Frommers Travel Guide Review 2008

Each of the five suites at Mount Rael Retreat has its own subtle style. There's the Shecky, with somber furnishings offset by a fuzzy purple rug and African tribal art; the Louie, a springy bungalow painted in a palette of greens; the Tzar, modeled on a 1950's smoking lounge; the Tane, the largest room but with the fewest high-design toys; and the Sharman, where the views are dazzling and sparkling wine is part of the deal.

The vintage furnishings and objets d'art were part of co-owner Sean Lee's personal collection. "Pretty much all we had to do was buy five beds", he says, explaining how he and his partners transformed what had been a mountaintop lodge with peeling paint and lace curtains into quite possibly the most impressive design feat in the Valley.

Regulars flip through back issues of Wallpaper while waiting for tables at on-site Restaurant 3777, where dinner might include a tart of locally grown zucchini flowers, crispy skinned duck breast with sweet-potato and orange raviolo, and, for dessert, a marquise made with chocolate from Kennedy & WIlson in the nearby town of Coldstream.

Outside, the restaurant's terrace takes in 180-degree views of Mount Riddell, Mount Donna Buang and the Great Dividing Range.