Alure Stanthorpe

Stanthorpe sits five minutes down the road, but Alure occupies its own fifty acres of bushland on a hilltop above it, well clear of the town's cellar doors and cafes. Two villas and one glamping tent make up the whole property, and only three couples stay at any time. Each villa runs to 74 square metres over a split level, with floor to ceiling windows, a slow combustion fireplace, and a European kitchen with stone benchtops. The glamping tent, at 56 square metres, sits on a raised timber deck under canvas, styled by a Brisbane designer with a four poster bed and a smart TV. Villas stand 40 metres apart, angled away from each other so no deck faces another. Every room has its own heated outdoor spa, set on a private deck among the granite outcrops and native bush. You can watch for kangaroos and echidnas from the terrace after dark, or simply track the sky; the Granite Belt gets properly cold at night, and firewood is supplied year-round. Breakfast comes as a hamper of local bread, granola, and honey, left in the villa rather than served. No children, no visitors, and no shared facilities disturb the quiet. One villa takes a well-behaved dog by arrangement; the tent does not. Check-in is self-managed, from 3pm, with the property empty of staff footfall by design.