Once an iconic hotel, the Fairmont Resort in Leura, infamously became known for it’s public decline in 2011. Now, under new Sofitel management, has the Fairmont Resort MGallery by Sofitel recaptured it’s sparkle? Kate Mathieson finds out.
The Blue mountains is synonymous with Autumn. Crisp mountain air. Nature trails. Apple picking. Morning mists. Excited after spending many an Autumn and Winter here in my childhood, I heard Fairmont Resort was ‘redone’, ‘fresh’ and ‘4.5 star’.
After their public decline, in 2011 ,the Leura resort took 18 months and $10million to get back into business, finally gaining a 4½-star rating from the Accommodation Association of Australia.
The upgrade promised new décor in country rustic charm, and additional activities offered, including an eco-bushwalk, a chocolate appreciation course, cross-country Segway riding and a central Kidz Zone and club where children can meet the ponies, or take a zoom ride around the property in mini electric cars or the travelling train, as well as the traditional golf, swimming and tennis.
I booked a quick weekend up in April to escape the Sydney heat and eternal summer. 34 degrees in Sydney ended up being a warmish 27 degrees with a beautiful breeze in Katoomba – a most temperate and perfect end of Summer fling.
An easy 1.5 hours drive from Sydney, on arrival, at the Reception car bay, I waited in the foyer bay for 5 minutes. I saw a lot of guests smoking in the ‘smoking here’ section – but not one member of staff. I called reception, and the call rang out. Trying to find a car spot in the weaving car park, I found myself competing with all the day golfers and beauty salon day guests, leaving only a few bays at the bottom of the car park several hundred metres away. I called three times to reception asking how I’d get my luggage from the Level 3 parking bay up to reception, to be told to drive back up concierge was now waiting. I did, but they weren’t.
Another 10 minutes in the parking bay, and one more call, and finally someone appeared. They offered to take my luggage, but no valet service, which found me taking my car back to the bottom of the carpark and walking back up. Sure this is fine of a standard service hotel, but when you tout yourself as a 4.5 star resort – then the expectation is you deliver on both facilities and service.
It was not off to a great start.
The foyer lobby, decked in red leather chairs with a rustic country charm theme, was busy with people in swimming costumes with thongs and throwover dresses or bathrobes. Groups of children were entranced by the live aquarium wall, which is as large as a full length picture frame and houses tropical fish with a blue-lit backdrop. But the real highlight is the high-pitched roof of the reception area, leading to the western wall, descending twin stairs to the log fire and the soaring floor to ceiling two storey windows of the Jamison Valley itself.
Booked into a standard room on Level 2 in the right wing, my ‘view’ was a large air conditioning unit and a carpark.
Reception were quick to change me to the Jamison wing and have the concierge move my bags. My new standard room was spacious, stylish and featured a comfortable king-size bed and quality touches such as rustic tapestry European pillows, a deep-red picnic throw, two suede couches for lounging and a small-size bathroom with bath and ample cupboard space.
Unfortunately there were pink stains on the carpet,.
And a sticky pink substance on the suede couches which didn’t look like it been attempted to be cleaned.
Despite my package promising free internet, I found it wasn’t. Internet was $10 for 24 hours which offered internet speeds at a paltry 5mps. But, since I was on ground floor - Level 1 of the building, neither the Fairmont internet worked nor did my phone have any service. For those that want to switch off for a while, this could be a dream. For a writer on a deadline – it’s another story.
I was disappointed to find the log fire area, which was once the cosiest bar with the ability to toast marshmallows or order a wine and cheese platter at the end of the day and watch the sunset, had been transformed into the cosy but casual restaurant, Embers. Whilst a lovely view, the view is lost because dinner service starts at 6pm, just after it starts to get dark.
Sublime Lounge is the only bar, and a strange L-shape area to the left of the lobby. But this is less bar and more snacks to have on the go café-bistro. Black leather high back single chairs, and bench-style French shabby chic cushioned booths in a casual setting. Grab a slice of cake, a glass of wine, or some fries in a place where coffee-meets-wine and kids-meet-adults. At 5pm, it was slightly loud with pre-dinner hungry children mopping up ketchup with fries.
When I asked if there was another bar, or simply a quieter venue, the lady said
“No. You look stressed.”
“Excuse me?” I said. “That’s strange, you don’t even know me.”
“I was trying to empathize.” She stammered.
Perhaps you could give me a wine then?
The wine list is concentrated, each red and white offer a grape varietal by the glass or bottle, sourced across Australia with highlights typically from Clare Valley and Barossa in South Australia and Mornington in Victoria. It’s nothing to write home about, expect standard pub variety on offer. Given it’s the only bar, there is the expectation there would be more variety and top-shelf options. Unless you’re happy with a Chivas, give Sublime a miss.
My glass of the Barossa Sandpiper 2016, at $10, is cheaper than I’d find in Sydney, and an easy drinking shiraz, with enough tannins and spice to please, but still too young a wine to delight or surprise. The bar also serves coffee from 9am, and the mess of stuff behind the bar suggested it didn’t know if it was a bar, or a café. There were buckets of straws, and coffee cups, and handfuls of plucked mint, and old bottles of Bacardi clustered around a sink.
Armed with my shiraz, I retreated downstairs, outside the restaurant and watched a lovely sunset over the valley. Truly magnificent.
For dinner, there’s an option of 4 restaurants and the outside Golf Bistro (chips, pizza, club sandwiches). Inside the Fairmont, Embers (near the fireplace) serves panini, bruschetta, crispy pork belly, ploughmans platter, burgers and pizza. For those wanting more variety, Jamison’s Restaurant features a daily dinner all-you-can-eat buffet and chef’s cooking station, with the accompanying Terrace area, for those wanting to dine with children - offers the ultimate family dining experience.
I opted for Eucalypts, headed up by Executive Chef John Slaughter, previously of Pier One Sebel, this intimate fine dining experience, promised no thongs and no children (under 14 years). Descending down a twisted staircase into a small room with white pillars, and intimate dimmed lighting with small tea light candles on each table. Piano played over the speakers reminiscent of a 1990’s romantic movie (think sleepless in seattle). The restaurant is lined with glass windows, but without any light on the other side we were all forced to stare at our own reflections. The décor is white, and clean, and whilst every effort has been made for it to look crisp and fresh, the general ambience instead delivers a fishbowl feel with little personality.
Complimentary butter and bread were delivered to the table, a nice touch – but my napkin remained folded on my table. Again, it’s the little things.
The wine list here offered more diversity, Veuve Yellow Label NV Brut was a top shelf sparkling, along with a 2006 Moet and Chandon Grand Vintage. The grape varietals feature the Yarra Valley, Orange and Hunter region and a solid show of desert and fortified wines from Margaret River, Eden Valley and closer to home including the De Bortoli Reverina Semillon.
When I asked for the driest sparkling wine on the menu and ordered a glass of Jansz premium cuvee (Tamar Valley, Tasmania) I was disappointed to find it took them 15 minutes to inform me they had run out. Rather than having one server, I had three, which meant the knowledge I had passed on to the first waiter about my wine preferences, were lost, when mid-service he ended up catering to nearby tables, and was replaced with a young girl (who liked fruity wines). She offered the Jansz sparkling rose (I declined) and then offered a Peterson House Zibbibo (off dry) which was almost as sweet as biting into a fresh poached pear with honey. The waitress then confessed, she personally preferred sweet things, and didn’t really know which ones were dry. Eventually I settled on the Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blanc NV which held elements of honeysuckle and butter with a slightly drier finish. Unfortunately, my main arrived before the drink.
I started with the gnocchi, in leak cream, with preserved lemon and porcini. The gnocchi was formed well, and tended to fall apart on the tongue, the leak cream was tasty, but there wasn’t enough of it. The accompanying vegetables – pea and asparagus – tasted merely blanched without any flavour except the boiling water they’d been scooped from. The tiny edible flowers and leaves were a nice addition but did nothing for the flavour. A sprig of raw dill on the top couldn’t bring enough zest and tasted more like I was eating a pungent leaf, as I was eating, sadly, I think a nonna just died in her kitchen somewhere in Firenze.
Other main options included Glacier 51 Toothfish with lemon and green frill, Wagyu top sirloin, carrot, baby onion and kale, Venison tenderloin with mocha, beetroot and sour cherry, or Blue swimmer crab risotto in a mango, almond and chive sauce.
I tossed up ending with the trio of cheese platters, rather than the tempting kaffir crème brulee, the chocolate tart wrapped in 24 carat gold, or the pear tart tartin with ginger and mascarpone. But I’m suckered into the chocolate tart. The tart was decadent, moist and rich – exactly as you would have hoped. I was glad I succumbed. Ribbons of vanilla ice cream melted kindly on my plate across a raspberry jous.
But with only 3 people they seemed incredibly understaffed, I waited over an hour for dessert.
