Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains, Salter Brothers’ second property in its new Ardour collection, has opened following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment.
The new Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains, overlooking the Jamison Valley, has had a multi-million-dollar transformation to all guest rooms, common areas and the dining.
Created to “set a new benchmark for Australian hospitality”, it is the second property in Salter Brothers Hospitality’s Ardour Hotels & Estates collection, following the debut of Ardour Milton Park Bowral earlier this year.
Built in 1889 as the summer residence of Sir Frederick Darley, then Chief Justice of New South Wales, the late Victorian-early Federation estate has a long history as a high-society retreat. It welcomed the Duchess of York during the 1901 royal tour and was last given a major restoration in 1992.
Australian firm Luchetti Krelle led the redesign, drawing on English garden estates and reworking the property’s 89 guest rooms and suites across three colour palettes, with bespoke bedheads, custom textiles and marble-topped joinery.
A new central bar, The Lounge, sits at the heart of the hotel with a cocktail and wine list and bar bites, alongside experiential additions including caviar service, a roving cheese station and an elevated high tea.
Salter Brothers Hospitality CEO Tash Tobia says the property embodies the very essence of Australian mountain luxury.
“For decades, it has welcomed generations of families, dignitaries, socialites, and celebrities, whilst standing as a beloved icon for the Blue Mountains region. This spectacular legacy is exactly what makes the estate so deserving of this thoughtful transformation.
“Our vision for this project was guided by a profound responsibility to honour Lilianfels’ history and preserve its original character, whilst introducing world-class luxury hospitality.
“It is far more than a redesign – it’s an evolution to continue the legacy of this landmark property with a vibrant new chapter.”
Ardour Lilianfels executive chef Kam McManamey says second to the visual transformation, the refined culinary experience is where “Ardour luxury will really be felt by guests”.
“The Lounge has been created to become the heartbeat of the hotel. It’s an entirely new atmosphere designed to flow between pre-dinner cocktails, a three-course sit-down meal, or a late-night whiskey.
“Our new menu offers a much more elevated, contemporary take on classics, to blend old and new.”
Salter Brothers Hospitality has flagged Kingsford The Barossa and Spicers Guesthouse as future additions to the Ardour portfolio, having recently expanded the collection into two Australian wine regions.
For more information, visit Ardour.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Salter Brothers is building Ardour into a recognisable regional-luxury label by acquiring heritage estates with built-in pedigree rather than developing from scratch, and pairing each with a marquee Australian designer. For advisors, Lilianfels and Milton Park give the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands a fresh sell within an hour or two of Sydney, with Barossa and a second NSW property already in the pipeline.
