Nine steps to Hunter Valley treasure
Australia's favourite food blogger, Not Quite Nigella , aka Lorraine Elliott travels to the Hunter Valley to unearth some of the region's real treasures.
I’ve never been one of those people that has only thought that hotels and places to stay are a place to simply lay their head. To me, a hotel is a home away from home and I like to bury myself in the hotel room, just me and the bath, room service, mini bar and the internet connection and TV and I’m happy as a clam. It’s probably why I am so fussy about the rooms that I stay in – just call me Adrian Monk . And if we are assigning blame it should probably go to my parents who are similarly finicky. And although I know it is a rite of passage for many, I have never backpacked. In fact my sister tried backpacking once and after a night fled to a hotel. You see it’s simply not in our gene pool, as silly as that sounds…
So when Mr NQN and I were invited to visit the Hunter Valley on the first weekend of the Hunter Valley Food & Wine Festival in June and visit the exclusive adults only Tower Lodge we were very excited. For only last year did it win the “Global Luxury Lodge” award at the World Luxury Hotel Awards. A member of the prestigious Relais & Chteaux group, they proudly display the golden fleur de lys emblem at every turn. And our agenda for our time there was perfect. It would start with a high tea, plenty of time in the room itself and then finish off with dinner at Nine the intriguing restaurant set 9 feet under the ground. And we wouldn’t have to step off the grounds if we didn’t want to.
I’m a nervous driver all the way up the Pacific Highway but once I hit the freeway things are good. We arrive at Tower Lodge 2.5 hours after departing Sydney (two hours for most but I’m on my Ps and 90kms/hour is my limit ). Established in 2000 it is decorated in a Spanish mission style and features turrets and imposing towers.
Each of the twelve rooms is decorated uniquely although all of them have antique doors, unique bedheads and double baths with each room having a different personality. There is a heated outdoor pool, sauna and a gym on the premises and we walk through the stunning guest lounge and bypass the library and baronial dining room.
We’re shown to our room, number '6' – and it is a beauty.
Finnish Dry Sauna - News
On entering the sauna however, I was faced with a room full of naked Germans. Since in Finland it's absolutely forbidden not to be naked in a sauna I followed suit. This did result in something of a problem as all the doors within the thermal suite
The smell of incense permeated the air in this dry and hot chamber. A Tepidarium, warm room, gave us a break from the heat without a full cool down. This softly lit room featured an array of golden ceramic lounges. The Finnish sauna was hottest of all.
Doing his duty as a Finn, he goes to switch on the sauna for some of his favourite Finnish ritual but unfortunately power is out to that whole side of the building. I run the bath and switch on the spa bubbles instead. We get ready for the 7pm sabrage.
Sauna history: condition Benefits of Saunas
Sauna come from the high temperatures generated, which literally have a certain impact upon your corporal well-being.
You see, when your body is subjected to such high temperatures, you begin to perspire (that is to say, you begin to sweat), and perspiration causes the blood vessels to open up, thus providing a natural increase in circulation and thereby promoting healing.
Finnish Dry Sauna - Bookshelf
Sauna, the hottest way to good health
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Sauna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A modern Finnish sauna. A sauna ( /ˈsɔːnə/ or /ˈs aʊnə/) is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or ...
TRADITIONAL DRY SAUNA - FINNISH HOT SAUNAS. Traditional ...
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Finnish Sauna
Finnish Sauna for your Health ... The dry infrared heat of this sauna provides a number of benefits which include, body detoxification, improved skin tone, relief ...
sauna: Definition from Answers.com
sauna n. A Finnish steam bath in which the steam is produced by pouring water over heated rocks. A bathhouse or room for taking such a steam bath
How To Bathe in a Sauna
How To Bathe in a Finnish Sauna. There is no one right way to take a sauna. Above all you should be in good ... Allow yourself to cool and dry properly before clothing yourself. ...