Bells at Killcare is a perfect environment for executive retreats, conferences, meetings, staff incentives or rewards, writes Craig Donaldson
The Bouddi Peninsula is one of NSW’s hidden treasures and home to luxury coastal retreat, Bells at Killcare boutique hotel, restaurant & spa.
The 5-star property is only 90 minutes’ drive north of Sydney, has 25 boutique cottages and suites, and offers a high-end level of comfort, privacy and luxury. Landscaped native gardens and renovated lakes and ponds surround the accommodation, which sprawls over 8 acres. The cottages and suites are beautifully decorated in classic Hamptons style, with a palette of washed back blues, crisp whites, bleached linens and driftwood.
Guests can choose from a range of cottages and suites, all of which are spacious and open plan with freestanding baths or corner spa baths, as well as designer furnishings including Ralph Lauren cushions. All have king beds (most can be split) with hand-woven Bells blankets, comforters and warm doonas. Each one also has a fireplace, iPod dock, flat screen TV, DVD player and wireless internet. Bathrooms are appointed with luxury fittings and handmade toiletries.
Bells at Killcare is also a stylish conference venue, with all-inclusive packages available at on-site venues including the Conservatory, which is purpose built for special events. It is fitted out with the latest in AV equipment including data projector and screen, comfortable seating, own facilities, private bar area and plenty of breakout spaces. Another potential conference space is the Library, which is a smaller meeting room suitable for private business executive meetings or as a breakout space. The room opens out onto two verandahs and has garden views, and both spaces have wireless internet connections. Morning and afternoon teas are included, as is a chef’s selection hot lunch at multi award-winning restaurant Manfredi at Bells, with Italian salads and seasonal sides and other refreshments.
Manfredi at Bells deserves a special mention. Run by Stefano Manfredi, whose name is synonymous with modern Italian cuisine, the restaurant takes Manfredi’s urban sensibilities and transplants them to this contemporary Australian coastal setting. The menu is grounded in Manfredi’s core values of authenticity, simplicity and freshness, and features seasonal dishes inspired by the produce grown and harvested in the estate’s own vegetable garden. Manfredi and his team of chefs can tailor a menu exclusively for conferences and business workshops, from a working lunch to a five-course degustation dinner. The award-winning wine list also has more than 300 wines to choose from and is predominantly filled with Australian, Italian and some French varieties.
There are opportunities to relax and unwind with a signature massage or body treatment, and the spa features two quality product lines suitable for all skin types. Bells at Killcare can also arrange activities including bushwalking in the ancient Bouddi National Park, a sail on the local waterways of Hardys Bay and Broken Bay, as well as group surf lessons (the central coast is home to many professional surfers and some renowned surf breaks). Private yoga classes are also available, as are Segway experiences, laser clay shooting, corporate X games and fitness sessions with a personal instructor. Manfredi also runs Bells Cooking School, which teaches small groups about the art of sustainable, fresh and simple Italian cuisine.
www.bellsatkillcare.com.au. Image source: supplied
