Travels With JB

Travels With JB

Travel news and reviews

A two night stay in a two bedroom suite at Balgownie Estate in Victoria’s  Yarra Valley caused me some unexpected guilt.

The view from my suite at Balgownie Estate.
The view from my suite at Balgownie Estate.

The suite included a deluxe spa room where I stayed – and a standard queen room where my mother slept. While my mother opted for the standard room, I couldn’t help but feel guilty!
My room was huge (around 55 square metres), while my mother’s room seemed quite small by comparison (around 29 square metres).

My suite at Balgownie
The kitchenette and spa bath in my room at Balgownie

My room (415) included a kitchenette and a spacious lounge and dining area which led to a balcony offering some great views. The bathroom featured the spa bath, which doubled as a shower.  My large bedroom housed a king size bed.
My mother’s room (416) offered a queen size bed, table and work chair (although an extra sitting chair arrived just as we were leaving).  There was one smallish window. The bathroom included a large walk in shower. Tea and coffee making facilities were stored in the wardrobe.

My mother's room
My mother’s room.

One of the reasons for my mother’s room choice was her lack of mobility, which meant she couldn’t have accessed the spa/shower. (Another was her desire to `spoil’ her daughter!)
Fortunately the design of the suite was such that we could close the external suite entry door to the two rooms, meaning my mother could use my living and kitchen area at any time.
Most importantly Balgownie Estate provided a great basis from which to explore the Yarra Valley’s many attractions.

What:  Rooms 415 and 416, Balgownie Estate, Yarra Valley
Who: JB
Why: A short family break.
When:  March 21 to 23, 2016
How Did It Rate

My lounge/dining room
My lounge/dining room

My room’s décor and facilities. The kitchenette included a microwave, toaster and Nespresso coffee machine. The living area had a sofa and comfortable chair while there was also a four seater dining room table. The balcony featured a table with two chairs and provided some great views, including the  chance to watch the early morning hot air balloonists.


My room was relatively quiet – one night I heard the spa from the room above me, but that was the only noise. My mother reported her room was very quiet.


There was a good selection of bathroom amenities in both rooms, although none were replenished during our stay.

My bedroom
My bedroom

Free internet in both rooms which worked well.


Resort facilities which included a Natskin spa resort, indoor swimming pool, small gym and Rae’s Restaurant.  A body massage at the spa was the perfect way to end a day spent exploring the Yarra Valley.


The resort’s location. It’s surrounded by vineyards and farm land which is ideal for early morning and late afternoon walks.


Lack of seating in my mother’s room although this seemed to have been addressed on the day we left.

The view from my balcony
The view from my balcony

Very few coat hangers in either of our wardrobes.


While the list of amenities includes turn down service we didn’t receive this service.


While the dinner we had at Rae’s Restaurant was fine, it is a set menu and if you don’t want a two or three course meal the only other dinner option at the resort seemed to be room service.  Given the location of the resort no other evening dining options are in walking distance.

For more information on Balgownie visit the website.

Visit travelswithjb/victoria for more reviews and stories about Victoria and travelswithjb/ accommodation for more accommodation reviews.

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