out, that you could spend hours finding them,” Ms Heanen said.
“There’s a secret reading nook tucked away in the main bedroom and mystical poems carved into the timber beams. In the winter it’s warm and cosy, ideal for cheese and wine by the stunning suspended fireplace.”
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN FLOWER FARMSTAY
Good news for Instagrammers intent on their romantic Bridgerton bloom moment – you can now sleepover at Tamborine Mountain Flower Farm.
Unlimited photo opportunities are among the perks when you bunk in one of the two new self-contained cabins, tucked amid 2ha of gardens. Wander the flower fields before retreating with Wi-Fi, Netflix, a queen bed, kitchen and ensuite bathroom.
PRIVATE ECO RAINFOREST CABIN
A rustic cabin cradled in the canopy is one of the most popular Airbnb listings on Mount Tamborine.
Perched on the edge of a cliff and wrapped in rainforest, the hideaway started its life in 1932 as a hardwood timber cow milking shed.
“It is earthy, minimalist, and modern, with a massive glass window to bring the outside inside,” owner Meg Carlsen said. “It is all about timber, with a steeply raked ceiling and lots of glass to intensify the immersive rainforest experience.”
The Airbnb Superhost’s signature “eccentric minimalist” styling is a way to showcase her vast collection of furniture, fabrics, books and everything in between.
“I adore books and unusual periodicals, so we regularly change over a selection for the cabin,” Ms Carlsen said. “Other extras include high-quality French linen, yoga mats, picnic blankets and a basket.”
The cabin shares the owners’ acreage property, where they grow avocados, citrus, mango, lychee, macadamia, olives and more.