Kingsford Homestead

We were so excited to stay at Kingsford Barossa for our anniversary, but unfortunately it ended up being the most disappointing stay we’ve ever had — especially given the price. The property itself is stunning. When you arrive at the homestead and are greeted by staff, you feel like you’re about to experience something really special. But from there, everything went downhill. Dinner took over an hour to arrive, and the menu was printed on a simple A4 sheet. Several items weren’t even available. Breakfast the next morning was the same story — more than an hour’s wait. Even getting drinks took 20 minutes or more, which created a frustrating experience throughout our stay. For a place that markets itself as luxurious, nothing felt first-class. The towels in our own home are more plush. The room didn’t have the level of comfort or attention to detail we expected. And when it came time to leave, after being welcomed so grandly on arrival, we were directed out through the car park — a very odd and anticlimactic end to what was supposed to be a special stay. Having worked in major hotels around the world, I can confidently say this did not feel like a five-star experience. We were deeply disappointed, especially after looking forward to this anniversary trip for so long. For the price and the expectations set, it simply wasn’t worth it. I wouldn’t recommend Kingsford Barossa, and I truly wish our experience had matched the beauty of the property.

The accommodations are magnificent and the service outstanding. It’s strange there aren’t any reviews for this place since 2024, so here goes. We stayed in room 2 which is their superior homestead suite for two nights. The signature suite, room 1, was booked out for our dates, but they have view suites as part of a new development. We weren’t interested as we’d read positive reviews about the homestead’s character, though those comments seem to focus on the McLeods daughters connection, which we’ve never watched. Room 2 is spacious and cleverly uses mirrors, especially in the walk-in closet. The fit and finish of the room is first-class. The bathroom is huge and well-appointed, featuring a fantastic bath and a shower with multiple options. The bed is large and very comfortable. However, there’s no view in this room and despite its size, there’s no couch or lounge. There’s a small round table and two chairs, which aren’t ideal for lounging or sitting for long. You’ll need to go outside for that. As with any old two-storey house like this, you’ll hear the people above you and, if you’re unlucky, you might get what seems like endless stomping around above you. That was the case for us, but it’s mostly just the luck of the draw. Given that and the lack of a view, I wonder if the upstairs homestead rooms are a better option, even though the highest-priced rooms are downstairs. The real draw is the dining and breakfast area (see photo). It’s cleverly designed with floor-to-ceiling glass that offers a breathtaking view of the countryside. You might spot kangaroos at dinner and breakfast, and we even saw two rabbits chasing each other – quite entertaining. There are also many different birds. The dining and breakfast food (known as the Orleana Restaurant for dinner) is the subject of a separate review. The area and outlook are magnificent. The onsite service at Kingsford is exceptional. Martin in particular and Kasey at Orleana were fantastic. Another gentleman offered to mix drinks multiple times but I didn’t catch his name. He was also great, as was the lady from the Grampians area. We didn’t get her name either but she was fantastic. While there aren’t many activities at Kingsford, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. However, it does impact other aspects of the stay. For example, if your room doesn’t have a good view or a comfortable lounging area, you’re forced to leave the room. There are two sets of large lounges near Orleana, which I’d call a bar area. We visited them a few times to relax and organise photos, but the bar was always noisy and not conducive to our needs. We did get to look at the view suites out of curiosity and they’re a much better option for us. They’re modern (which is fine with us) and share the same view as the Orleana dining area with floor-to-ceiling glass. They also have a spacious wrap-around lounge where you can each comfortably relax for hours. The best two are the corner suites, which offer a wider view and even a small plunge pool. Suite 4 looks particularly appealing with an outdoor fire pit and chars nearby We chose a bush picnic, but I was worried about the setup and potential for flies or ants. To our relief, they were honest about flies being a bit of a problem. We discussed having the picnic indoors somewhere, but after arriving and discussing a few options, Martin later came and suggested using the corner of the Orleana area. It offered the best views and was completely private since it wasn’t used for lunch. It was a fantastic idea and the setup was lovely. We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it. It was a better option than battling the flies by the para river. See the photo – it was really nicely done. Thanks again to Martin and the former Grampians lady for setting it up. There’s a 1.5-hour ATV ride available across the property. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do it due to an injury I had, but we did enjoy a short ATV ride on the dirt roads. This was thoughtful and greatly appreciated. On our second night, we dined outside at a delightful restaurant in Tanunda. This is a gem of a town and deserved more recognition or highlighting. It boasts fantastic fine dining alongside more mainstream and fun options. There’s a lovely homeware store called Sage and great coffee and goods at Hustle Cafe. We returned the next day after checking out to spend some time there before our drive back to Victoria. Tanunda is a fantastic place to visit and offers plenty. We had a wonderful time at Kingsford and were glad we stayed. If we went back, we’d choose view suite 4, another indoor picnic, the full ATV ride and, of course, Tanunda dinners and shopping. The service at Kingsford was truly outstanding.

Absolute sheer perfection !! This was a 50th birthday gift to myself. 2 nights in the homestead, my dream. I am an avid fan of McLeods Daughters, and staying here felt like I was HOME. My heart was full.

Beautiful homestead stay where you are made to feel special form the moment you arrive! Friendly staff and gorgeous food! the Private Valley View plunge pool room was an out of this world experience, cant wait to go back one day! a great place for a romantic night...

A stunning property with incredible staff, food, beverages, views, service & ambience. A must visit when in the Barossa! Already planning my next trip back!