I sort of expected this place to be slightly different to most of the pubs out in the country,…read morenamely because I remember driving past it years ago and taking note that it actually look somewhat fancier than most of the pubs one will encounter out in the country. Well, it certainly ended up being the case, no doubt because of its location at the Southern end of the Grampians. Well, as it turned out there were some nice beers available, and the pub itself, well, it was a little fancy, and sort of didn't have that charm that some country pubs have. Still, it was a nice pub, and there was some lovely views from the beer garden as well.

Chef Dan Hunter is a nice. soften spoken guy. He's also an amazing chef. Starting in his native…read moreAustralia, he made his way over to Barcelona, then to the outskirts of San Sebastian. In the town of Errenteria, he made his way up the chain at Mugaritz, eventually becoming the head chef under Andoni Aduritz. After a year at that post he moved to Dunkled and became the Executive chef of Royal Mail. With his own kitchen garden, the influences of the Basque countryside, Chef Hunter created a meal with kindred spirit chef David Kinch. This provided a 12 course 6 hour meal that would be long remembered: -Coho salmon roe jelly, avocado and meyer lemon 2004 Vilmart & Cie Grand Celler Rubis Rilly-la-Montagne Champage, France -Grilled matsutake, sea urchin, and daikon 2002 Tyrell's Wines Semillon Vat 1 Hunter Valley, Australia -Tomato on toast, handmade sheep's ricotta 2010 Entre Nous Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley -Abalone, sunchokes, goat curd with walnut wine 2009 d'Arenberg "the Hermit Crab" Wiognier Marsanne McLaren Vale Adelaide, Australia -Egg yolk, legumes and yeast, Australian winter truffle 2007 Cullen "Kevin Joh" Chardonnay Margaret River, Australia -Sea bream and caramelized vegetable juices, runner beans 2009 Kilikanoon Mort's block Riesling Clare Vallley, Australia -Eel and bone marrow, eggplant, pickled vegetables 2008 Giant Steps Pinot Noir Sexton Vineyard Yarra Valley Australia -Veal and albacore tonnato, crispy rice and cabbage 2007 John Duval Plexux Shiraz, Grenache, Mouvedre Barossa Valley Australia -Lamb and carrots, soy cream, almond, garlic 2001 Yara Yering Underhill Shiraz Yarra Valley, Australia -Vanilla yogurt panna, raw and pickled plums, shiso sorbet NV Lord Nelson Victory "Port Style" Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Napa Valley -Pistachio, hazelnut, honeycomb, chocolate NV Chambers Muscat Rosewood Vineyards Rutherglen, Australia -Kugelhoph

Comfort inn western is not a 5 star hotel but it's by far one of the cleanest and well kept of the…read morechain that I have stayed at. I usually attribute comfort inn to more motel style accomodation. Low expectation, overnight cos u have to sleep somewhere type of place. Although admittedly, this one seems to have a lot more care out into it. The couple managing this place obviously takes a lot of pride and keeping of the rooms. Shower was clean, the queen room has enough space for a small 2 seater sofa and a single armchair. Overall it was a pleasant stay for me and likely to return. This is definitely my pick of the accomodation in this area.

First trip to Warrnambool in many years and we were not sure where to stay but we could not be…read morehappier with our choice of Comfort Inn Western. The rooms were exceptional for a Comfort Inn chain and the best we have stayed at in the chain. Rooms are very well appointed and looked after and the couple that run the hotel are lovely and clearly take pride in the accomodation and how things are maintained. Bed was a king size and comfy and the bathroom clean and with everything you need. Would definitely make this our choice on our next visit!

Relaxation akin to Meditation that simply melts your stress away.-…read more Another delightful visit to Darlinton's Elephant Bridge Hotel. We led into the visit with a BBQ lunch at Deep Lake at Derrinallum which was very enjoyable, with a pleasant number of people around engaging in yachting, kayaking, camping and chatting. Arrived at Darlinton's beautifully refurbished Elephant Bridge Hotel at 2pm complimented with a warm welcome from owner Karin. If you are looking for an escape into a totally different dimension of life, as we were, I suggest you take a picnic rug and lay under one of the large palm trees on the undulating slope in the rear garden, with a good book and a friend to read it to you. The clouds and sky are a beauty we take for granted and rarely we take the time to lie on our backs to observe and appreciate them. On this day the sky was a brilliant blue and the fluffy white Cumulus clouds contrasted with the distinct feathery lines of the Cirrus clouds, reminiscent of those often depicted in early paintings, all of which helped to transport us back to a time that was fitting for such a fine old building. As requested in advance, Karin prepared a very pleasant evening meal and joined us later over tea, coffee and wine. Conversation flowed easily and Karin is an excellent hostess. The rooms are immaculately furnished and decorated to perfection and the bed comfortable, with a height that immediately makes my mind flash back to my grandmother's high bed from my childhood. The bathroom is large, exquisite and conveniently located. Breakfast of a magnificent nut muesli, and a generous variety of toasted breads, with a selection of spreads, is provided with the option of adding a cooked breakfast for an additional cost. To complete the day we ventured back into Derrinallum and later onto Terang Hotel Bistro, next door to IGA, for lunch, which was also an excellent meal. In the past a climb up Mt Noorat has added an interesting completion to our stay at Darlington's Elephant Bridge Hotel. Noticed on a more recent visit that the Mt Elephant Tourist Centre is open on a Sundays 1-4pm. Thus it is easy to pad out a stay at Darlington's Elephant Bridge Hotel with some simple, pleasant activities that allow the body to slow down and recharge.

This property is the most impressive country motel that we have ever stayed. The decor is modern…read moreand the rooms are so clean. The Breakfast room was great to sit and relax before heading off to work.

The only thing about this pub that sits in my mind was the friendly staff. However, that is pretty…read moremuch it when it comes to this pub because beyond that there is nothing all that much that will draw me back here, even though it does happen to be located quite a distance away from where I tend to travel. In a way this is mainly one of those highway pubs, namely a pub located out in the country that happens to be on a main highway. I guess that is why it tended to be friendlier than some. However, beyond that, there is nothing about this pub that really stands out in my mind.

This place gets 5 stars for service! Nothing was too difficult for the General Manager Marcus. He…read moreswitched our breakfast to another day after we didn't make it in time the first day. He let us use the restaurant dining room tables to do some work while the restaurant was closed. He even hand delivered some towels to our room. Marcus gave us gym, pool and wifi passes, and then even comp'd a drink from the mini-bar when we left! All the staff were very friendly, even the housekeeping staff will smile and say hello when you walk past. The rooms have been re-furbed and are modern and comfortable. The windows are double glazed so there isn't much street noise even in the rooms facing the main street. The breakfast was just average; on the plus side the juice and milk was nice and cold, but on the downside the eggs were a little undercooked (white was still runny).

Driving up to the Lodge, down the long dirt driveway our guide pointed out kangaroos and a wallaby…read morethat were quite at home on the rugged landscape, which was a fun introduction to the place. I stayed there one night as part of Bunyip's three day tour (so I can't comment on cost, as it was included in the tour price), and enjoyed it immensely. The lodge (which had couches, pool tables, and a bar) and the outdoor kitchen and eating area were basic, as a hunting or camping lodge would be expected to be. The sleeping arrangements consisted of a number of bunkroom cabins, each their own porches to sit out on and enjoy the outback. The bathrooms are a bit old fashioned, but that added to the charm for me, reminding me of fishing trips with my dad. The place felt comfortable and cozy. The lodge was also a flight strip for bush pilots and a four-wheeler course on the property. (I did not participate in the four-wheel experience, but my two tour-mates who did said they quite enjoyed it.) My tour-mates and I wandered out to the flight strip (each of us well-dowsed in mosquito repellent) and set up chairs to watch the sunset with no other buildings or people in sight. Later that night, we went out and looked up at a sky brightly lit with stars, in which the Milky Way was a clearly visible streak across the sky. I also had the Southern Cross constellation pointed out to me, something I was looking forward to seeing on the trip. The experience was wonderful.

This pub was actually pretty awesome, though I get the impression that this town tries to play on…read moresome sort of heritage factor. Mind you, it's not as if it is one of those towns that happen to be on a major road, though this pub does seem rather popular. Actually, one of the things that grabbed me was that for a country pub they happened to have some nice beers on tap, which I certainly appreciated. To be honest, I have to admit that I really liked this place, especially how the lower level actually felt like you were in a cellar.

The owners are a sweet couple who can help you find a nice hidden cafe to have brunch and has maps…read morefor the hikes around Grampians. They're so helpful! We stayed in room #11 and the view was breathtaking. A large paddock with kangaroos grazing and the Grampians too! The rooms were really clean and the bathroom was super clean too. I will definitely be staying here again.