A weekend at Spicers Hidden Vale: Country luxury with a sense of adventure

I love a weekend away where you don’t have to choose between adventure and indulgence. Somewhere you can spend the morning exploring, the afternoon by the pool and finish the day with great food and a glass of champagne.

A recent family weekend at Spicers Hidden Vale in Grandchester, just over an hour from Brisbane, gave us exactly that – with the freedom for everyone to set their own pace.

A warm country welcome

From the moment we arrived, we felt well looked after. We were welcomed by Activities Coordinator Annemieke, who took the time to introduce us to the property and the huge range of things we could do during our stay.

A zoologist by profession, Annemieke’s knowledge and enthusiasm seemed particularly fitting for a retreat surrounded by so much bushland and wildlife. She was incredibly friendly and informative, and nothing seemed too much trouble. 

We settled into a standalone cottage known as the Luxury Suite with Jasper, our dog, and quickly discovered what would become one of my favourite spots – our private deck. Sitting there with a cheese board and bottle of champagne, watching the sun set over the countryside, was a pretty perfect way to end an afternoon.

As active as you want to be

There are plenty of ways to explore Hidden Vale, whether your idea of being active is heading out on two wheels, pulling on your walking shoes or trying something completely different.

My husband has one Saturday morning tradition that is never missed, regardless of where in the world we happen to be: parkrun. And despite the name, you certainly don’t have to be a runner – people of all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels take part, with plenty choosing to walk the course. 

Fortunately for him, there’s a weekly parkrun through the bushland at Hidden Vale. Even better, we discovered that Spicers Hidden Vale Operations Manager Morgan also volunteers as a Run Director – a lovely example of the connection between the retreat and its local community.

The course takes place within the Hidden Vale Adventure Park which, despite the name, isn’t a theme park. Instead, it’s an extensive network of trails winding through the surrounding bushland, used for walking, running and mountain biking.

My husband and son had brought their mountain bikes and headed off to explore the trails together, while Jasper and I opted for a long walk around the property.

Later, we swapped. My husband enjoyed some downtime with Jasper while my son and I joined Peter for a guided ATV tour through the bushland.

It was a fantastic way to see more of the property, and Peter clearly took great pride in showing us around and sharing his knowledge along the way. He and my son also quickly discovered a shared love of mountain biking, which made the experience that little bit more special.

We still found time for a swim in one of the property’s two pools and, before leaving on Sunday, the boys squeezed in a game of tennis. That was one of the things I really enjoyed about Hidden Vale. There was no need for everyone to do the same thing. We could head off and enjoy the property in our own way, then come back together for the slower moments.

Dinner – with a little extra hospitality

Food was another highlight, particularly dinner at Homage Restaurant.

We enjoyed chargrilled Moreton Bay bug, Goldfields lamb and grass-fed beef tenderloin before reaching that familiar holiday dilemma: stay for dessert or call it a night?

One of the team overheard our deliberations and offered a third option: why not head back to our cottage and have dessert brought to us?

Sold.

Not long afterwards, an incredible dark chocolate mousse with mascarpone, hazelnut praline and chocolate sorbet arrived at our door.

It was such a simple gesture, but it summed up the service we experienced throughout our stay – thoughtful, relaxed and genuinely hospitable. À la carte breakfast was also included in our stay, with the option to have it delivered to our cottage at no additional charge.