You can just make out Kings Lodge hiding amongst the trees — seen from the roof of Altwood Lodge (2 of the 3 lodges at Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat)
The "Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat" is a full — and quite rightly deserved — title in both use of verb and geographic statement. "Amazing" is not a word I personally would ever use lightly — and to be fair, I don't see it often used to describe a place to stay (it's not really up there with "boutique" and "5 star", for example).
But "amazing" really is one of the words you can use to accurately describe Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat. Mind you, there are other words you can use to describe this place... lots of them: secluded, luxurious, bonkers, fantastic, beautiful, quirky, wonderful, detailed, romantic, sensational, relaxing, unique... and "amazing"!
This was a place I knew instantly, on finding it on my internet trawls, that would make it onto the 'inspired' list (save it not being anything like described of course). There is no clearer example of an 'inspired' place to stay that I can think of right now than here.
This was the one place on our recent trip that I was most excited about staying at. I tried to play down my excitement, of course (as therein can lie disappointment), but I kept sneaking onto the website before we left just to marvel at the lodges and listen to the rainforest... yes listen! (Check it out for yourself — here's the 'sound' that they have on the website http://www.wollumbinpalms.com.au/audio.html)
Sir Joseph Bank's veranda - overlooking the surrounding foliage
In fact, I am listening to the sounds of the rainforest right now while I write this, to make sure I capture the true essence of the place. That is hard to do though. I am really concerned that I won't be able to write emotively enough to describe the true gorgeousness and wonder of these lodges, but here's my attempt:
I know that these are not the only rainforest lodges in the whole of Australia, or even in NSW (and we will be looking for more!), but I reckon I am pretty safe in reckoning that there aren't any quite like these...
This is what the word 'unique' was invented for. Let me present:
Altwood Lodge
James Bond baddy-lair meets the Flintstones — the "bonkers" Altwood Lodge is built into the top of a grassy hill and offers stunning sunrise (and impressive all day long) views of nearby Mount Warning — which provides all the fresh water for the lodges via its springs.
This is the 'underground' option. It's the Teletubbies house meets the Flintstones house, meets James Bond baddy hide out, meets Jules Verne, meets maybe even a little bit of Salvador Dali. Some people may well find it a bit too bonkers... we, however, loved it!
Captain Nemo washed his face in this very basin — well, he could have!
Admittedly, arriving in the dark meant the full impact of the view was missing (but something to get you out of bed sharpish in the morning!), but there was so much to explore inside the lodge, it took us about an hour before we settled down!
After being whizzed back down the drive following Casey in the Wollumbin Palms-mobile (see photo!), we parked above (yes, above) the lodge on its roof, and made our way down inside. We had a guided tour of the lodge's facilities (during which time I was almost too busy marvelling at everything to clock the full jar of yummy biscuits and port decanter (which were pounced on the minute Casey left — obviously!).
TV, DVDs, CDs, books, and games are all provided in case you get used to sitting looking at the view of Mount Warning (takes a while to get bored of that — if at all), and there is also the outdoor spa-bath to distract you. As long as you arrive with enough provisions (although you could almost survive on the vast quantity of breakfast ingredients and the cookies), you don't need to leave. You also don't even need to see anyone else on your entire stay if you don't want to. But if you are OK with seeing Casey and Phil, then they can deliver to your lodge a sit down gourmet dinner experience (which even involves shaking out your napkin, should you be that lazy!) They get great reviews from other guests for this home-cooked service. Planning on trying it next time!
We waited excitedly for our breakfast basket to arrive, but managed to turn our backs just as it was lowered! It was like waiting for Santa to leave a stocking-full of presents
All very swallows and amazons-like, you are lowered (literally, on a pulley and hook from the roof) your fresh breakfast ingredients in the morning. 8:00am sees a huge, hot and so-fresh-it's-a-challenge-to-slice loaf of bread descend in a basket, alongside a bottle of hand squeezed orange juice. If you are in the other lodges, this basket is left outside your door on its own special shelf or hook, so you get the same discreet service, just a bit less of the fun in waiting for the pulley!
Your eggs, bacon, butter and milk will have already been put in your fridge, along with your coffee grounds to use in the espresso machine... yes, this time Andy had to see if he was up to the espresso perfection challenge himself... he had to 'try' a few times apparently to make sure it was all OK!
Wonderfully ornate slice of tree trunk head board and perfectly positioned bed — you open your eyes to the fantastic sight of the first sunlight of the day in Australia illuminating Mount Warning
I am worried that if I spend an age describing every bit of detail in Altwood, I will spoil a lot of the surprise and fun, but have a look at some of the photos, and I must at least mention the toilet's 'flushing' fish tank... madness!
Lovely big robes are provided for you to slouch around in (I wore mine a lot!), and not only do you have your own lawn with a view out to the front of Altwood, but at the back is a private garden with outdoor shower (wasn't quite warm enough for that when we stayed) and an outdoor spa in its own little grotto area (was warm enough to sit in there with a glass of wine however!).
The 'under the sea' theme continues when it comes to 'flushing the fish away' in the bathroom — eek!
Managed to char a few things on the barbeque while we were there for dinner one evening, but also had a great lunch (and takeaway cake!) at the Art Café 'next door' to Wollumbin Palms (i.e. back out onto the road and along a block of rain forest).
Worth mentioning too: for eating is the just opened gourmet restaurant just a few blocks down the Mount Warning Road called Mavis' Kitchen — http://www.maviseskitchen.com.au. Would have been a complaint that there wasn't anywhere that near by to go out to have a good dinner (you needed to drive a to Uki, Murwillumbah or further), but this looks to be resolved now. Oh dear... we might have to go back and stay to check out that 6 course tasting menu... damn...!
Sir Joseph Banks
We think quite simply the best tree-house you'll ever stay in — spend all day looking at more trees!
Staying in this lodge puts you face to face with the rainforest outside of every window, or within touching distance on the veranda.
Designed on the principles of a Yurt (although don't let the tent comparisons worry you), it is made from 8 different types of native wood, and these all blend together to make what I think is a perfect luxury tree-house!
With a spa-bath on the veranda open to the forest sights and sounds, a wooden-walled (yes) huge shower inside, and an adventurous outdoor shower bursting from a rocky column outside, getting clean is something to look forward to!
Once you've washed, then there is a fire to cosy round, or some comfy chairs to lounge in both inside and out. I would be quite happy holed up here for a few days in the cocoon of the lodge.
This tree-house comes with quality fixtures and fittings...
Sir Joseph Banks is a luxury rainforest retreat for two that sits out across its own foot bridge right in there with all the 'nature'. It's a really lovely spot, and there are some quirky bits and pieces around the place, but it's certainly not on the same bonkers scale as Altwood. If you like your rainforest retreat packed with personality but not over the top, then Sir Joseph Banks is perfect.
Kings Lodge
Kings Lodge — the best thing you could do with 2 joglos! (If you don't know what joglos are (I didn't), read below for an explanation)
Unfortunately (for us), some other lucky people were staying in Kings Lodge while we were there, but we got to peek at the lodge from outside (beautiful) and have no hesitation in recommending it, as we're sure it comes up to the same high standards of the other two inside. Again, it's a case of 'and now for something completely different' — with two 300 year-old Javanese prayer rooms (joglos) complete with their ornate wooden ceilings placed together to form the lodge, looking directly out onto a stunning lily pad covered lake with a hanging ('suspended') bed thrown in for good measure.
How fantastic you will find it relaxing on the veranda all day with the sound of this fountain...in the middle of the lily covered lake
Not to mention the ubiquitous spa bath — this time located on the 'breezeway' overlooking the 'koi pond' (I'm surprised you haven't booked already at this point!)... stunning, stunning, stunning. What more is there to say? Short of having Gordon Ramsay come and whip up something on your barbeque at 7 o'clock every evening (and assuming the fridge is already full of chilled wine and beer, of course), you are pretty much guaranteed a perfect zen experience here.
Now you can hopefully see how I couldn't actually choose between the lodges at Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat...
Watch out for the 'Palmsmobile'...
Phil and Casey took over the Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat last year from its previous owners and creators, Roger and Margaret. I had thought it would matter that the current owners weren't the imaginations behind the retreat, but it doesn't. I quickly realised that Phil has more than enough enthusiasm for the lodges that he makes a wonderful adoptive parent. I found this out on my phone call when booking, when I asked him to make the choice for us between the lodges (I delegated this difficult decision!). It was only after much pressing that he helped us to pick one (Altwood). Even then, I almost changed my mind again as he was so proud of the other two!
Planning Your Trip
A great way to start any visit to a city is to get up as high as you can and see where everything is...
If you are staying more than a couple of nights, why not try more than one on purpose? (sometimes, you may even 'have' to move lodges given the existing bookings, and this is not a problem I would worry about if I were you!).
One thing to bear in mind is this is very much a 'left to your own devices' place to stay. If you need a front desk open all day and have to see lots of other people 'around', then don't stay here. If, however, you relish the idea of being left to enjoy your holiday in peace, it's perfect. That is not to say Phil and Casey aren't around some of the time to answer your questions, or make suggestions on things to do, places to eat, etc. — just there isn't 24-hour room service, and they try and cover everything when you first arrive, so you can then relax and enjoy. However on the subject of relaxing and enjoying Casey offers 'in-lodge' spa treatments and massages. Using all organic ingredients (many of which she makes herself) Casey can increase your relaxation levels even further with facials, full body treatments and even a Hawaiian Kahuna massage! Not sure how we managed to leave here, actually... I want to go back — now!
Just in case you're about to drive past the entrance, this is what to look out for! See map for more clues...
In the end, I honestly don't think that it would have mattered which lodge we were in at Wollumbin Palms, as each one has the ingredients for a fabulous stay and retreat. I was glad we got to have the Altwood experience though, as I think everyone should try the whole living in a Flintstone house/James Bond baddy lair thing... at least once!
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