Palm Springs Meets Orange at The Oriana

The Oriana is an unexpected pop of colour in Orange. With a 1960's retro Palm Spring hotel vibe, this colourful hotel has everything you could want from plush rooms and suites to outdoor dining, pool, sauna, their peacock room restaurant and even a little art gallery. You'll never need to leave!

Espen Harbitz is the consummate host. Born into a hospitality family in Norway he found himself working in hospitality living in Hong Kong for 27 years before visiting Orange with his late partner Ted Marr whose siblings lived in Orange. They bought a farm house nearby in Cudal in 2014 and in February 2017 they bought The Oriana.

The Oriana is named after the P&O cruise ship that used to travel between Southampton, England and Sydney, Australia in the 1960's. The original hotel's owners brief in 1961 was to recreate an upmarket American Palm Spring motel. Even now so many decades later that is still apparent. There have been many owners since then but when Espen and Ted bought it 8 years ago "It was terribly run down," says Espen. Nevertheless the building had great bones. They hired designer Peter Reeve of CRD who also designed Lilianfels and the Hydro Majestic in the Blue Mountains.

Check in at The Oriana is easy and the glass of crisp sparkling local wine eases off any kinks and knots from the drive from Sydney. They give us a little bag with delicious choc chip cookies and flyers with all of the offerings from the new sauna to the breakfast menu. We are in one of the hotel's signature suites, set above the reception area with a view of the garden and pool. These are larger rooms that all have a travel theme to them. Ours is the African Two suite which is full of colour and personality.

There's a king bed with starched sheets and a spacious sitting area with colourful couches. Opposite the bed is a work desk and one lovely feature is the complimentary snacks for guests in signature rooms and suites. There are soft drinks chilling in the fridge to cookies, chips and herbal tea and coffee. Wifi is fast and free for unlimited devices and there is also free parking. There is a tv with Netflix where you can use their login and a pool and a new sauna for guests.

The bathroom has Mr. Smith and Acqua di Parma toiletries and its own separate heater for those chilly nights that can get down to 0°C/32°F in winter.

While the hotel is busy during summer, winter is also a draw with Christmas in July celebrations and a winter fire festival in August. The brand new sauna comes all the way from Estonia and guests are encouraged to use it.

Don a fluffy robe from the wardrobe and follow a stint in the wooden sauna with a cool plunge in the pool. On Fridays and Saturdays they light the fire pit by the pool and you can enjoy cocktails outside post sauna in your robe.

The Oriana's Peacock Room is one of Orange's most popular restaurants. When you enter the Peacock Room for dinner, say hello to the peacock who made its way all the way from Monte Carlo. The food at the Peacock room is unashamedly retro. There are no deconstructed dishes. Instead, you'll find vols-au-vent, twice baked soufflés and a steak menu with classic cocktails and local Orange wines.

Everyone starts their meal with the bread basket, an enormous bowl overflowing with fresh sourdough and focaccia served with artichoke pesto, sun dried tomato tapenade and scallion butter. The serving is so enormous so it's really ideal for 4 people to share. The white sourdough is particularly good.

The seafood chowder is pitch perfect with just the right amount of liquid to chunky vegetables and clams. There are potatoes, peas and corn in a creamy soup with grilled focaccia on the side.

The seafood vol au vent is a retro dream with large plump prawns, fish, calamari, octopus topped with salmon roe in a puff pastry square with top. The seafood is well cooked so that it is juicy and tender.

The mains are also very generously sized. The oxtail risotto is a must order especially for wintry nights. The oxtail is so meltingly soft and luscious and is served atop a creamy risotto and parmigiana espuma with sliced, grilled zucchini and fresh herbs. It’s utterly comforting and like the warmest hug.

The steak menu has quite a few choices and Espen recommends the picanha steak. Steaks automatically come with three sauces and a side which is much nicer than having to choose one sauce. It is perfectly cooked to medium rare and an absolutely delicious cut full of flavour. It is one of the best, classic steaks I've had in some time.

You can choose one potato side from baked potato, gratin potato, mashed potato and fat boy fries. We choose the gratin potato that comes out piping hot and perfectly cooked. Pair your steak with the creamed spinach too for the perfect steak main. You could also just get away with a main, side and a dessert here because they're so generously portioned.

Having said that, make sure to leave room for dessert and the dessert menu is designed by Espen's friend Sue Maitland. There are many choices on the dessert menu as well as chocolates, Turkish delight and a whole menu of cheese. The lemon soufflé is twice baked and covered in lemon curd and bruleed. It is light and the perfect level of sweetness and lemon.

If you’re too full for dessert, try the lemon drop cocktail which is a dessert in a cocktail form. I had almost forgotten how good a lemon drop cocktail is!

Head to their Bela Vista bar afterward dinner for a nightcap with a range of classic cocktails. The French martini is made with vodka, Chambord and pineapple while Mr NQN enjoy his margarita cocktail. And we haven't seen cocktail prices like this for quite a few years in Sydney.

Breakfast at The Oriana is worth waking up for and on weekends finishes at a very nice 11am (10am on weekdays). For $20 a person you get a large spread to choose from including a hot breakfast choice, coffee, wellness shots, juices and the Continental buffet selection with fruit, cereals, smoked salmon, ham, bread and English muffins.

Mr NQN opts for a freshly made waffle with berries and maple syrup that he devours. He also has some muesli with blueberries and pistachios.

As for me, as soon as I checked in and saw the breakfast menu provided at check-in I knew that the cheese soufflé was mine. This souffle is also on the dinner menu at the Peacock Room and is exactly the same. The twice baked cheese soufflé comes out puffy and risen with parmesan tuiles, blistered cherry tomatoes and fantastic grilled toast. It's a very large serve too and I enjoy this along with the slice of sourdough topped with smoked salmon, capers and cucumber. And suddenly all I want every day for breakfast is a cheese souffle!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you have a favourite decade for style? Do you like retro style hotels and food?

The Oriana Orange - Retro Hotel & Resort

178-184 Woodward St, Orange NSW 2800

Phone: (02) 6362 3066

https://www.orianaorange.com/