A historic Clare Valley pub has completed the next stage of its revival, unveiling 10 newly renovated rooms for visitors wanting to stay in the heart of Auburn.
The Rising Sun Hotel, which has stood on Auburn’s main street since the 1850s, has added accommodation across its original hotel and the historic Mews at the rear of the property.
The new offering includes six Heritage Rooms within the main hotel, three Mews Rooms and a larger Mews Suite, giving visitors the option to stay right in the centre of town while exploring the Clare Valley.
The accommodation was always planned as the second stage of the hotel’s broader restoration, after the pub itself reopened following its transformation.
“The rooms were always the second half of the job,” the owners said.
“Auburn sits at the southern end of the Clare Valley, and people were coming here for the food and the wine, then heading elsewhere to sleep.
“We wanted to give them somewhere comfortable to stay in town and a good base to explore the valley.”
The renovation has retained many of the building’s original features, including timber floors, fireplaces and the proportions of the historic rooms, while adding modern bathrooms and other comforts.
“The work was about giving the building its rooms back, not doing anything clever to it,” the owners said.
The six Heritage Rooms are located inside the original hotel, while the Mews accommodation at the rear offers a quieter and more private option away from the main pub.
The standout is the Mews Suite, which features a four-poster king bed, fireplace, living area, private outdoor space and a double-shower ensuite, with a sofa bed available for a third guest.
Each room has a private ensuite, air conditioning, a Smart TV, Wi-Fi and a complimentary minibar.
The owners wanted the renovation to feel authentic to the historic pub rather than turning it into a modern hotel.
“We kept asking the same question: was it here first, and is it worth keeping?” they said.
“The floors, the fireplaces, the proportions of the rooms—all of that stays. We’ve brought the comforts up to date, because nobody romanticises a bad shower.”
“We did not try to make it look older than it is, and we did not try to make it feel like a city hotel either. It is a country pub with good rooms in it, which is harder to get right than it sounds.”
The smaller details have also been considered, with guests finding fresh milk and juice in old-school glass bottles, coffee from Barossa Coffee Roasters and filtered water and soft drinks in the complimentary minibar.
A stay also comes with a welcome drink at the pub, as well as a tasting at Wines by KT, whose cellar door sits directly across the road.
Wines by KT is headed by Kerri Thompson, who is also chief winemaker at the Rising Sun’s sister property, Skillogalee, with guests able to access family-and-friends benefits at the Skillogalee cellar door during their stay.
The new accommodation is designed to encourage visitors to stay longer and use Auburn as a base for exploring the wider region, from cellar doors and restaurants to the Riesling Trail and surrounding Clare Valley towns.
“We want people to come down for dinner, sleep well, walk around this stunning little village and enjoy all it has to offer,” they said.
“The people here give it its character. If guests leave wanting to come back and bring someone with them, we’ve done the job.”
The Rising Sun Hotel
Where: 19 Main North Road, Auburn
To find out more, click here.
