Australia’s home to some incredible cities and hotels. But it’s away from its main cities where the country’s magic truly happens. Case in point: Daylesford. Since the mid 19th century, the area, some two hours from Melbourne, has drawn travellers eager to bathe in its natural mineral waters. But it wasn’t until more recently that the smart country town has become a must-visit destination in its own right – and much of that is due to Lake House Daylesford, an exquisite property that began life in 1984 at the hands of artist-builder Allan Wolf-Tasker and his passionate chef wife, Alla Wolf-Tasker. As this iconic property celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, we checked in to see how it became the catalyst for a town’s fortunes.

While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Review of Lake House Daylesford

In the beginning

Lake House Daylesford started as a mad dream. The Wolf-Taskers bought a swampy block of land on the fringes of Lake Daylesford in 1979, and it was Alla’s dearest wish to turn it into a 40-seat weekend-only restaurant where she could mimic her experiences with 70s-era French fine-dining. With her husband, Alla spent four years building what would become the first incarnation of her dream. It didn’t quite go to plan.

It was the early 80s, and destination dining wasn’t a thing—people weren’t keen to make a journey just to eat. It didn’t help that boutique producers and farmers weren’t the norm just yet. Nevertheless, the Wolf-Taskers persisted and, as time would show, they were far ahead of their time.

For several years, Alla and Allan moved between Daylesford and Melbourne—where they both kept their city jobs and could access market produce. But, they quickly realised that they needed to be all-hands-on-deck if it was going to work and after going all-in, things slowly began to take off. Each year, the family invested in their dream, making adjustments and additions as they deemed necessary. Somehow, the mad dream took off.

Lakeside legacy

Lake House Daylesford review Argyle Library interior
Argyle Library

These days, the Lake House is a hallmark of dining and hospitality – in Daylesford, and Australia. Alla fulfilled her mission to create an incredible top-end restaurant but expanded on that to create a thoroughly charming lakeside retreat in the country bolstered by several related businesses, including a farm property, Dairy Flat Farm—that produces much of the Lake House’s produce; the rest comes from the small growers and local producers that eventually came along as the region grew in popularity.

And, it’s still very much family run. The Wolf-Taskers’ daughter, Larissa, oversees much of the business and operations these days and can be seen racing through the property greeting guests with a friendly smile. That cheeriness translates to the rest of the team, who are equal parts welcoming, efficient, and competent. During the stay, it becomes very obvious that the largely international staff at the Lake House Daylesford are very much a family of their own. While chatting with the engaging staff, I hear stories about how they ended up coming to live and work at this exquisite property in rural Australia—one even mentions that the Wolf-Taskers did everything in their power to keep everyone employed during the pressures of the pandemic.

Our first glimpse of the property is the cosy Argyle Library Bar, which feels like a contemporary take on an old-world gentlemen’s club. The open space is filled with plush seating arranged in intimate groups, and there’s a wall filled with books as well as a fireplace. We relax here while enjoying our welcome drink and go through the check-in formalities; it would be an equally great spot for a post-dinner drink.

The villas

Lake House Daylesford review Atrium villa
Atrium Villa

Lake House Daylesford may have started as a restaurant, but with the additions made over four decades, it now encompasses 33 stunning studios and suites nestled into six acres of country gardens. We stayed in The Retreat, a sumptuously-appointed two-bedroom villa that’s composed of two standalone suites—the Atrium Villa and Spa Villa—connected by a single door.

Walking into the Atrium Villa, we’re greeted by a lavish country lounge filled with plush sofas, leather chesterfields, an open fireplace, and a library full of thoughtfully curated books. With the addition of a well-stocked honesty bar, it’s the perfect place to cosy up with a bottle of wine and Netflix film that evening. We quickly discover that the space also features a fully-equipped kitchen—the baked goods on the counter, from sister property Dairy Flat Farm, make a lavish afternoon tea—as well as a jewel-toned bedroom that leads onto a private European-style secret courtyard.

Lake House Daylesford review interior of Spa Villa bedroom
Spa Villa

Through the connected door, the Spa Villa is centred around a comfortable king-size wrought iron four poster bed, but there’s also a welcoming seating arrangement, small dining table, and kitchenette. Opening the glass-paned French windows, I quickly realise the private courtyard here has its own outdoor Jacuzzi.

Both villas come with their own massive marble-and-stone ensuite, complete with mock candles that add some atmosphere—in the evening, it would be rude not to run a bath in the standalone tub and use the scrubs and facial masks provided by the property’s spa; I’m a fan of the luxe ESPA bath products, too.

Wellness wonders

Wellness should be integral to any good country retreat and Lake House Daylesford certainly doesn’t skimp on this. Guests can take advantage of the beautiful natural surroundings to get their wellbeing fix—there’s no better way to start the day than with an easy run around the lake. But there’s plenty more onsite, too. The heated infinity pool boasts inspiring natural views and lounger service—both great when you want to relax while still frantically tapping away at the laptop—but what really impressed me was the menu of simple yet deliciously filling dishes and drinks.

Done with work for the day, it’s over to the wonderfully intimate spa that features a country-chic relaxation area and opulent couples’ treatment room complete with a fireplace. There are numerous treatment options available, but you can’t go wrong with the signature Harmony Ritual, 90-minutes of bliss that combines a hot-stone massage that boosts blood circulation and lymphatic drainage to leave you feeling relaxed and light as air, and facial using Subtle Energies products that leaves skin hydrated and glowing.

Eats & drinks

Lake House Daylesford review interior of restaurant
Restaurant interior

40 years since its opening, the jewel in Lake House Daylesford’s crown is still its restaurant. We arrive before our reservation time to enjoy a drink on the restaurant’s terrace, another must-do on the property. Settling into Adirondack chairs with the property’s signature gin-infused cocktails while facing the lake as golden hour comes into its pink-and-orange glory is just one of many pinch-me moments here.

Back inside, the restaurant is elegant, but manages to convey a fine-dining atmosphere without the fussiness of other top-shelf restaurants. The spacious, open dining room is largely rendered in white and creams and floods with natural light through postcard windows during the day. A touch of drama comes from the artistic ceiling lamps, while the nature-inspired artwork—painted by Allan Wolf-Tasker—reflects the scenes outside.

Under the direction of Alla Wolf-Tasker, meals in this elegant space make use of incredible local ingredients. Many of these come from Dairy Flat Farm, which features five acres of vegetable gardens and a bakehouse specialising in slow-fermented sourdough; others come from a curated roster of small growers and suppliers. These infuse every Lake House meal with an unparalleled freshness and rich flavours that must be tried to be believed.

We settle into an intimate window-side table to enjoy a dinner that makes it obvious why Lake House Daylesford has earned its coveted Two Chef’s Hat status. To keep things simple, meals are served as a four-course degustation and guests can choose between several options for each.

Lake House Daylesford review fine dining dish
Expect elegant fine dining

To say dinner here is incredible is an understatement. Infused with ingredients like homegrown heirloom tomatoes and kohlrabi, Fraser Island Spanner Crab, and Black Opal Wagyu, it’s a symphony of flavours that tease and tantalise the taste buds. In fact, it’s arguably better that the meal I had at a certain, much-lauded former world number one restaurant overseas—certainly, the service here, which is self-described as “fine-dining with the top button undone,” is far more friendly and on-the-ball.

Of course, breakfast is equally opulent and infused with goods delivered that morning from Dairy Flat Farm. The semi-buffet offering includes decadent, freshly-baked breads and pastries and sumptuous homegrown fruits, along with hot dishes—eggs from the farm, naturally—cooked à la minute. Obviously, this is what they mean when they say you should dine like a king at breakfast.

Final thoughts

Hospitality is a rather cutthroat industry, and it’s only those who manage to crack an elusive code that manage to go the distance. As it celebrates its 40th year, it’s abundantly clear that Lake House Daylesford has done just that. It might have started as a mad-cap dream, but over the decades, the Wolf-Tasker family—and their engaging team—have created a magical place that combines gracious, unfussy hospitality, truly wondrous food, beautiful design, and total comfort in one elegant package. It’s such a delightful stay that as I pull the car out of the driveway, we’re already making plans to come back next time I’m in Melbourne.

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