Rooms

Each lodge is decorated differently with quirky, reclaimed furniture, fab original artwork and wooden floors. Couples should go for The Studio or Buttercup Barn, which has a courtyard filled with poppies and lots of greenery, a lovely loft bedroom and lots of light. The small but perfectly-formed kitchen in The Studio also offers lots of light - the microwave is cleverly disguised behind the reclaimed door of a traditional oven, and the sink is a giant stainless steel casserole pot.

The Milking Shed, set in the original hayloft and sleeping up to 4, would be great for friends; families of 4+ will find more space at Moo Manor. The Worker’s Cottage sleeps 6, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, while the huge Straw Bale House has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a large kitchen and dining area. People fight over the ‘hidey hole’ room here, which you have stoop to get into.

All the lodges have simple white Ikea crockery, cutlery and glasses, DVD players, TVs, iPod docks and gas heaters. Most also have wood burners. Bathrooms are contemporary and well thought out - homemade organic toiletries and large towels are provided. Eco-friendly temperature control has been carefully thought through, so each lodge is positioned to catch the most light and decked out with ceramic floors that heat easily in the winter but remain cool during summer.

Features include:

• Fan
• In-room treatments available
• Washing machine
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast can be provided in the morning (additional charge), and consists of Whisk & Pin homemade mueslis, breads, juices, milk, butter, jams and yoghurt. Otherwise, you're self catering. You can order all your food in advance and the owners will stock your fridge, or you can shop when you arrive - there are plenty of options nearby. If you're celebrating a special occasion, why not be cooked for? There are 3-course dining menus devised by a local chef which can be ordered for a minimum of 8 people. Dishes include steak served with wild mushrooms, crispy duck salad with light soy dressing and rack of lamb with melted herb butter, followed by crème brûlée or lemon tart.

When we stayed Buttercup Barn was the only room without its own cooking facilities, though this was set to change following planning permission from the council. All of the other lodges are well set up for self-catering with basic ingredients and equipment provided and grills outside each lodge so you can get into the Aussie spirit and barbecue.

Leura has lots of food shops, delis and restaurants offering pizza, fine dining, Thai, modern and Indian cuisine. Silk’s Brasserie is by far the best restaurant in town for lunch and dinner and there's even a vegan cafe: Rubyfruit.

Features include:

• Barbecue
• Breakfast
• Dinner by arrangement
• Dishwasher
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Kids' meals
• Lunch by arrangement
• Microwave
• Oven
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Leura is one of the most attractive towns in the Blue Mountains and it's filled with boutiques, delis and galleries. Visit the nearby formal gardens, Everglades, and its Art Deco house or take children to Leuralla Toy and Railway Museum
  
• Go bushwalking, mountain biking, canyoning and abseiling in the Blue Mountains. There are fabulous trails for all abilities
  
• Take a scenic drive, going early or late to avoid the tourist hoards. Check out the Three Sisters rock formation at Echo Point, the Katoomba Falls, the sandstone crevice of Devils Hole, and the vistas of the Jamison Valley. The amazing limestone formations of the Jenolan Caves are about an hour’s drive away
  
• Have a game of giant chess then chill out in the world's quirkiest hot tub, created from the former milk vat!
  
• Get off the tourist trail - Tread Lightly Eco Tours offers guided bushwalks, 4-wheel drive tours, trips to local canyons, moonlit night walks and astronomy talks under the stars
  
• Check out the antique shops at Blackheath or wineries at Mudgee
  
• Golf and horse riding can be arranged locally
  

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Trekking
• Wildlife

Kids

Children are very welcome and it's a great environment for them: eco-friendly with quirky design and plenty of space to play as well as outdoorsy activities to pursue in and around the Blue Mountains. It's also a great place for an extended family group or families holidaying together. Kids of all ages are welcome.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

We'd recommend the Milking Shed or Moo Manor for families with up to 2 children; otherwise book the Worker's Cottage, which sleeps up to 6. All lodges have a bathtub and you can request twin beds instead of kingsize beds where you need them.

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 90 minutes
• Hospital: 5 minutes
• Doctor: 5 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Old Leura Dairy is in Leura, a small village in the Blue Mountains, 1.5 hours' drive to the west of Sydney. The Blue Mountains are an ancient escarpment weathered into valleys, which now boast lovely waterfalls and great walks.

By Air:
Sydney (120km). Many international airlines fly into Sydney, see links below.

From the Airport
From Sydney airport you can either hire a car, ask Old Leura Dairy to arrange a limousine transfer or head to Syndey Central Station and catch a train to the Blue Mountains (see below).

By Car:
Hiring a car will give you the freedom to tour around the spectacular Blue Mountains' region, and Leura is an easy hour and a half west of Sydney on the M4 Freeway and Great Western Highway. See our car rental recommendations.

By Train:
Trains depart hourly from Sydney's Central Station and the journey to Katoomba Rail Station takes 2 hours. Old Leura Diary can collect you from the station or you can take a taxi to Leura.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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