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If your ideal weekend involves waking up to McLaren Vale views, switching off with someone special and having some of South Australia’s best wineries just minutes away, this new stay has your name all over it.
Orizzonte has officially opened with six private, architecturally designed studios tucked among the vines, creating a new design-led base for couples and groups wanting to disappear into McLaren Vale for a few days.
The whole experience has been built with the views in mind.
Floor-to-ceiling windows pull the landscape into the room, sprawling vineyard scenes stretch out from the foot of the bed and each studio has been designed as its own private sanctuary.
The boutique retreat is the work of longtime locals Jo Francis and Lee Finlay, who wanted to create somewhere that felt genuinely connected to the place they already loved.
“We’ve lived in the McLaren Vale area for many years now … and lived on the property as well, where the studios are built,” Jo said.
“We are so lucky to live in that area and we wanted to share that with other people.”
That connection to the landscape is one of the first things you notice.
Natural light pours into the studios, while timber, stone and linen accents add warmth and texture, creating the kind of space that makes it easy to slow down and romanticise the weekend a little. Jo and Lee worked closely with interior designer Georgie Shepherd to create interiors that feel elevated without losing the comfort you want from a weekend away.
“It’s really about creating a seamless experience where they’re comfortable, beautiful but also functional at the same time.”
The sleek bathrooms are another highlight, with Jo particularly loving the luxurious feel and double showers.
Each studio works as its own private sanctuary, making Orizzonte an easy choice for a couples escape, but the six studios can also be booked together for groups of up to 12.
It means you can spend the day exploring McLaren Vale together, gather back at the property afterwards, then retreat to your own private space when you’re ready to switch off.
Jo is also hoping the setup will appeal to bridal parties looking for somewhere beautiful to stay together without sacrificing their own privacy. And when you do feel like venturing out, the studios are only minutes from McLaren Vale’s town centre, putting wineries, long lunches, coastal drives and walking trails within easy reach.
Guests will also find a selection of locally sourced and Australian-made provisions waiting for them, chosen to introduce visitors to some of the makers and producers Jo and Lee love. Despite its polished finish, Orizzonte has been far from an overnight project.
“It’s been a long project many years in the making.”
Now that the doors are open, Jo hopes guests use the stay as a chance to properly settle into the region rather than simply pass through it.
“I hope people come into the McLaren vale and Fleruieu Peninsula region and just savour every moment when they come down here.”
Orizzonte isn’t just somewhere to stay in McLaren Vale, with vineyard views, luxe interiors and a setting made for switching off, it’s the new reason to stay.
Orizzonte
When: Reservations are now open
Where: 168 Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale
For more, visit their website.
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