If you're visiting Ballarat for a weekender or extended stay, Hotel Vera is a stunning destination hotel worth travelling for. There's so much to eat, drink, see and do in Victoria's third largest city, that all you'll probably want to do at the end of a long day is fall back onto a soft pillow – but Hotel Vera offers much more than that.
There's the tranquil provenance-driven fine diner Babae. Mini bars of savoury and sweet goodies from local artisans (don't forget the bottle of vino). Massive TV screens that look like pieces of art when they're not switched on, with all of your fave shows at your fingertips. Spacious bathrooms with Salus products and fluffy towels.
And the cosiest of foyer lounges – seriously, it feels more like a beautiful house than a hotel – with a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling bookcase. Personally, I could just curl up on the couch in there with a stack of the artsy coffee table books and that'd be my day sorted.
Brought to you by the masterminds behind Hotel Ernest in Bendigo, Hotel Vera took four years of development and finally opened its doors in 2022. Just like its older regional sibling, the focus here is on offering a small number of luxe rooms – seven in total – and a highly curated experience that blends the historic with the new.
The hotel is, technically speaking, a 19th-century medical building that's lived a few lives and been revitalised. But there's nothing sterile or spooky about it in in the least. Rather, it's one of the warmest and most feminine-feeling luxury hotels I've ever stayed in – which is exactly what was intended, I'm told. After all, it was named co-owner David Cook-Doulton's maternal grandmother Vera.
Though great care has been taken to preserve the heritage elements throughout the space, there are plenty of personal and unique touches to discover. Think an Indigenous eel catcher hanging from the ceiling upstairs or a tiny ceramic house with a chimney sitting on one of the shelves. "I think I got it at a garage sale," David tells me with a smile.
Each room is named and coloured after a charming Goldfields township: the green-hued Kingston, after the famed potato-growing region; the dark pink Tourello, inspired by the rich volcanic soils of the locality. These spaces are far removed from cookie-cutter chain hotel rooms, with each decked out in furnishings, artwork and décor that matches its distinct colour scheme.
While my stay is undoubtedly lovely and I want for nothing within my room, the primary way to communicate with David and his partner Martin Shew is via text and they don't necessarily stay in the building during the night (though access is very straightforward and secure). In that way, it's to some extent a self-reliant experience. Some may prefer having more of an official reception – particularly for such an elegant hotel. That said, I'd come back here in a heartbeat. A memorable stay is guaranteed for couples, solo travellers and friends alike.
Everything you need for some rest and relaxation is housed within Hotel Vera's walls, but if you feel like exploring Ballarat, you're just a short walk or drive from everything the inland city has to offer. When you're keen on some fresh air, mosey on over to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens or enjoy a stroll around Lake Wendouree. For more, check out our ultimate travel guide.
Time Out tip: If it's in your budget, book a room that has a bathtub (not all do). The luxe freestanding tubs demand an indulgent soak sesh. Bring a good book and a bougie facemask and that's an afternoon well spent.
Lauren Dinse visited Ballarat and stayed as a guest of the City of Ballarat and Hotel Vera. Bookings can be made online at the website and rooms start at $299 per night.