Month: April 2018

The growers market in the Hunter Valley, one of many great local market experiences around Australia

Five friendly must-do local markets for Aussie holidaymakers

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Local market culture is all about interesting food, wine, fashion and art. Exploring local markets while on holiday is often such a fabulous thing to do for an insight into how the locals live, and to uncover hidden treasures in your chosen destination.

We’ve compiled five of our favourites, including some lesser known community market ideas, for you to consider on your next stay with Accor Vacation Club in Australia.

 

The Shed Markets, Busselton Western Australia

We all know that a morning coffee stop is a small – but very important – part of any holiday itinerary! If good coffee is your thing, you can rest assured that The Shed Markets will deliver on your next stay in Busselton. The markets, which are open Thursday to Sunday weekly, now offers a ‘hole in the wall’ style coffee outlet, perfect for a caffeine hit before heading out to sightsee and enjoy the region.

Of course, this eclectic market offers so much more than just coffee. Inspired by their experience at the Earth Fair Food Market on a holiday to Cape Town, South Africa, owners of The Shed Markets, Chris and Donna Carlyle, have created a beautiful community space prioritising gourmet produce and culinary delights. If you like a market atmosphere that calls to all your senses, then this is definitely one for you to stop by.

If you’re after a spiritual encounter, take in a new age experience, or simply relax with a massage. Alternatively just enjoy some great food courtesy of local food trucks, organic fruit and vegetable stalls, and even the expertise of a butcher and fishmonger. For families, there is a kids play area, and groovers will love the live music sets that play every Friday night, creating a magic soundtrack to any Busselton market experience.

 When: Open 10am-6pm Thursday and Friday and 9am to 3pm Saturday and Sunday.

Where: 12 Caves Road, Abbey, Busselton

 

Sydney Fish Market, NSW

There are two types of people – those who don’t like seafood, and those who can’t live without it! If you fall into the latter category, then the Sydney Fish Markets at Pyrmont are a must do bucket list inclusion.

The market is permanent, so is open year round, for professional chefs, and amateurs alike. Let your foodie dreams run amok here as you enjoy energetic produce auctions, oyster bars, and fresh sashimi. For an unforgettable Sydney seafood market experience choose a piece of fresh fish and have it cooked up right in front of your eyes. Now that’s service!

 When: 7 days a week, 7am to 4.30pm

Where: Bank Street & Pyrmont Bridge Road, Sydney

 

 

Creswick Market, Regional Victoria

 Located in the picturesque and historic township of Creswick, just 20 minutes from Ballarat or the spa district of Daylesford, the Creswick Market is a great day out for the entire family. Even dogs are welcome here, for those visiting with a pooch on board.

Jewellery, great takeaway food and coffee, kid’s entertainment and live music are all draw cards for this country style gathering. In fact, there are more than 90 stalls to check out, so wear comfortable walking shoes so that you don’t miss a thing. The arts and crafts section is interesting with many designers there in person for you to speak with directly about the items they have produced and their inspiration and creative process.

There is an open-air section and great gardens to explore, plus a sheltered indoor section, so it a great place to visit no matter what the weather forecast. They are open every single month of the year and on special occasions they even hold twilight markets so you can stock up on some great unique gifts for Christmas or Easter.

 When: Every third Saturday of the month, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where: Creswick Neighbourhood Centre, Victoria Street Creswick.

 

 

Palm Cove Markets, North Queensland

North Queensland’s premier community markets, the Palm Cove Markets showcase local, quality handmade products from contemporary jewellery, leather work, pottery, clothes, skincare, plants and produce, wellness stalls and food.  The markets include great family activities such as crazy golf, henna tattoos and entertainment.

When: First Sunday of every month from April to December, except in October when it coincides with the Reef Feast Event. From 8am-2pm.

Where: Williams Esplanade, between Cedar Road and Harpa Street. These streets are closed for the market allowing visitors to browse safely.

 

 

Handmade in the Hunter Markets, Pokolbin NSW

Enchanting is one great word to sum up the experience at the Handmade in the Hunter markets in picturesque village of Pokolbin.

This country style market has the distinction of being the longest-running, genuine, handmade market in the vineyard area, so it’s easy to see why many choose to plan their visit to the Hunter Valley around a visit to this charming venue.

There are many wineries come concert venues close by including Hope Estate, Bimbadgen and Roche, and Handmade in the Hunter Markets are held to coincide with concert dates and other major vineyard events.

It’s a great idea to check out the schedule to make sure the market is available on the day you’re in town, and to see if there are any other great entertainment and concert events on in the area at the same time, to make a true long weekend or week of it.

Come along to see, taste, try, buy and marvel for yourself at what the vibrant Hunter Valley artistic and creative community has to offer.

When: Saturdays 9am to 3pm. Some Sundays 9am to 2pm. The markets are held, weather permitting. Check out the market calendar for Sunday dates.

Where: Kevin Sobels Winery, 5 Halls Road Pokolbin NSW

 

These are just five of the hundreds of amazing local markets you can explore around Australia.

If you are interested in visiting any of our top five markets on your next holiday, check out the Accor Vacation Club Apartment options available in each location to stay and explore in style. 

 

 

 

For more information, visit www.accorvacationclub.com.au

 

 

 

The Links Lady Bay Accor Vacation Club Apartments

Fine designs on Links Lady Bay Accor Vacation Club Apartments

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 The Fleurieu Peninsula’s sandy beaches and dramatic, rugged coastline has provided design inspiration for a major renovation program undertaken by Accor Vacation Club at The Links Lady Bay in South Australia.

Designed and furnished by architecture firm, Jessica Street Design, with building by McDas Construction, the extensive refurbishment touched on every component of Accor Vacation Club’s 15 upscale apartments located within the hotel. The result – exceptional quality for Accor Vacation Club Members, and a new standard in upscale accommodation for the destination.

“We’re not just talking about a simple room update here,” explained Accor Vacation Club CEO Craig Wood. “Each apartment boasts a complete chef’s kitchen, extra-large bathroom, full lounge and dining area, plus a master bedroom, so the scale of each space to be renovated had to be carefully considered in order for the project to be successfully completed on budget, and in keeping to our expectations for a superior, high-style finish.”

Influenced by direct Member feedback, the renovation of The Links Lady Bay Accor Vacation Club Apartments notably included major work within the bathrooms, in order to provide a separate the bath and shower for increased accessibility and a more luxurious feel for guests.

Other key design features included the addition of intricate Master bedroom bedheads above new Sleepmaker beds, custom-made timber and marble bedside tables and drawers, diamond buttoning on the upholstery, ornate bathroom mirrors and LED lit iridescent sheer curtains. “The curtains were embellished to create the most luxurious effect, without compromising the budget,” said Mr Wood.

To reflect its seaside location, the overall colour palette in each apartment leans towards muted blues and pearly creams, reflective of the relaxed yet dramatic coastal environment that surrounds The Links Lady Bay Accor Vacation Club Apartments.

The Sebel Busselton Accor Vacation Club

Stay with me! Survey reveals domestic mini breaks on the rise

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With the Easter break now done and dusted for another year, naturally we are turning our attention to where our next mini break might be.

If the Government’s recent International and National Visitor Survey results are any indication, a staycation will probably be the next holiday of choice for most Australians.

The survey revealed that many Australians are choosing home grown destinations, with more domestic overnight stays recorded. In 2017, overnight stays reached an amazing 97 million in total which is an impressive 7% up on last year’s figures.

In fact, the local market in fact spent more than $64.5 billion in 2017, blitzing the record $41.3 billion spent by international periods for the same year.

So what exactly did the survey reveal we were doing on these short breaks and Aussie holidays? It seems that exploring the great outdoors was top of the list of activities for many.

National or state park visits were up by 14%, bushwalking and rainforest walks up 20%, snow skiing up 37% and visits to indigenous and community sites and attractions up by 22%. There was also an 11% increase for attendance at an organised or major sporting event which shows we still love to plan a holiday around where our favourite team might be playing next!

Accor Vacation Club has a robust domestic hotel network for Members to experience, not least of all in regional destinations of amazing natural beauty, beyond the city lights.

For those who want to ‘climb every mountain’ and explore Victoria’s alpine region, The Sebel Pinnacle Valley Resort is a brilliant choice. For a tropical North Queensland rainforest or reef escape, The Sebel Palm Cove Coral Coast is perfectly positioned. And of course, for those after a West Australian adventure to uncover ancient forests, majestic vineyards and the azure waters of Geographe Bay, The Sebel Busselton beckons.

For a complete list of Accor Vacation Club’s destinations and inspiration on where next to plan a future mini break in Australia, visit www.accorvacationclub.com.au

 

Grand Mercure Basildene Manor Accor Vacation Club Apartments

Timeshare travel review – Grand Mercure Basildene Manor

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Set amongst manicured gardens in the award winning Margaret River wine region of Western Australia, Grand Mercure Basildene Manor is a one-of-a-kind historic property.

Classified by the National Trust and Heritage Council and dating back to 1912, Basildene Manor is a firm favourite with Accor Vacation Club’s Members, offering a laid back yet elegant experience just three hours south of Perth.

 

Oh Margaret, what’s not to love!

A two minute hop, step and jump away from Basildene is the township of Margaret River, a seriously stunning destination famous for its decadent food and produce, and serious wine industry.

It’s equally famous of course for its spectacular surfing beaches and natural attractions, while offering a variety of walking and cycling tracks that hug the river line. For those who love the great outdoors, these tracks offer a brilliant opportunity to explore ancient forests and vistas of vineyards along the way.

Wine-lovers will vouch for the regions award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Semillon vintages, crafted by some 200 vineyards that call the area home.

 

Pristine Prevelley

A short 10 minutes from the hotel is sublime Prevelley Beach, well regarded by locals and surfers for its exceptional surf, pristine environment and dramatic limestone caves.

Despite becoming a more trendy destination in recent times, Prevelley’s charm remains in the fact that it has lost none of its authenticity and is still regarded as a ‘sleepy village’ by most. It is still undeveloped and even for non-surfers, it’s hard not to be impressed by its rolling surf breaks, stunning sand dunes and Indian Ocean views.

 

Isn’t it romantic…

Whether you are celebrating love, rekindling a spark, or looking for an excuse to just reconnect with that special someone, Basildene Manor is a perfect setting to conjure up cupid. Serving up a great dose of old world charm aside contemporary comforts and luxurious surrounds, it’s little wonder that Grand Mercure Basildene Manor was voted an impressive #12 out of 24 top hotels recognised in the ‘Top Hotels for Romance – Australia’ category. With so many great wineries and beaches close by for sunset strolls, who would be surprised!

Of course, the hotel is a destination appeals to lovers of life and great travels generally, with Basildene also ranking #1 out of 10 properties located in Margaret River, Western Australia, in TripAdvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice™ awards* for Hotels.

In 2018, travellers’ awarded a further ‘Certificate of Excellence’ for consistently earning great guest reviews, making for an impressive hat trick of accolades earned in 2018. All worthy reasons to add this hotel to your accommodation bucket list on your next visit to Western Australia.

 

Styling up in the great outdoors

Proving that the outdoor environment is just as worthy or attention as the inside experience or a hotel destination, Accor Vacation Club undertook an significant outdoor enhancement program at the property to better showcase its sprawling gardens and ensure that its outdoor living spaces remain top of mind for Members.

Timber decking has been replaced with sturdy stainless steel, while new lighting – including ambient fairy light installations throughout the estate’s ancient trees – now feature, to extend the appeal of Basildene’s outdoor spaces from dusk to enchanted evenings spent outdoors. Further coach lighting has been installed down the Manor’s famous drive and entrance, for an added sense of arrival.

Need extra storage when you stay? No problem! The hotel recently added more luggage space for the convenience of guests awaiting check in and departure.

 

Address: 187 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River, WA 6285

Phone: (08) 9757 3140

 

* Travelers’ Choice awards are presented annually to the top 1% of businesses across selected categories, with the hallmarks of winners being remarkable service, quality and value. A Travelers’ Choice award is regarded as TripAdvisor’s highest recognition, and is highly sought after in the hospitality and travel industry.

 

The information in this article is not personal financial advice and has been prepared without taking into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Before making a decision to purchase or upgrade a membership in the Accor Vacation Club, you should consider the PDS dated 1 January 2017, issued by A.P.V.C. Ltd AFSL 245515 and available at www.accorvacationclub.com.au or by contacting A.P.V.C. Ltd on 1800 70 81 90. All hotel and cruise bookings are subject to availability.