A mere 90 minutes driving from Sydney, Blue Mountains National Park is a jewel in the crown of all that’s epic in Australia: a vast expanse of dramatic canyons, waterfalls and eucalyptus forests, this is New South Wales at its most magnificent. In the midst of this spectacle of nature sits Chalets at Blackheath, an almost Scandinavian-looking luxury hideaway brimming over with soul and local flavour.
We had a feeling that we were in for a special kind of hotel when the service provided effectively commenced the day before our arrival. There we were, sitting in a Sydney café, when a text message popped up on our phone to remind us that we could get in touch any time, should we have a special query, or require assistance. This was particularly convenient seeing we’d decided to travel up to Blackheath by train, and had just heard that there were going to be significant delays the following day – thankfully, Chalets’ staff replied to our messages swiftly and reassuringly, giving us all the information we needed to navigate the upcoming railway chaos, while also putting us at ease.
When we finally arrived, this genuine and proactive service continued. Though guests are usually greeted with a glass of champagne upon checking in, we opted for an iced kombucha as Rhiannon, who was in charge of arrivals that day, welcomed us to Chalets at Blackheath with the kind of conversation that naturally arises between two adults with smiles on their faces (we much preferred this to the usual, and often tedious, check-in chat and forced cordialities). Throughout our stay, staff members referred to the property as if talking about family, which wasn’t just endearing to us, but also spoke volumes about the type of hotel Chalets seeks to be.
The hideaway’s forested grounds, home to just four standalone accommodations (although more are in the works), are easy to navigate while offering just the right amount of space for guests to enjoy some welcome privacy and discretion. E-bikes are readily available for daytime excursions to the surrounding area and nearby town of Blackheath, while a stylish fire pit brings guests together over drinks and chatter in the evenings. You could also while away some time in The Library, which serves as the sole communal indoor space at Chalets at Blackheath. It’s here you’ll get lost in a curated selection of books, enjoy breakfast – more on that below – or forge plans to explore the region’s popular hiking trails with expert guidance from the team.
Most guests arguably spend the bulk of their time on property in their chalets – as did we – to make the most of the blissful seclusion they offer. We loved our generously sized sun deck equipped with a BBQ, an outdoor dining area and low, cushioned seats for those times when sitting upright just isn’t an option. There’s much talk about biophilic design these days; the school of design aimed at facilitating an immersive experience of the natural environment a building is in, and Chalets at Blackheath has certainly taken a leaf out of its book.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Escapist | SYD | GMT +11 |
| While you’re Out There |
| You’d be a fool to miss the Grand Canyon Trek, which starts just down the road from the hotel, or the famous Three Sisters rock formation in nearby Katoomba (where Basil Nut Thai Restaurant serves a fiery tofu curry!). A lesser-known place to visit is Leura Mall, a pretty little street in the suburb of Leura, lined with boutique stores and cosy cafés. |
High ceilings provide space to breathe while glass doors and large windows invite the outdoors in. Natural materials like limestone and rammed earth mirror the elemental colours and rugged surfaces of the nearby canyons, and even the screen saver on our TV depicted one of those epic landscapes that would underline any property’s ‘cabin appeal’ – a wood-burning fireplace also did its part. We adored the original welcome snacks that awaited us in our chalet; a selection of indigenous foods including wattle seed popcorn, quandongs, muntries and bush tomatoes, that quite literally added local flavour to our stay. Those looking to snack a little more will appreciate complimentary mini-bar sacks from red wine-flavoured crisps to rosemary and sea salt cashews and premium chocolate bars (not to mention a fully stocked wine fridge).
Further evidence of the owners’ attention to detail and style can be found in the huge bathrooms, where toiletries by Australian brand Leif and lavender bath salts by iKOU, a company based in nearby Leura, make the perfect pairing for the contemporary amenities – twin rainfall showers and basins, and a bathtub offering views into the green. We also appreciated having a well-equipped kitchenette to self-cater, although the most use we got out of it, admittedly, was making ourselves a coffee first thing in the morning: mind you, handmade ceramic mugs ensured that even something as small as a cup of coffee came with a certain ‘boutique’ feel that’s secured Chalets a Blackheath a space in the coveted Small Luxury Hotels of the World portfolio.
Breakfast in the Library felt equally curated, although a friendly atmosphere amongst guests made it a perfectly informal affair, where strangers become friends over exchanging travel tales. Several more bush ingredients are available at breakfast, too (think lemon myrtle, macadamia, desert limes and riberry fruits), and we rather enjoyed sprinkling them over a serving of thick coconut yoghurt. Meanwhile, artisanal pastries, organic juices, and Australia’s famously delicious coffee creations rounded up the offering.
There’s no on-site restaurant at Chalets at Blackheath, although the team can prepare charcuterie and cheese boards with some notice – eating a plant-based diet meant we couldn’t make use of the catered ‘in-chalet’ dining, and we’d really hope the hotel finds a way to cater to visitors with dietary requirements in the future: after all, there are no restaurants within walking distance, and having to get in a car for each meal made us feel rather restless at times.
That said, we can’t imagine anyone feeling stressed during their stay. The hotel has been designed and furnished in such a thoughtful manner, its minimal aesthetic, clean lines and subdued colours soothe the soul (in-chalet massages, too, are available upon request). Plus, there’s an almost spiritual appeal to the region, and it helps that one of the Blue Mountains‘ most breathtaking viewpoints, Evans Lookout, is a ten-minute stroll down the road. We walked there on the last day of our stay to catch the sun rise over the canyon, a scene so majestic, that we ended up booking our taxi to the train station far too late: the property’s team extended a helping hand once more, offering to chauffeur us to the station in no time. In the end, we caught our train at the last moment and didn’t have to extend our stay. A part of us wished we’d missed it.
www.chaletsblackheath.com.au | www.slh.com
Photography courtesy of Chalets at Blackheath
