The Auswine Forum

Hey Guys

Heading to SA in June with the wife... looking for some great value accom so I can spend more money on wine!! No more than $200 per night but less if its possible!

Would love something that has an open fire!

Any suggestions

Elsie's Cottage in Tanunda. Great spot and about $175 per night. I've been staying there every year for over 10 years now.

Cheers
Ian

McLarens by the Lake, Serafino's hotel is my pick for the best value hotel in Australia. Massive rooms that seem to have been designed by someone with a brain, superb restaurant for the money (again a candidate for best value in Australia Imo) It's but a one minute drive from the shopping centre and in the heart of McLaren Vale wine land. The winery isn't exactly my favourite, but that's not an issue...

Barossa Motor lodge is the best value budget motel in BV. It's nothing spectacular, though. It's in Tanunda which has the nicest shopping area/range of eateries. The motel nearby on the other side of the road (away from Tanunda centre is a bit more flash, but, then again it's a step up in price. If you're cashed up, stay in Charlie Melton"s cottage almost across the road from Rockfords. Now that's a spot! And Charlie and Virginia ('Rose of') are smashing people and are often around in the cellar door and open for a chat.)

+1 for Elsies Cottage.

I have also stayed a number of times at Treasured Memories Cottage. The old cottages in Tanunda are fantastic and have well manicured gardens.
www.treasuredmemories.com.au

Make a reservation now for Fermentasian.

Just a quick whine, I travel extensively to wine regions around the world, and the Barossa is expensive for what it is in terms of accommodation. It's like there's a local cartel holding prices high despite modest occupancies.I'm happy to pay for a great stay but the Barossa can take the piss with no internet and run down, desperately in need of a touch up/reno cottages.

Aslo, beware, a few of the cottages are haunted.

Last month I stayed at the B&B of Whistler wines which was modern and compact, in lovely surrounds just near Maggie Beer's Farm. Hosts were terrific and dropped us off and picked us up at restaurants and joined us for the obligatory 4 o'clock wine on the veranda overlooking old bush vines.

Haven't stayed in the Vales for years and must do soon. Last time I stayed at the Kay Brother's cottage which was pleasant.

Stayed at Barossa Shiraz Estate in Lyndoch recently and it was quite nice.
Probably the best immediate views of vineyards and the like.
Gets some good reviews on TripAdv.
Treasured memories? Yeah was pretty good. Had a possum on the verandah roof scratching around during the night
which I probably wouldn't put under the banner of treasured memory.

As for Fermentasian? Went there with pretty high expectations and it was good, but it fell a little below
par to be honest. Seemed a bit pricey for Vietnamese. The wine list was bordering on insanity.
An amazing collection no doubt but to read thru something of that magnitude and/or find what you're looking for
seemed over the top. After a few pages I just plonked it aside and let the waiter organise some single glass
matchings to go with what we had ordered. Had Sake with the first dish and it was fantastic.
Wish I'd remembered what it was.

For lunch I thought the Lamb pie and salad with a glass of cab at Charles Melton was hard to beat.
Nice, simple and priced accordingly. I love the long table tasting set up and Meltons too.
Something different to your standard cellar door.

+1
Every visit i've made the lamb pie at Meltons is mandatory, and last time we stayed at in the converted Church which was very nice.
Although i do find the wines are over priced these days, but an excellent winery experience overall.

Also think FermentAsian is worth a visit, but overhyped.

Every single thread i respond to on Mac Vale i say the Star of Greece is the best spot for lunch in SA. No one ever seems to listen or visit.....probably fair given the nonsense i write otherwise

Michael R wrote:+1
Every single thread i respond to on Mac Vale i say the Star of Greece is the best spot for lunch in SA. No one ever seems to listen or visit.....probably fair given the nonsense i write otherwise

+1 agree with this

And every single thread on Mac Vale I saw the Victory Hotel is one of my favourite places in the world... robust hearty food and an amazing and well priced wander around wine cellar.

Michael R wrote:+1
Every visit i've made the lamb pie at Meltons is mandatory, and last time we stayed at in the converted Church which was very nice.
Although i do find the wines are over priced these days, but an excellent winery experience overall.

Also think FermentAsian is worth a visit, but overhyped.

Every single thread i respond to on Mac Vale i say the Star of Greece is the best spot for lunch in SA. No one ever seems to listen or visit.....probably fair given the nonsense i write otherwise

I've been there once and it was very good. The guys from KISS showed up the same time I was there.
I guess it came highly recommended. My personal favourite for food in M-Vale/Willunga is Fino.
Fantastic food, service and it's just a great little unassuming spot.
I recently went to Fino at Seppeltsfield and although the food was absolutely spot on, it lacked the
the charm and personality of it's smaller cousin in Willunga.
As for the Victory Hotel, solid pub grub no doubt but the cellar is the real attraction for me.
Great view from the garden/lawn area too.