I’m back in the Blue Mountains, and I’ll be staying at the Fairmont Resort again. I’ve planned ahead this time. I already made a reservation for afternoon tea at the Conservation Hut Café before I even left Switzerland, and I’m also planning a visit to The Three Sisters. When I stayed at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains last year, I wasn’t too impressed, but I’m hoping better planning this time around will make for a better experience.

Getting to Leura by Train

Okay, we’re off to a good start to this trip. I’m taking the train from Sydney’s Central Station to the Blue Mountains. The closest station to the Fairmont is Leura, which is a journey of two hours from Sydney Central Station. Since my last visit they’ve seriously upgraded their rolling stock, I’m happy to inform. The problem remains, though, that there is no place on the train to store luggage.

Location

The Fairmont MGallery Blue Mountains Resort is located not too far from Leura Station. It’s about 35 minutes on foot and ten minutes by taxi. The hotel sits on a sprawling estate right on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Blue Mountains, roughly halfway between Wentworth Falls and Katoomba.

Check-In & Staff

The staff at the hotel are friendly, even though they’re all very busy with two corporate functions going on at the same time. The young man checking me in tells me that the room isn’t quite ready yet and has not been checked by the housekeeping manager. He suggests I get a drink at the Sublime Café and Restaurant and promises he’ll send a message as soon as he hears from housekeeping. Just the first impression of the hotel is a lot better this time around. With the two functions going on it’s very busy, but without all the beastly kids there were running around the last time I was here a year ago. Which confirms my suspicion that if you don’t have your own kids and want to avoid having to deal with other people’s kids, it’s best to plan for a mid-week visit to the Fairmont Resort.

Sublime Scones

And so, the concierge takes my luggage off me and shows me the way to Sublime Café. It’s only just coming up to 15h00, so the place is very quiet. I order two scones and a cup of tea. The scones are freshly made and, yet again, immensely fluffy. Just as they arrive, I receive a text message informing me that the room is now ready and I should just contact the concierge when I’m ready. Perfect!

Deluxe King Room with Valley View

I’ve booked a Deluxe King Room with Valley View. It was a mistake last year to book the suite because it’s not as nice as the regular rooms. The Deluxe Room with Valley View is on ground level, like reception. Out back the grounds slope towards the valley, meaning that the ground floor rooms are the ones that are highest up at the back of the hotel and therefore have the better views of the valley behind the trees.

In any case, the room opens into a small foyer with a dresser and a mirror opposite the door. The wardrobe is to my right, and the bathroom on my left. The room is spacious. It’s a family room for a maximum of four people, so that the sofa at the opposite wall from the bed can be extended for two further persons. The master bed is a large king that’s very comfortable, and the four pillows on the bed have just the right firmness to hold on to while you sleep.

The bathroom looks a bit dated and features a bath and shower. However, it’s still an improvement over what I had last year when I stayed here, mainly because at least in this bathroom there is ample space to store toiletries, which was not the case in the suite. The integrated bath and shower scores in the mid to high range on the Knight of Malta shower test. Pressure could be better, but temperature control is spot on and there is no spillage. The cosmetics are by a brand called Ubika, which I’ve never heard of. The smell is quite pleasant, though.

Of course, the room’s best feature is the balcony with the view of the valley, which is just so beautiful, especially at dusk and down, when the sun casts its golden reddish light and makes the trees look as though they’re on fire.

Amenities

In terms of amenities, there’s a kettle and a coffee maker. First of all, kudos to the hotel’s housekeeping team for managing to keep the kettle clean and free of any chalk sediments, which are harmless, but don’t always look so nice. This is the first hotel I’ve stayed at on this trip where the coffee machine is not a Nespresso – even the Ibis Styles in Mount Isa had one – but the coffee is good.

There’s a card with a welcome note and a plate of crackers sitting on the credenza. And when I open the fridge, there’s a nice place of local cheese, a bottle of white wine, as well as a large bottle of still and sparkling water. Other than that, the room has complimentary fluffy bathrobes and slippers.

Dining – Azzurro Trattoria, Emerson’s Grill, Jamisons, Sublime

The Fairmont Blue Mountains Resort has several restaurants. Sublime I already mentioned, which is where I have the scones and tea when I first arrive. This place is basically open all day long and serves pub style food in a relaxed atmosphere. Azzurro is an Italian Trattoria serving pizza and pasta mainly. It’s only open at the weekends. The Emerson’s Grill is the main restaurant that is open every evening for dinner. On my first evening at the hotel, I’m lucky enough to be given a table right next to the open fire blazing in the fireplace. The staff are great and the food is good, although the options for vegetarians are limited – but manageable.

Jamisons is only open for breakfast. Especially on the first morning it’s rather busy with the two corporate functions going on, but at least there’s no crying and shouting and the buffet doesn’t look as though a bomb just went off. I also very much appreciate that a small section of the dining room is sectioned off for Accor Platinum and Diamond members. The buffet is quite extensive, and there’s also a chef onsite taking orders for hot dishes.

Hiking in the Blue Mountains

The Fairmont Blue Mountains Resort is a great place to stay and use as a hub for hiking excursions in the area. Being the southern hemisphere winter means that it’s not too warm (it’s rather fresh actually during my stay…), which has the added benefit that the snakes and all the other weird and wonderful creatures to which Australia is home to are hibernating somewhere safe for both them and me.

Conclusion – The Fairmont Blue Mountains MGallery Resort

This was a much more pleasant stay this time around. I think I was just unlucky on my first visit. First, the resort is a lot more lively than it was last time, which somehow makes it feel more cozy. The food is also better. While there may not be that many choices for the vegetarians among us, the food is well prepared and there is variety in the menu that you can adapt to even if you don’t eat meat. And the staff are just so nice that they’re able to accommodate quite a few special requests you may have. My room is, admittedly, slightly dated. However, it feels very comfortable, and the views of the grounds and the Blue Mountains beyond that are fabulous.