Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains
The multi award-winning Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains (pictured, above) is located 90 minutes’ drive west of Sydney.
It stands as a beacon of excellence in conference and event hosting. From team recognition gatherings, product launches and small business meetings to large residential conferences and buy-outs, it epitomises versatility.
The resort’s 23 meeting spaces offer opportunities for customisation and exclusivity, crafting unforgettable experiences, from team building to onsite activities and golf.
Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains offers superb food and beverages, including at award-winning Two Doctors Whiskey Tavern, with its cosy interior spaces, leather chesterfields and bookshelves housing vintage books and curios.
The Chef Hat-awarded No.1 Sublime Pt hosts private dinners and events overlooking Jamison Valley. It delivers a gastronomic experience that complements the resort’s warm hospitality.
ESQ
Nestled in the heart of the Sydney CBD sits ESQ, a venue shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Its central location beckons guests into a world of intimate warmth, which is perfect for winter gatherings.
ESQ, located in the Queen Victoria Building, embodies speakeasy elegance, offering a backdrop for cocktail events and intimate chef’s table dinners. Elevate your next event by partnering with Trippas White Group’s head sommelier, Louella Mathews, to curate an unforgettable experience.
An event at ESQ is the crafting of a journey through sophistication and style.
Dean & Nancy on 22
Developed by the creative minds behind internationally acclaimed cocktail bar Maybe Sammy, and perched under the golden crown of A by Adina Sydney, Dean & Nancy on 22 balances decadence and drama with precision and playful service.
Step off the brass curved staircase from A by Adina’s Sky Lobby and order a cocktail, sample bold flavours, watch the sun set and see the city come alive.
“At the end of the day, an impressive cocktail list might get people through the door, but it’s the experience they have that keeps them coming back,” says A by Adina general manager Jay Hore.
“Our guests’ happiness is top priority and our venue team has a lot of fun making that happen.”
Dean & Nancy’s “Above the Clouds” cocktail menu invites guests on a celestial journey with space-themed cocktails, including their first edible cocktail, “The Rocketman”.
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Located at one of the world’s most spectacular sites, on the edge of Sydney Harbour, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia’s Foundation Hall is an impressive ballroom with seven-metre-high ceilings and a large terrace with views of Sydney Opera House.
Once the original reception hall of the former Maritime Services Board, this 450-square-feet space has been beautifully refurbished using traditional materials, including scagliola pillars and terrazzo flooring.
In 2024, clients and guests will see continued improvements in this venue, including upgrades through MCA Australia’s major partner, AV1. Foundation Hall can accommodate 300 people seated or 750 standing.
MCA Australia is dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the work of contemporary Australian artists. By hosting an event at this venue, you are supporting them.
Working Kind Collective
Nestled within the walls of Working Kind Collective, in Stanmore, in Sydney’s Inner West, lies a culinary haven waiting to be explored. The venue is a beacon of community, creativity and social impact that boasts a delectable food and beverage offering.
Featured is a selection of dishes lovingly prepared by some of Sydney’s best social enterprises. HW Catering provides hospitality work experience and training for refugees and asylum seekers. Its menu is a celebration of cultural diversity, offering global cuisine that reflects the heritage and culinary traditions of those who craft them.
Other offerings include bespoke menus crafted by asylum seekers and refugees from Parliament on King social catering; and Jamaican Delight, which serves authentic Jamaican cuisine that tells a story of resilience, passion and community that transcends borders.
Working Kind Collective is all about making a difference. With a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, and a focus on reducing under-representation, the venue partners with local social enterprises to offer catering options that are delicious and environmentally conscious. It is a place where great food meets great purpose, leaving guests nourished in body and soul.
Fleet
In a city known for its ubiquitous wine and cocktail bars, Fleet stands tall – not only as the highest rooftop bar on Melbourne’s Flinders Street, but as a venue leading the modern-day rum renaissance.
Located on level 22 of Vibe Hotel Melbourne, Fleet opened in April 2024 and boasts one of the city’s most picturesque views. Designed by Paul Kelly Design – also responsible for Black Star and Crown Casino – the hotel’s former penthouse apartments have been transformed into a chic, 90-person rooftop bar reminiscent of an intimate private suite.
Fleet’s stylish, travertine bar is generously stocked with more than 70 rums from around the world, including local distillers. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 3pm until late, and is available for buy-outs, excluding Friday and Saturday nights.
The Victoria Rutherglen
The jewel of historic Main Street, in Rutherglen, The Victoria is located 10 minutes off the Hume Highway on the Victoria-NSW border. The regional venue is a three-hour drive from Melbourne and an ideal meeting point for guests from Sydney, Canberra and Victoria.
Under the guidance of head chef Brendan Anderson, The Victoria’s enticing winter menu celebrates local produce, cooked over open flame with skill and care, and delivers nostalgic pub classics or something elevated.
Enjoy wine pairings from a selection that pays tribute to the region’s exceptional winemakers, or work through the cocktail menu where locally distilled spirits provide an artisanal twist on the classics.
The open-air, dog-friendly beer garden is ideal for enjoying the all-day snacks menu, while the roaring wood fire offers perfect ambience in cooler weather.
For people seeking an overnight stay, The Victoria’s luxury boutique suites provide a welcoming winter escape, designed for the leisure and business traveller.
victoriahotelrutherglen.com.au
Belvedere Restaurant and Bar
Belvedere Restaurant and Bar is a destination eatery within a hotel that effortlessly shifts from breakfast to all-day dining. It’s where a passionate team waxes lyrical about the destination in the Tasmanian capital.
Located on the ground floor of Vibe Hotel Hobart, Belvedere feeds a growing global appetite for authentic local encounters intertwined with paddock-to-plate dining. Through thoughtful interactions, the team creates experiences that talk to the providence of the site – through art and design – and the produce it serves.
The site’s colonial back story serves as an entree to its incarnation as the Belvedere – a beloved Art Deco dance hall that shaped the city’s social fabric from the late 1930s. This story is memorialised in mesmerising chain art featuring a 7.5 metre x 3 metre Kriskadecor panel.
At Belvedere, produce is revered and crafted with contemporary flair, and best washed down with a bottle of Josef Chromy’s finest.
vibehotels.com/book-accommodation/hobart/hotel-hobart/belvedere
Chifley’s Bar & Grill
While Hotel Kurrajong Canberra tributes the nation’s history, Chifley’s Bar & Grill pays homage to the ACT region’s wineries and boutique food producers with a seasonal, modern menu. Chef Saju Rajappan and his team cater to discerning travellers, diplomats and businesspeople with classic, but inventive, dishes that are delicious and look gorgeous.
Named after the 16th Prime Minister of Australia, Ben Chifley – who loved dining at the hotel and frequently enjoyed a tipple in the bar – Chifley’s takes guests on a sensory journey of whiskies from around the world. A wide range of local and international wines, cocktails, craft beers and ciders are also available.
The restaurant retains a sense of history with its warm, nostalgic interior, comfortable leather chairs, elegant decor and glassed-in terrace overlooking the hotel’s gardens.
Mount Lofty House
Nestled on Mount Lofty’s eastern slopes, in the Adelaide Hills, winter transforms the estate into a misty wonderland with crackling fires and adventure amid nature’s embrace. Enjoy a two-night stay at Mount Lofty House with its Winter Warmer package, featuring daily breakfast and dining at three-Chef Hat Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, and indulgent spa treatments.
The menu at Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant is created using locally sourced seasonal ingredients crafted into dishes that redefine the boundaries of flavour. Each plate reflects a harmonious balance of creativity and tradition, leaving diners with a sense of familiarity and awe.
Guests can also experience Après Lofty at the Ski Chalet, which offers mulled wine and hot toddys, plus fire pits under the stars. Throughout July, savour winter roasts at Piccadilly Panorama Restaurant on weekends, and unwind with new saunas, a hot tub, and an ice bath at the Gatekeeper’s Day Spa, while rejuvenating in the serenity of Adelaide Hills.
