Spent a week at Candlarah during winter. Travelled as a family of 5, with 3 kids ranging from 9 to 14. Was really impressed with the accomodation - beautiful family home, large well equipped kitchen, many comfy lounging areas, cosy and inviting library and, most importantly for anybody travelling with teenagers, wifi!!
The grounds are lovely. I fangirled over the landscaping and succulent displays. My city kids embraced the farm life, picking an assortment of greenery from the herb & vegie garden, foraging for wild cherry tomatoes, making our own lemonade, feeding/patting friendly horses, or going for rambles through the property to spot roos or just explore what's around the next corner. There's something about a map on a wall that gives people itchy feet!
Turns out if you take the devices away, there is nothing more fun to a 9yo boy than a fire ... and the possibility of burning stuff (in a safe environment). We had a choice of 2, with an efficient indoor fireplace keeping us toasty warm through the nights, and our hosts having thoughtfully set up their fire pit outside so we could toast marshmallows and experiment with damper. We even had campfire chicken with herb and parsley butter one night - yum! Pro tip: bring plenty of alfoil, cooking everything in the fire soon becomes the only way to go. There is a gas BBQ, a 6 burner stove + oven with an oven attached to/heated by the indoor fireplace if you prefer things a bit more civilized!
The nice little touches - loads of firewood for indoors. Ample firewood laid by the firepit outdoors (with 100 acres to gather sticks in). Full size shampoo and conditioner (not the tiny hotel mass produced ones) and artisanal soaps in each bathroom. All linen and towels provided. Really nice bedding. A plentiful supply of pillows, cushions and blankets wherever I sat myself down. Laura was lovely to deal with, very welcoming, she made contact a few days before our stay to make sure we were good and if we had any questions - I've stayed at airbnbs before and interactions with the platform tend to be transactional. It was refreshing to feel invited to and trusted with someone's home.
Waking up to gorgeous new mornings all quiet and pale... cheeky games of scrabble out on the deck... swinging gently in a chair suspended from the ceiling while reading a book... flying a drone round and round with nothing much to crash into... it was a fantastic, much needed reset for the whole family, and I highly recommend Candlarah farm