Truffle Lodge
Luxurious Camping - Stunning!
After our long lunch at Stefano Lubiana Osteria(see previous blog post on Restaurants We Love!), we continued our drive up through the picturesque Derwent Valley to a little spot just before Gretna. This is where the gem known as Truffle Lodge is nestled on the banks of the river. The weather was very hot - a bit of a heat wave for Tassie - and our hosts kindly gave us the option of postponing our trip if we so desired. We opted to head away to enjoy the river on our doorstep. Truffle Lodge's surrounding view is just glorious. We were warmly greeted by our host who gave us a quick tour and then left us to settle in and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Truffle Lodge is a luxury glamping experience - it is like camping but with all the luxurious trimmings. One of the tempting thoughts was to be out in the middle of nowhere and disconnect - think no television, no internet and millions of stars.
We were very impressed with the luxury tents - large and spacious with a gorgeous bed as the centrepiece and a well appointed ensuite bathroom, including a timber bath. The tent is furnished with beautiful pieces sourced from a variety of countries and give an exotic flavour to the setting. A fan shifted the air around and kept the tent a bit cooler in the heat.
A private deck sits at the front of each tent and is the perfect place to read a book and swing in the hammock, overlooking the river. There are a number of tents lining the river but each is situated to make the most of the privacy and peace. We were lucky enough to be the only guests for our two night stay and we felt very appreciative of having all of this gorgeous space to ourselves. There is no television and no wifi which was perfect for two days of sitting in the serenity, reading and relaxing.
The bathroom is built inside a water tank - creative and ingenious. The circular design works well and John was very impressed with the accessibility(once we had removed the door so he could get the wheelchair through!). The whole property is designed to be accessible and the lovely hosts are very keen to help and listen to feedback.
As the day was scorching, we made our way down to the river to seek a bit of cool air. The path down was accessible but the little platform on the river's edge has stairs so John found a shady tree to sit under while I went for a refreshing swim in the river. There are several points to enter the river. I saw a platypus on one of my swims and our hosts said they are frequent visitors.
A great spot for a glass of wine!
As well as the guest tents, there are several communal spaces - the lodge area and a games pavilion. The lodge area includes the dining room and a lounge area with a record player and a wood fire. I imagine this would be very cosy in winter.
The games pavilion is a large open structure with many activities to participate in, including table tennis, or there are sun lounges for relaxing with a good book.
Breakfast and dinner are included in your stay at Truffle Lodge and we felt very spoilt by the friendly service and generous portions. There are options nearby for lunch if needed. There is a dining room which is part of The Lodge or you can dine on the deck. The food was very homey and tasty.
We chose to dine on the deck and make the most of the warm evenings. The deck overlooks the river with magnificent gums providing some shade. There is a small wine list provided at a very reasonable price, including some local names.
After dinner it is wonderful to retire to your own tent and enjoy the cosy atmosphere. All of the panels close up for privacy(and warmth in winter I imagine!). The bed was very comfortable.
Breakfast is a buffet style affair with some lovely choices, including cook-your-own eggs. This uses a great gadget which John enjoyed playing with! All the usual favourites are there - cereal, yoghurt, juice, cold meats, cheese, pastries. All served in the most beautiful setting - large windows maximising the view and jazz on the CD player.
All of the tents are connected to The Lodge via a wooden walkway. This provides excellent wheelchair access. There is also an accessible bathroom in The Lodge, near the reception/bar area.
What a treat it was to visit Truffle Lodge - we returned from our weekend feeling thoroughly refreshed and relaxed. The whole experience is so well considered and put together. We will certainly return to enjoy more of the serenity and natural beauty...
Truffle Lodge website:
Comments
Post a Comment