Lovely Lorne

In the market for a relaxing getaway? lastminute lovely Louise takes a break (again) in the coastal town of Lorne.

As an adventurous sort, I’m not one to repeat a holiday. So I find myself with a bit of a quandary with Lorne. I’ve holidayed there a few times; same hotel, same restaurants, same routine. To risk sounding old and boring it’s simply lovely. Bear Grylls, I’m sorry, avert your eyes. My Lorne getaway has relaxation written all over it.

The town
Lorne’s got that Cape Cod chic thing going on that Victorian villages seem to have got down-pat. Think boardwalks beside the ocean, cute boutiques, breezy cafes and a cool beach-town vibe. From barefoot surfy babes to boat-shoed fancy men, this town has something for everyone.

The resort
Mantra Lorne is my hotel of choice. It’s a big resort with nearly 300 rooms but it doesn’t have the feeling of an impersonal complex. It’s couple, family and group friendly. And the beautiful landscaped site, centered around the tennis courts, gives the hotel a unique, almost country-coastal-retreat feel.

The resort has great facilities – four tennis courts, an indoor pool and a croquet course (hotel guests can hire equipment free of charge from the front desk). You can’t help but get your exercise on here! And with the hotel located just off the beach, you can scoot down to the ocean in your swimmers in mere seconds. If all that physical exertion doesn’t float your boat, Mantra also has an on-site Endota spa. Hellooooo relaxing facial.

The things to do

1. Morning walk to the pier
Hugging the coast is a pathway that runs from the hotel, along the main beach towards the pier at the far end of town. Active types get running!

2. Beach
My recipe for one heck for a relaxing day: Sunbake. Swim. Ice-block. Repeat.

3. Nature spotting
Lorne is surrounded by beautiful Aussie bush. I got a little bit overexcited when we saw this sleeping koala literally two minutes drive out of town.

4. Drive the GOR
Lorne is a great base for discovering the epic Great Ocean Road. My hot tip – get a convertible for the ultimate wind-in-your-carefree-holiday-hair look.

The places to eat & drink

When in town there are a couple of joints I always hit up:

The bottle of milk
This cool cafe on the main strip makes gourmet burgers, hot chips and a yum iced coffee served, you guessed it, in a cute milk bottle.

Chopstix
For a quick and lazy dinner off the beach go to this funky little noodle bar and grab a cold beer and a bowl of fresh noodles.

So there you have it. Lorne has all the ingredients for a perfect relaxing break that’ll have you coming back for more.

Do you have a holiday destination that you keep returning too? Do you ever stay in the same hotel again and again? Dish the dirt on your holiday heaven faves.