26 March 2024
5 mins Read
From watching the rich sandstone of the Jamison Valley illuminated at sunrise and sunset to gazing at the mist drifting across the forest below on rainy days, Echoes Blue Mountains offers guests more than a luxury stay, it also showcases the magnificence of the Blue Mountains in high definition. Rooms with views, refined dining and elegant amenities all add to an escape that heavily suggests re-booking.
Dramatic valley vistas await guests at this boutique hotel where the beauty of the Blue Mountains National Park unfurls from dawn to dusk in a parade of shifting colours and light.
Set on the escarpment at Echo Point in Katoomba, you’ll find averting your eyes from the landscape a hard task, but once you do, your close proximity to the charming mountain town places fantastic eateries, bushwalks and entertainment close at hand.
Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney but totally immersed in nature, Echoes Boutique Hotel makes slipping into a relaxed state of mind entirely attainable for weekend jaunts.
The incredible site at Echo Point has been occupied since the 1940s, when it was built as a retreat for Christian Nurses. Falling into disrepair in the ’80s, the homestead was eventually demolished and the three-storey Echoes guesthouse built in its place, embodying a contemporary style with Federation flourishes.
Since then, there have been a handful of iterations of the guesthouse until it evolved into the luxurious 4.5-star boutique hotel it is today. Each room is bequeathed vast panoramas of the Jamison Valley beyond and the onsite restaurant and function room also make the most of the hotel’s extraordinary position on the precipice of the escarpment.
Hedonistic pleasures are catered for here at the onsite day spa, where weary limbs can be indulged in massage therapy, soak therapy and other treatments to enhance wellbeing.
Naturally, with its boundlessly beautiful location, Echoes also caters to weddings, where the views may threaten to upstage the bride. There are also conference facilities for discerning corporate events.
While the hotel doesn’t have its own pool or gymnasium, guests are welcome to complimentary access to the facilities of next-door sister hotel, Lilianfels Resort & Spa.
There are no bad rooms at Echoes, with each opening out onto that scene-stealing Blue Mountains panorama. Whether you’re in a Corner View, Suite or Cliff View, Deluxe View or Grand Deluxe View room, you’ll awake to serenity beyond.
Elegantly styled in a contemporary aesthetic and mountain charm, every room is named after a notable Australian explorer and differs slightly in colour palette and furnishings.
All enjoy the expected mod-cons of a 4.5-star hotel, including wi-fi and Appelles bathroom products, marble bathrooms and rainhead showers.
Although Echoes’ attention-seeking vistas are an undeniable drawcard for a stay here, it’s not the only reason to check-in. The hotel is also home to the wonderfully worthy fine dining Echoes Restaurant and Bar, where guests and day-trippers can sit down to well-executed modern Australian fare, such as grass-fed Riverina lamb backstrap and five-spiced duck breast.
Of course, meals are backdropped by that eye-drawing view and served alongside a fine wine list. Also open to non-guests, the popular restaurant can quickly fill up, so make sure you book ahead.
Stays here are often aglow with the aura of a special occasion, be it a honeymoon, babymoon, event birthday or engagement, so to make the experience as special as possible, Echoes has a range of packages to lean into the moment. From an Indulgence Package to a Babymoon Package and Gourmet Getaway Package, these bundles ensure you don’t miss out on any of the best bits.
Unfortunately, there’s no access to rooms, suites or the restaurant for those with limited mobility.
The suites and grand deluxe rooms can sleep up to two adults and two children, however, while the hotel is family-friendly to a point, there’s not a lot to entertain young kids, making it more of a couple’s escape.
While check in time isn’t until 3pm, on the flipside, you have until 11am to check out, which means you can enjoy those views from your bed with a lazy sleep in.
Address: 3 Lilianfels Avenue, Katoomba; echoeshotel.com.au
Contact: (02) 4782 1966
Cost: Rates for the Deluxe View Room start at $386 per night.
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