Cosy Fireside Destinations

Head inside and snuggle up at these cosy fireside destinations, for a romantic getaway certain to warm the cockles of the coldest heart.

The only good thing about a cold and windy winter day is the pleasure of curling up next to a crackling fireside, a glass of red wine in one hand a special someone in the other. When the weather out side is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, we say head inside to these firesides certain to warm the cockles of the coldest heart.

The Butter Factory VIC

Myrtleford’s last point of call before the turn off for Falls Creek is The Butter Factory. It’s the perfect place to stop before the air starts to get colder and with a roaring fireplace in the foyer, you definitely want to linger. The bright red brick building sits on a long, buttery history. Cream and butter have been churned on the site since 1893, in 1903 the Myrtleford Butter Factory was created, the current building erected in 1930 and a working factory until 1966. Bronwyn and Naomi Ingelton took over a few years ago, bringing back hand churned butter and a new appreciate for local, fresh food.

The Butter Factory was Michael Ryan’s personal recommendation. Victoria’s king of rural cuisine runs the kitchen at Provenance in nearby Beechworth (where there’s also a roaring fireplace at the front door). In Myrtleford you’ll find comfy couches and a few lucky tables clustered around the hearth. Tuck into hearty coconut and pumpkin soup, with a crusty sourdough covered in hand churned butter. If the fire hasn’t warmed you, the steaming soup certainly will.

The Butter Factory

15 Myrtle St Myrtleford

(03) 5752 2300

The Hero of Waterloo Hotel NSW

In the heart of Sydney there’s a pub with a hearth you’d be hard pressed to ignore. On the corner of Windmill and Lower Fort St, The Hero of Waterloo has been serving patrons for 160 years. The sandstone walls look cold and the wooden chairs not so comfy but the heat from fires dotted around the rooms warm this place up. Live music and Irish dancing gets the blood pumping too.

After thawing out, head downstairs to see the stone tunnel burrowed under the pub. Thought to be the work of rum smugglers or sailor recruiters, the tunnel winds its way to the Harbour. ‘Three pubs on our street had access to the tunnels, we’re the only one still trading today," says Bar Steward Steve Jones. For a look inside call ahead and talk to the bar staff who’ll show you the entrance to an eerie past.

Hero Of Waterloo

81 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point

(02) 9252 4553

Thredbo Alpine Hotel NSW

We say as long as the weather stays cold, you should make the most of it. Head to the ski fields where you can really feel those icy temperatures. Sometimes there’s even a bit of snow hanging around on the slopes. The best part about heading to the snow, apart from hitting the mountain, is getting off it. Ending the day in front of a fire with a strong après drink should be ritualised. At the Thredbo Alpine Hotel the fire pit sits right in the middle of the Lounge Bar and is perfect to crowd around. Get in early to grab one of the seats right up close and settle in for the evening. Live music most days of the week sweetens this cosy corner.

Thredbo Village Resort

Thredbo NSW

(02) 6459 4200

The Louise Barossa Valley SA

One of our favourite fireplaces has to be at The Louise. Cocoon yourself in a luxury suite with a bottle of wine you picked up at a cellar door earlier in the day and settle in for the evening. Tucked between shiraz vineyards in the Barossa, The Louise is home to award-winning Appellation restaurant. Apart from chef Mark McNamara’s beautiful food, the other draw card is the fireplace on site.

The Louise

Seppeltsfield Road Marananga SA

Fireside Festival ACT

In the countryside around Canberra there are so many firesides an entire festival has been set up to make the most of the winter months. Head to the hearth at Lambert Vineyards in Wamboin on August 7 for Black Diamond Dinners – truffle degustation sounds suitably decadent for a cold winter night.

Poachers Pantry, the place for smoked meats and cured hams, has a pot belly stove that heats the hall and will be hosting fireside dinners through August. The big event has to be Fire Ball on August 20, tickets are just $20 and all proceeds go to the local Pony Club. We love the Pantry’s traditional smoked chicken with tarragon and lemon. Old Saint Luke’s Studio in Gundaroo, a potter’s heaven housed in an old church, has a warming fireside and The Globe Inn, Yass has more than five open fires dotted around their B & B.

If you’re heading down to the ski fields, The Lott Café in Cooma has a great fireplace that’ll ease the chill when you jump out of the car for a meal break.

This winter, these secret Sydney harbour suites are the staycation we’ve been looking for.

Whether it’s the crisscrossing ferries or the white sails of the Opera House rising out of blue depths, Australia’s biggest city lives for its harbour. But while locals might glance at that watery expanse on their daily commute across the Bridge, it can still be hard to truly connect with Sydney’s maritime soul. The secret: seeing the harbour eye-to-eye, right at water level. And what better place to submerge yourself in that energy than sleeping there? That’s where Pier One Sydney Harbour comes in (and with new all-inclusive bed and breakfast benefits, there’s even more to love).

All-inclusive VIP benefits

Who Is Elijah Amenities at Pier One Sydney Harbour — Book in for the all-inclusive VIP treatment.

The hard truth is that it will be very difficult to tear yourself away from your ultra-luxurious harbour home-away-from-home to explore the city. If you want to make leaving even harder, opt for Pier One’s all-inclusive VIP treatment.

The Bed and Breakfast with Suite Benefits package turns up the volume on what is already the ultimate staycation, with complimentary valet parking, daily breakfast for two and turndown service. The biggest perk? Enjoy a bottle of French champagne every day during your whole stay

Pier One Sydney Harbour

The five-star Pier One Sydney Harbour is quite literally old Sydney through and through. Built on what was once a working cargo wharf and the passenger terminal for those heading to the North Shore before the bridge was constructed, the heritage building sits right between the tangle of cobblestones, pubs and alleyways of The Rocks and the historic docking zone of Walsh Bay – at the centre of the city’s old sea trade.

If knowing the hotel’s history isn’t enough to get your sea-longing going, the interior design certainly will. As soon as you step up to the concierge desk in the lobby of the restored building – which underwent a $15 million redevelopment in 2019 – you’re immersed in Sydney’s seafaring tale. Weathered wood panelling and white marble floors surround you, while loop lighting installations hover above the bar island just beyond, ringed with stools ready for intimate, martini-tinted conversations. Steel rivets and timber beams speak to its past, and glass-walled views anchor you firmly in the present-day life on the harbour.

Pier One Suites

Pier One Sydney Harbour admiral suite — Enjoy incredible views from your suite.

Across the 189 rooms and suites built on and over the water, the maritime theme continues. Sculptural aged brass fittings, exposed girders, colour schemes that evoke shifting currents, and mirrors that reflect ripples that – depending on your booking – sit just metres from your pillow.

United on theme yet unique in set-up, each room or suite is different. On the ground floor, dog-friendly rooms with direct access to the pier are all prepped for pampered pups, while others have views and even balconies overlooking Walsh Bay, the Bridge and the Harbour.

But the 19 suites step things up even more. Gaze out through floor-to-ceiling windows, or get even closer. Your private balcony is made for sipping a Nespresso coffee on as the sun comes up – or soaking in the bathtub of the Admiral Suite on the deck, a drink from the locally stocked mini bar in hand. This mini bar was recently completely transformed, so you have more Aussie favourites to choose from, including alcohol and snacks.

Dining at Pier One

Pier Bar Pier One Sydney Harbour — Settle in for an afternoon of good drinks and views.

Once you’re checked in, start your afternoon with a spritz at PIER BAR – or arrive by boat via the private pontoon if the occasion calls for it – and settle into one of the cabanas. Weekdays bring Happy Hour (or ‘sunset hour’ at Pier One); weekends bring the DJs. After an even sweeter experience? The Everyday Creamery and Matcha Kiosk is slinging mango and vanilla soft serve – classic and those spiked with Midori and gin alike.

PIER Dining is an ode to contemporary Australian flavours across the terrace, pier and dining room. On its seafood-leaning menu are Sydney rock oysters from Merimbula, potato scallops with salmon roe and crème fraîche, chicken with melting sundried tomato butter, vodka rigatoni with Shark Bay prawns. And the ‘Pierlova’ – that’s pavlova with chocolate, dulce de leche and banana is worth saving room for. Make sure to ask for the wine list – it’s 100 per cent Australian drops.

Around town

luna park, sydney opera house and sydney harbour bridge — Explore the neighbourhood during your stay. (Credit: Destination NSW)

If you’re strong enough to polish off just one last pastry from the breakfast buffet and walk out the door, we applaud you. Luna Park across the harbour beckons with its wide grin, while a glance upward might spur you to climb the Bridge’s famous iron arches. The Opera House – just across Circular Quay from the Museum of Contemporary Art – sings out for a concert.

You’ll want to book ahead for those hot-ticket performances at Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Dance Company, just a few minutes’ walk south of the hotel. Ten minutes further brings you to the waterfront bars, restaurants and clubs of Barangaroo, or the karaoke, gardens and dim sum of Chinatown further afield.

Keep the mellow of your weekend getaway going with a stop at Barangaroo Reserve, watching the yachts go by – all before returning for that Sydney sundowner at Pier One.

Ready to make that Pier One stay a reality? Book the ultimate Sydney staycation at pieronesydneyharbour.com.au