Roy has always appreciated a surprise birthday treat, and now it seems that I do too. After all, what’s not to like about a WA Midlands getaway complete with Moët, spa bath, massage and attendant kangaroos?
My man had been obdurately tight-lipped about whether we’d be going somewhere on Tuesday, 17 January. But it was fairly obvious that we were – I’d been advised against making any plans for the next morning (the 18th), and he’d suggested that I move my birthday hair appointment back to 9am.
Once the birthday earrings had been unwrapped and it was time to rise, shine and carpe diem, he had to crack. Yes, we are going somewhere. Yes, you need to pack a nice dress for dinner. No, we weren’t going anywhere near the sea; but yes, there might be water, so pack a swimsuit.
Hmm… Crown Casino, where I still want to try a couple of restaurants? Or somewhere inland, like the Swan Valley? We had a lovely stay at Mandoon Estate once, courtesy of vouchers from the offspring. (Here’s my blog post about Mandoon.)
And so it came to pass that I found myself in the passenger seat of the Volvo CX40, heading – as far as I could tell – for the Perth Hills. Hurrah! – though I was better packed for a fancy night at Crown, I never mind being overdressed. (Here’s my blog post about our anniversary celebration at Crown last year.)
Prologue: Cupcakes and breakfast
With only a birthday cupcake between me and last night’s dinner, I became terminally ravenous en route and whined to stop for what turned out to be an excellent all-day breakfast at Dôme in Mundaring. This substantial town in the Perth Hills has a variety of cafés and fast-food joints.
Amaroo Retreat & Spa, Mount Helena
With only eight beautifully designed chalets, Amaroo can’t help being exclusive. Massage therapist Carly sounded most impressed that Roy had tracked it down online without my guidance – weekends, especially, are booked up months in advance, she said.
This wasn’t a weekend, but a Tuesday; and Mondays and Tuesdays can be tricky for a getaway because so many country restaurants are closed for the first part of the week.
Jen at reception poured two glasses of bubbly and showed the way to Chalet 2. We found it beautifully designed, with:
- Big patio at the back, elegantly furnished and with a big spa bath, looking on to your private stretch of Amaroo’s 57 acres of bush
- Mini-bar big enough to also take the bottle of Moët that Roy had thoughtfully brought along
- Wide and comfy bed, behind which are double vanity basins and frosted doors opening to a large double shower and a separate toilet.
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Happy birthday to me! Don’t worry about the number – I’ve started counting backwards. 
I would recommend either 1, 2, 3 or 4, just because they’re more spaced out than numbers 5 to 6. Beyond the chalets is bush, where friendly (or at least not evidently un-friendly) kangaroos graze, suckle, hop, box, no doubt, and otherwise disport themselves.
Jen thought that Amaroo had opened in 2018, and of course it was closed down during the recent Time of Pestilence. Everything in the chalets and public areas looks brand new and is sparkling clean – not easy to achieve when you’re surrounded by 57 hectares of nature.
Amaroo Spa
I soon discovered why it had been so important for us to leave home on time: Roy (my hero!) had pre-booked a 3pm massage and facial for me. It was fabulous: the bubbly Carly is one of those intuitive masseuses who not only have excellent technique, but seem to be able to divine exactly where they need to go to untie the knots.
Apart from noticing the array of Payot products used, I can’t really comment on the 30-minute facial, mainly because I was asleep and snoring.
Afterwards, chatty Carly showed me around the extensive spa facility. She confided that Amaroo’s new owners planned to augment the current accommodation with a bevy of yurts. Also, the restaurant kitchen would be extended. What’s more, everyone loved working here. Good news, right?
The Lounge
Dinner
Like the spa, Amaroo’s stylish restaurant, The Lounge, is also open to non-residents. Half indoors, half alfresco, it overlooks the pool and the nicely furnished poolside area.
After half-a-dozen oysters to share, my creamy, garlicky prawn starter was the best I can remember – and I must have ordered hundreds of such dishes during the 80s and 90s alone. The sirloin that followed was perfectly medium-rare, somewhat let down by tepid broccolini and cool mushroom sauce. Roy was happy enough with his tasty duck confit starter, though its skin hadn’t been crisped in traditional fashion; and he was delighted with his salmon and salad.
A nice wine-list featured some of our favourites from Vasse Felix estate in Margaret River, the holiday region south of Perth, including this lovely red.
It’s highly unusual to see wine decanted anywhere anymore, let alone in Western Australia, let alone in the wild beyond-ness of the hinterland: so I had to record the moment for posterity. (Next morning, I spied the same blonde lass in charge of the electric cleaning cart. Good on her!)
Breakfast for two
Breakfast is served here too, up until 10am, and is included in the rate. I had poached eggs on a smear of mashed avo on GF toast, topped with feta, sprinkled with dukkah and served with wilted spinach. Nice, but it hadn’t been hot for some time. (I’d complained about cold food last night, so I wasn’t about to complain again.) Roy had the omelette, mercifully (for us all) served straight from the pan on to a warm plate.
Verdict
Priced close to $500 a night, and that’s before the almost mandatory spa session and the definitely mandatory dinner, Amaroo is a treat for a special occasion. Thank you, Roy – I loved it.
