The Louise has set the standard for five-star accommodation in the Barossa Valley ever since hoteliers Jim and Helen Carreker took over the low-rise lodge in the western reaches of the legendary wine region. Now in the hands of Baillie Lodges and fresh from a $3 million renovation, the South Australian retreat has entered a new era with a transformed main building and new-look suites.

Pitch-perfect first notes

From the road, The Louise cuts a low profile in its agricultural setting. A lavender-lined grapevine arbour guides new arrivals towards the reception, where bags are whisked away and guests seated in the lobby to enjoy a welcome cocktail and snack prepared with local produce, dabbing away any vestiges of the trip with a towelette scented by The Louise’s signature fragrance of peppermint, lemon myrtle, and musky ambrette. The main lodge has a languid new look based on designs by Max Pritchard, the SA architect behind Kangaroo Island’s much-mourned Southern Ocean Lodge, with bespoke works by local artists Renee de Saxe and Emma Hack (the latter known best for her bodypainting in Gotye’s hit music video ‘Somebody that I used to know’). After refreshments, it’s time to settle into your suite, also spritzed with the signature scent in anticipation of your arrival.

Suite life

All 15 of The Louise’s suites are angled to offer views of the Barossan patchwork of vines, fields and gently undulating hills. The Restore series by local artist Janelle Amos picks up rich greens in the soft furnishings of the 10 Stonewall Suites, as well as glimpses of the farmland visible through every window. En suite bathrooms offer bathtubs (with nooks for tealights) and both an indoor and open-air shower.

On cold winter days the in-house gas fire beckons; while the private terraces connected to each suite through French doors make the perfect nook on sunny afternoons. In those scorching South Australian summers, however, the infinity pool overlooking the vines is still the place to be. A discreet turn-down service includes a just-boiled kettle and sleep tea waiting in your suite post-dinner, curtains drawn and pillows plumped, with a candle burning on the hearth and music playing softly over the speakers.

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Vine and dine

The Louise is invariably mentioned in the same breath as Appellation, its acclaimed in-house restaurant. With the renovation, the lobby has been opened up to flow naturally into this well-lit space, angled to catch both the sun sinking over the vines during the evening’s set tasting menu (included in the room rate for guests) and sunrise during the included guest a la carte breakfast. Just off the main restaurant, the soon-to-be-revealed Contour will offer casual dining for locals and visitors, overlooking a terrace and sunken firepit. But for in-house guests, the defining dining experience remains Appellation.

Stepping into the shoes of executive chef is Baillie Lodges alum Asher Blackford, who brought his interpretation of place on the plate most recently to Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island, and previously to the Southern Ocean Lodge. What unfolds over the course of a nightly five-course menu – opt for matched wines to benefit from the in-house expertise – is a tribute to the farmers and producers of the Barossa, in turns playful and sophisticated. Such is the team’s attention to detail, Blackford often caters his menu to suit the independent dining experiences guests may have been booked into that day.

The not-so-mini bar

If you visited the Barossa and didn’t imbibe in fine wine, did you even go? Wine flows through the veins of The Louise, sitting as it does surrounded by iconic vineyards. The renovation has taken the lodge’s respected wine collection out of the cellar and turned it into an immersive feature. The American oak curved “wine lantern” sits between the lobby and restaurant, a curated selection of 800 bottles of the Barossa’s best (and notable imports) open to guests and diners to peruse. Guests who stay three or more nights are given a $100 credit towards any selections. For an intimate nightcap, a bottle can be whisked into a speakeasy-inspired space hidden behind concealed doors off the lobby.

Good neighbours

In the spirit of the Barossa, the concierge team at The Louise is always on hand to offer a local recommendation, arrange a private experience or help secure a booking – whether that’s to visit neighbour Hentley Farm for a long lunch prepared by chef-to-watch Clare Falzon; or to meet musician-turned-restaurateur/winemaker Grant Dickson at locavore Angaston restaurant and micro cellar door Otherness.

The highlight of the activities on offer is found directly across Seppeltsfield Road at Tscharke Wines, where an exclusive experience is available only to top-tier customers of the winery – and guests of The Louise. At this pioneering biodynamic vineyard patrolled by a troupe of peacocks (yes, really), Damien Tscharke is offering one of the Valley’s most exciting wine tastings. To say more is to reveal too much, just ask The Louise when you visit.

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