Chateau Yering

I booked Eleanor’s Restaurant within the Chateau Yering complex for our wedding anniversary. It was a surprise for my husband that I had great expectations of, given the impressions their website offers… the photography of fine dining and so on. When we arrived, there was no one to greet us. Several minutes later a staff member came out of the kitchen and jumped out of her skin at the sight of me. I explained who we were and that we had a booking which she then relayed to another staff member who then questioned – are you dining with us tonight? So, I repeated myself. Finally, despite being the only guests in the restaurant at that time, we were seated in what was literally the worst table in the restaurant. I felt like we were in Harry Potter’s cupboard. There was no view, no light, no ambience. We were in the naughty corner. Already I was embarrassed that I had brought my husband here on such a special occasion. We were so overdressed it was humiliating. The staff were dressed apathetically and communicated in a manner that was an unusual combination of nonchalance and over familiarity. That would have been entirely appropriate at the local pub, but I was paying big bucks here and the photo of the waiter on their website shows him correctly holding and pouring wine, whilst wearing formal black and white attire. The staff member who served us, (once she had composed herself and put her skin back on), picked up our wine glasses and poured the wine into them from the air whilst her dirty fingerprints made their way around each glass. By now I am wishing we had just gone to the local pub. Food wise we thought we would do an entrée and main. The entrees were not too bad – quail and kingfish. Then we had the kangaroo for mains. This was a mistake. Kangaroo is challenging to cook perfectly, and I should have ordered something safer. The memory that stays with me is that we had the worst table yet were the best dressed couple in the restaurant. Others who had nice tables were quite casually dressed and stared at us as though we did not belong there. In a nutshell that is how I felt the whole night… we just did not belong there. Literally the icing on the cake was being given a plate of a dessert morsel that had the words “happy birthday on it”. Despite me explicitly putting in writing in the reservation that it was our wedding anniversary and could we please arrange a special table!!!! An establishment that has historical significance and a beautifully adorned antique environment – should deliver the quality one expects, which should be nothing sort of the complete fine dining experience of excellence at every interaction, with both staff and food.

Lovely place where you can truly relax and enjoy serenity and nature. Would recommend to stay a couple nights to truly experience pure bliss.

A very good experience although the property is in need of upkeep. Staff were excellent and friendly. The grounds were really nice to walk, but again the grounds and buildings need an upgrade

Overall we had a lovely relaxing break for two nights to celebrate my husband's birthday. The building is stunning and reflects its history. Our room was comfortable, quiet and well- appointed ( especially the bathroom). We also had a balcony which we sat on to enjoy the countryside views. It is notable that there is virtually no room service for food unless you give prior notice to request a cheese platter. Bring some snacks or make the short trip to Yarra Glen for food and drink supplies if you need these. Breakfast was offered for an additional fee in the Sweetwater Cafe. We had a juice, tea or coffee and a good choice of main breakfast dishes all for $35 each. The Cafe is open and bright and we enjoyed excellent service by our two wait staff on both mornings. Do allow plenty of time for your breakfast, however, as it is made to order and it was quite a wait before we received our food. In saying that, the breakfast was plentiful and absolutely delicious ( the crispy bacon is highly recommended!). Finally, there are lovely gardens to walk around and the location is driving distance to many stunning wineries for tastings, lunch and dinner. The staff were all accomodating and personable which certainly helped to make our stay a lovely one overall.

Château Yering is a genuinely unique experience. The building itself is beautiful, full of character and history, and set within stunning gardens that invite you to slow down and take it all in. The rooms are elegant and comfortable, the food is excellent, and the staff are warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming without being overbearing. There’s a clear attention to detail in every aspect of the stay. If you appreciate charm, heritage, beautiful surroundings, and thoughtful service, this is absolutely the place.