TRAVEL | DAYLESFORD @ ST.ETIENNE

As school holidays crept closer we found out in the last minute that our trip to Tasmania wasn't going to be working out as we had hoped, so we quickly re-arranged our plans to an escape to the charming town of Daylesford, Victoria. We had visited this little gem once before when the kids were really young, but we had done the trip as a simple day venture. This time we made sure we had at least 3 days and nights to explore this wonderful region.

Daylesford is famed for its naturally occurring mineral springs and exquisite local produce invites you to soak up the goodness and enjoy its day spas. There are plenty of restaurants, galleries, wineries, boutique shops and markets. The best thing is you have nature at your doorstep and yet you are never far away from a great cup of coffee or a delicious meal.

We thought we would have some difficulties in finding an accommodation with a family focus (as the main tourism to this regions are couples), but after some searching we finally found a place that had everything we were looking for!  

St. Etienne is a Federation home from 1912, located right in the heart of Daylesford. This three-bedroom home maintains its period features whilst adopting a minimalist and contemporary style in the native surrounds of a woodland garden. Just a five minute walk from Lake Daylesford and 450 metres from the township (Vincent Street), St. Etienne also includes a few creature comforts should you decide to stay indoors including a welcome hamper with locally made treats, Netflix and free Wi-Fi. 

St. Etienne has been redesigned by a husband and wife team with two tots in tow and a mutual passion for all things design. Every room has a history of its own and the careful design choices for each room were so wonderful. The kids loved every second we had here. They quickly found the toy shelf in the kitchen and the playful design choices such as a denim Smeg fridge, colourful artworks by Michel Quarez and the amazing Byron Bay hanging chair in one of the bedrooms were all met by squeals of delight! It was a visual feast and it was so easy to feel the holiday calmness spread over us as there was everything you could have wished for. The delicious hamper that was provided had a great selection of Daylesford goodies and the navy inspired kitchen comes armed with everything you need to cook delicious homemade meals. We especially enjoyed the custom made cabinets and all the state of the art appliances by Miele and Smeg which made it so easy to cook up a storm on the nights we decided to eat at home. The cool communal table created by New Zealand designer Alastair Keating was also a big hit with the whole family. 

It was always so nice to step back into this home after a day out exploring both Wombat and Lerderberg State Forrest and all the great sights around this region. We sipped cider at the Daylesford Cider Company, walked around the beautiful town lake, grabbed coffees at the Larder, shopped vintage finds at Brick Lane Bazaar, took in the beautiful treasures at Bromley & Co and ate several good meals at the many wonderful cafes and restaurants in the area. 

It was an absolute joy to stay at this place (and I assure you this is by no means a sponsored post) it was so nice to find a home that shared our passion for design, yet done in such a great way that you didn't feel uncomfortable sharing it with curious children. it was a marvelous escape and one that made us glad that the original Tasmanian trip didn't go to plan. Instead we left Daylesford, relaxed and eager to come back for more adventures soon!