You may be unaware there’s a secret recipe for the perfect romantic getaway. It varies from couple to couple, but a few items always remain. These five top ingredients are location, ambience, timing, indulgence and connection. When we were planning our romantic escape at Lovestone Cottages Montville Romantic Rainforest Retreat, my wife and I first considered the big picture, as this was not our first rodeo, as they say. What do we mean by big picture? I’m glad you asked. This involved following the formula and, more importantly, our passions. We choose the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for its location, gourmet dining options, natural beauty, and, lastly, our love of art. Arriving at Lovestone Cottages in Montville, we immediately knew we had chosen well.
We found the perfect location
Lovestone Cottages are located within 5 acres of lush rainforest, only a few minutes from Montville’s main shopping area. It was perfect, apart from the fact it’s easy to miss the turn off that resembles a quiet country street, mainly because it is. Having passed the turn off twice (because like most guys, I’m not big on asking for directions), I consulted trusty Google Maps and proceeded immediately to romance, much to my wife’s delight.
The first step to checking into Lovestone Cottages in Montville is parking on the small street alcove and proceeding to reception. At this point, you will be greeted by the delightful hosts, Tamara or Jonathan, who get you settled with the key essentials of the property and the all-important key fob to happiness. After using the key fob to enter through a secure gate which is a bit like the pearly gates to heaven, it’s a short stroll from the parking area with your host, through the rainforest and to one of three cottages.
Maple Cottage, Rosewood Cottage, and Quandong Cottage are all very similar but offer different outlooks depending on your preference. Our host Tamara escorted us to the entrance of Quandong Cottage and gave us a brief rundown of extras and inclusions, plus hints, tips on the fireplace/firepit, and some important don’ts like no shoes inside the cottage. It looked even better than the photos on the website which was a great surprise.
Indulge me with lovely things
When staying at Lovestone, you will have many lovely treats and things to explore waiting for you upon arrival that add so much joy to your stay. The cottages include a large spa bath, wood fire, king bed, large double shower and a private deck with BBQ. The self-contained kitchen also contains the loads of delicious treats for your stay, including a welcome breakfast hamper containing a variety of locally sourced produce, plus juice, milk, and a few extras to keep you happily sustained. There is also a separate fire pit and seating area downstairs just for you.
You can also get a choice of three romantic getaway packages that will put an added sparkle in your stay. Choices range from Romancing the Hinterland and Rest and Recharge to the Indulgence Curation Package, all of which offer a wide variety of inclusions and indulgences like champagne, dinners and massages. While we initially thought the cost of these looked a little pricey, it was easy to see the value (which was absolutely excellent) once we had stayed there. However, what will really make your stay is the attention to detail and the all-important ‘ask and we will try to make it happen’ attitude of your hosts.
For our stay Romancing the Hinterland package, we have a mix of treats, including a bottle of chilled Prosecco with handmade chocolates, a cheese platter of local produce (perfectly tailored to our tastes) and a two-course BBQ dinner hamper which arrived right on time at 6pm on the day we wanted it. Part of the fun is going through all the goodies in the hamper, cheese platter and hidden delights like a s ’mores pack for the fire that I found in the pantry. Everything in here is also included, from the delicious local chocolate bars to the s ’more pack and large packet of barbeque chips.
With lots of ‘oooohhhhs and aaaahhhhs’, we both delighted with the choices, options and timing of our upcoming delights. Our only problem was when to enjoy everything with different options like a fire pit, bath tub and seating areas all offering their own special experience. So many lovely things to do!
Timing, connection and serenity
We all love, or I do, the idea of a perfect winter getaway by the fireplace, and a cosy escape. My darling wife likes palm trees, romance and great dining. With our stay at Lovestone Cottages Montville Romantic Rainforest Retreat, we both got what we love. When we were planning our winter escape, we both chose some of the must-do things available in the area we wanted to experience.
For the record, the area around Lovestone Cottages Montville Rainforest Retreat offers a fantastic assortment of activities and experiences suited to winter and summer alike, with only your imagination to limit you. For our stay, we both have a passion for good food and dining, and staying in the Montville/Maleny area gives us a great choice of gourmet indulgence options, plus we were well placed to experience some of the many other great Sunshine Coast things to do a little further afield.
From modern Australian and Asian fusion to fantastic cafés with local produce and home baked goodies, you only need to Google and follow your desires. This brings me to “connection” and the importance of savouring shared delights both large and small, and the importance of switching off from the everyday to enjoy each other’s company.
For our first night, we ventured to The Tamarind, a stunning Asian fusion 20 minutes’ drive from Lovestone with ambience to spare. We rugged up and sat beside the fire pit with a beautiful glass of Chardonnay in hand and the night was set for romance. Perfect dishes of Massaman curry of slow-cooked lamb, fragrant green curry of roasted duck and a dessert of Vietnamese chocolate mousse were enjoyed along with good conversation and great service.
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With very full tummies, we returned to our cosy Quandong Cottage, put the fire on and sunk into a blissful food coma. Serenity arrives on a crisp morning (actually, it was freezing, but not with the fire on) and as the first rays of morning light appear, the chorus of birdsong with currawongs and kookaburras have as both smiling, although the bed is so comfy that she goes back to snoring with delight.
Fire lit and BBQ ready for a hot breakfast of eggs and bacon, plus juice, gourmet local yoghurt, fresh fruit, muesli, and coffee sets us up to explore the local market, craft stores and some stunning art galleries a few minutes away in Montville. That night, we enjoyed pre-dinner drinks downstairs in front of the outdoor fire pit and watched the sunset over Lake Baroon which we could see through the rainforest, followed by a delicious barbeque dinner with chicken, salads and Eton mess made with homemade meringue for dessert.
The next morning, we enjoyed a lie in and a late barbeque breakfast and checked out at precisely 11am, staying until the last possible moment to enjoy the final moments of our wonderful stay. Would we consider coming back to Lovestone Cottages Montville Romantic Rainforest Retreat for another stay? Absolutely! From the attention to detail, cleanliness, and well-thought-out food hampers and goodies, everything exceeded our expectations and made for a fantastic stay.
What I would have done had I known
In hindsight, as with any stay, there are always some things I would have done differently had I known. Here are some of my top tips for having the perfect romantic Sunshine Coast getaway stay at Lovestone Cottages. Firstly, I wish I had looked at the map to find the turn of. Even if you’ve been to Montville before, it’s a bit hidden due to its tucked away location.
I also wish I had pre-arranged a drop-off and pickup with our host’s help so we could get to and from The Tamarind restaurant without me having to drive. I would have also extended our stay for an extra night so we had more time to relax and enjoy our beautiful accommodation. A whole day doing nothing but lazing at Quandong Cottage would have been perfect.
My wife and I had a hard time finding anything we didn’t think was perfect during our stay at Lovestone Cottages, apart from the ‘you can’t steal me’ fixed motel coat hangers in the wardrobe which didn’t fit the luxe and upmarket vibe. When the only negative thing this romantic getaway expert can think of is the coat hangers, you know it’s exceptional.
Our top romantic Montville things to do:
Romantic dining
Art galleries
Tina Cooper Art & Glass Gallery
Ben Messina Landscapes Gallery Montville
National parks and swimming spots
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve (don’t miss the lookout on the top floor of the visitor centre)
Disclosure: The writer stayed as a guest of Lovestone Cottages Montville Romantic Rainforest Retreat and would not hesitate to stay at this accommodation again at his own expense.
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