Quite a departure from the standard Australian lodge hotel — Thorngrove Manor is a fantasy version of a European castle, complete with turrets, towers and rough stone walls. The interiors carry on in the same baroque vein, with antiques, artworks and architectural details at every turn. Yet in spite of the historical theme, Thorngrove is a thoroughly modern luxury hotel, and deep down has more in common with today’s five-star boutiques than with any drafty old fortress.
With just five impossibly opulent suites, it’s nothing if not intimate, and you could easily forget that there are other guests at all. Tapestries, carved or timbered ceilings, fine rugs and antique four-poster beds set a tone that’s quite at odds with the rustic and pared-down style one expects from an Australian lodge. Each room is different, varying in size and layout, and come with little surprises, whether a fireplace, a spa bath or a German antique piano.
Meals are served en-suite or, if reserved, in the candlelit dining room; this is another measure of Thorngrove Manor’s fixation on privacy, in contrast with the communal dining that’s standard in other small lodge hotels. The surrounding neighborhood is home to some worthy dining options as well, and the hotel is less than twenty minutes from Adelaide city center.
Unusual, Original & Unique Hotels 