Mount Lofty House Adults Retreat
An 1852 stone mansion three minutes from Cleland's koalas
About this stay
The mansion itself, built in 1852, is the drawcard here, and the outdoor pool and spa turn a heritage stay into something closer to a full retreat. Cleland National Park is a three-minute taxi away, the shortest link to the koalas and kangaroos of any stay in the group, which makes a wildlife morning easy to fit around a longer breakfast at Martha Hardy's on site. Free breakfast, a fitness centre and full-service laundry suit a longer stay, and the airport shuttle removes the need for a hire car on a Hills-only trip. It is squarely a couples' or small-group retreat rather than a family stopover, with a smoke-free, accessible layout throughout.
- 1852 stone mansion
- 3 min to Cleland National Park
- Pool and spa
- Free breakfast
Our take
This is the pick for a couple wanting the most upmarket stay in the group, with a genuine heritage mansion, a pool and a spa, and Cleland National Park close enough for a short wildlife morning before a longer breakfast. The price puts it well above the motels and motor inns nearby. It is not built for families travelling with young kids, who will find better value and more flexibility elsewhere in Mount Barker.
- ✓Book the Cleland National Park taxi first thing, three minutes is short enough to fit before a late breakfast.
- ✓Use the spa on an afternoon rather than a morning, mornings suit the wildlife trip better.
- ✓Take the airport shuttle rather than a hire car if this is the only Hills stop on the trip.
Why we love it
- An actual 1852 stone mansion
- Three minutes to Cleland National Park
- Outdoor pool and spa on site
- Free breakfast and airport shuttle
Why guests love itMount Lofty House is a 5-star retreat in an 1852 stone mansion, and its name presents it as an adults retreat, so I would keep it for a couples' night rather than a family stay. It has an outdoor pool, a spa, a fitness centre and a refined restaurant, with free breakfast and an airport shuttle. Cleland National Park is about three minutes by taxi. Guests rate it 9.4 across 830 reviews. My editorial advice: book the spa for the afternoon after an early wildlife visit.
Guest reviews
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