Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant & Spa NSW

The experience

Indulge in Hampton’s-style, boutique accommodation with 25 private coastal inspired cottages sprawling over a beautiful rural acreage of manicured grounds, established native flora, running streams, a tranquil lake and a few smaller ponds. Located at the heart of the retreat, the restaurant commands a prominent position in the Manor House with an elegant dining room, bar, private dining room and alfresco-enclosed balcony overlooking the immaculate gardens.

The treatments

Bells Day Spa is a highlight of any stay. It is a haven for guests to de-stress and truly relax, unwind and enjoy. Bells Day Spa has four beauty rooms and is open to in-house guests and the public by appointment. Bells Day Spa offers treatments using LI’TYA spa products, made in Australia. Using only the purest-grade essential oils and the highest-quality native Australian plants, flowers, fruits and muds, these products, in conjunction with unique indigenous Australian healing techniques, deliver a spa experience that not only deeply relaxes but will also connect you with the true heart of this ancient land. If you choose a massage, each Bells therapist will bring their own special style of healing massage to the treatment table. Your immediate concerns will be addressed in a way that is both therapeutic and relaxing. For a real treat, try a Kodo massage. Kodo, meaning melody, is a divine rhythmic massage inspired by traditional Australian Aboriginal techniques that work to bring the body back into balance enhancing mind and body wellness. Together with the use of native aromatic oils, spiraling movements and pressure points, this massage is the ultimate stress reliever.

The food

Bells at Killcare opened in 2007 and since then has had a philosophy of growing as much of its own produce on-site as possible. There are three full-time gardeners who grow, harvest and care for the huge gardens at Bells. The menus are grounded in the core values of authenticity, simplicity and freshness, featuring seasonal dishes inspired by the produce grown and harvested in the estate’s vegetable garden. The kitchen garden supplies the restaurant with more than 15 per cent of the produce on the menu, ensuring sustainable practices and a lower carbon footprint. The kitchen garden supplies the kitchen with an abundance of home-grown herbs, many varieties of lettuce, red mizuna leaf, green oak, parsley, purple and green basil, rocket, kale, sage, mint, spearmint, lemongrass, lemon myrtle and a variety of pretty edible flowers. Vegetables and fruits include cucumbers, zucchinis, zucchini flowers, carrots, celery, pumpkins and loads of heirloom cherry tomatoes and watermelons. Famous for its multi-award-winning restaurant, the menus at Bells at Killcare have gained a very long list of accolades and awards since opening in 2007. The effortless skill of the chefs makes for a wonderful gastronomy getaway, which complements any stay at the property. In addition to estate-grown produce, the menu showcases as many local NSW producers, suppliers, winemakers and growers as possible. Locally harvested seafood includes freshly shucked oysters and crayfish caught off nearby Macmasters Beach. Local like-minded farmers are also supported, supplying staples such as organic beans and snow peas. Bells at Killcare also has a cherry-blossom orchard, avocado trees, lemon trees, olive trees, honey-bee hives and free-range hens protected by Enzo, the Italian sheepdog. The restaurant’s wine list has been named Best Regional Wine List many times for its impressive cellar and collection of both local and international, particularly Italian, varieties.

Things to remember

There is a two-night minimum stay on a weekend but Bells recommends a three-night stay to really relax. Children are not permitted, unless you book a two-bedroom cottage, of which there are only three. Packages including meals and/or spa treatments are available. There is a mid-week, “Stay 3 Pay 2” offer available during the winter months.

Getting there

Bells at Killcare is approximately 90 minutes north of Sydney and 90 minutes south of Newcastle. The NSW Bouddi Peninsula is in the southern region of the Central Coast and is just across the water (20 minutes by ferry) from Sydney’s famous Palm Beach. Return airport transfers can be arranged from Sydney or Newcastle airports. A train to Woy Woy or seaplane from Rose Bay is also an option.