Mt Cotton Guest House

So, I bet you were thinking that in order to get away for a quiet rainforesty romantic weekend, you had to trek somewhere deep into the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast Hinterland, right? Well that's what I thought so too, until I saw Mt Cotton Guest House.  Situated (conveniently!) near the Sirromet Winery at Mt Cotton - The Mt Cotton Guest House has all of the perks of the Tamborine-esque getaways, but easier to get to - perfect if you can't spare much time.

The guest house itself is situated on 20 hectares of natural bushland and a stones throw from some beautiful secluded national parks. The guesthouse contains several large, comfortable rooms furnished with quality fittings and linen that include large LCD screen TVs and Wireless internet (not that you'd need either of those things on a romantic escape...would you?). The property also has a Balinese-inspired garden and hot tub (ooooooh) to be enjoyed by its guests. A sumptuous breakfast is included, which you can take on the main deck or on your own private verandah. Dinner can also be arranged if you prefer to eat in.

If you like the idea of a getaway but not sharing a guesthouse, 8 Eco-Cabins are also being built on the property, ready for some serious romantic getaways in 2010.

Rooms start at $160 per night for the standard "Garden" room and go up to $250 per night for the Tangalooma room. Several packages are also available and "couples massages" can be arranged for a truly relaxing, romantic getaway.

Summary: All the perks of a romantic, relaxing retreat - without the travel to the hinterland!

Tip:  If both you and your partner can get the time off mid-week, it's worth booking during this time as the Guesthouse is considerably cheaper.

Transport: While buses run in the local area - they don't tend to go quite near the guesthouse. However if you are without a car, a taxi can be taken from the Sheldon or Springwood areas. If you are driving however, here's an idea of how to get there:

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• Where: Mt Cotton - Around 40-45 minutes from the City - obviously a lot less if you live on the South/East side of Brisbane.
• When: Monday-Sundays with discounts for week-day stays.
  
• Cost: Rooms start at $160 and go to $250 per night - with cheaper rates on week-days.
  
• Websites:
  Mt Cotton Guest House
  Sirromet Winery

• Perfect For: Romantic getaways, relaxing weekends, pampering, "re-connection", wine-tasting.
  
• Downsides: I honestly can't think of too many other than the Eco Cabins aren't finished yet - so you may have to deal with some minor building noise - but I'm sure they would keep this to a minimum. It's not the cheapest of getaways but it is fairly comparable to many others so it's not overpriced per-se. The bottom line is - if you need to indulge and relax and don't have the time to travel far out of Brisbane, then this is your place.