Chateau Yering Hotel

We had no dinner and no real birthday celebration, even though the fine dining experience was the whole reason for our stay. Chateau Yering cancelled our dinner reservation just 30 minutes before we were due to arrive, saying all the chefs were sick, despite having been open for lunch. Maybe they simply didn't want to pay their staff. We'd planned to eat, go upstairs to bed, and avoid driving. Instead, after a day visiting wineries, we felt trapped with no food and no way to reach another restaurant open on a Sunday night without paying $120 for a return Uber trip. I wouldn't have stayed if I knew the restaurant wouldn't be open. We even put our doggies in a kennel at considerable expense so we could come here, and the plans were ruined. “Sorry” wasn't enough. There was no compensation or complimentary breakfast, just an apology. A waste of time and money. Don't let a special occasion get ruined by staying here. They clearly missed the School of hospitality.

We spent two nights at Chateau Yering Hotel and enjoyed every minute. It's a traditional Old-style hotel, established 1867, with personal service and Old-style quality, plus breakfast, dinner and whatever beverage you fancy. The location is convenient on the main road between Yarra Glen and Lilydale. Yering Station is right next door, one of the magnificent Wine Estates in Yarra Valley, with wine tasting, a shop, and a magnificent Restaurant-with-a-view-to-admire. Worth planning a short or long stay here :)

For under $200 a night, room only, I was quite happy with the seasonal special I booked through Qantas hotels. Breakfast costs an additional $35 per person, and there's also a two or three course set menu Dinner in the lovely dining room. My room had a comfortable bed, and the bathroom was clean and modern. The heritage style home is lovely, with spacious rooms and a welcome bottle of wine and snacks on arrival. Tea and coffee facilities and a small long life milk were in the fridge. The TV is an older unit and doesn't have streaming services. It's in the Yarra Valley, very close to Yarra Glen.

The building is stunning, but the owner needs to start looking after it. We stayed here before, and it's sad to see the state of the property now. The staff are clearly doing the best they can with what they have, while the place badly needs repairs and investment. The room heater doesn't work properly, so they provide a portable one. There are no toiletries or robes, the wall plaster is cracked, and the TV only gets three stations. The restaurant, tennis court, swimming pool and bar are closed, with the restaurant and pool permanently closed. There's no mini bar, and reception isn't staffed after 8pm or before 9am. This isn't a five star hotel, three stars at best.