A Romantic Weekend in the Hunter Valley

Looking for a romantic weekend away? Try the voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley by IHG Hotel's Beneath the Roses package with private floral dome dining, garden walks and a luxe room overlooking the Brokenback Ranges. Find out what else there is to do in the Hunter Valley on a weekend.

It's a warm summer weekend when Mr NQN and I arrive at the voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley by IHG Hotel in Pokolbin in NSW's Hunter Valley. We pull up near the fountain and check in at reception.

We are here to try out their new romantic couples "Beneath the Roses" package. The package includes a night's accommodation for two people, breakfast for two at Locavore Restaurant, a "Touch of Roses" treats set and the choice of either a high tea or a romantic three-course dinner enjoyed in the floral dome all by yourselves. The cost for this starts at $495 and is available 7 days a week. Other guests also have the option to upgrade to receive the "Touch of Roses" set for an additional $59.

Our room #58 is in the Max Drayton Wing of the hotel and is a gorgeous, refurbished room with a balcony that overlooks the Brokenback Ranges. The bed is comfortable and there's a tv opposite it and a desk with chair. There isn't a lounge chair or somewhere to sit but you can sit outside on the balcony and watch the view from there.

There is complimentary refillable water bottle and milk in the fridge as well as a coffee machine and tea making supplies. Plus of course the treats set with a bottle of First Creek sparkling Brut Cuvee, a small bottle of pink blush Peterson House wine, a jar of rose salt and a gorgeous smelling locally made soap. There's also a platter of strawberries, blueberries and macarons with shredded coconut and chocolate too.

The bathroom looks to be more original with a separate bath and shower and beautifully scented Antipodes products. There is shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion provided but you will need to bring anything else. There are also plenty of large, soft towels and slippers provided but robes need to be requested.

The hotel is set on a 70 acre property and has several small gardens (manor garden, secret garden and vegetable garden) to wander around as well as a pool, basketball court and gym. There are also stables, tennis courts and walking trails for guests. The main building houses the conservatory and is where the hotel's main restaurant Locavore and Epoche bar sit.

It is very hot out so Mr NQN curls up on the bed to take a nap while I find the gym. Later that evening we head out for dinner to Jimmy Joan's about 15 minutes drive away in Rothbury. There are two sections here: a bar and a restaurant with separate menus. The bar menu has snacky items like Scotch eggs and dips as well as fish tacos and banh mis. We are dining at the restaurant tonight where there is a 2 course minimum.

We start with delicious Wallis Lake oysters and a starter that they've had since the restaurant opened, the scallops in a half shell. The garlic and herb butter is delicious with the scallops - it's so good we just drink the rest of the butter out of the shell.

We pair these with a glass of Brokenwood semillon and a custom mocktail made for me that tastes like a tangy, sherbetty strawberries which is perfect. Service is really lovely and helpful and our waitress goes out of her way to make both menu and local recommendations.

For our two courses we decide to share an entree and dessert and have a main each. And my only regret is that the tuna is so good we may even not wanted to share it. The seared tuna is seasoned with soy and sesame with shiso and cucumber and a little creamy mayonnaise and a rice crisp on top. My only advice is to get one for yourself, it's that delicious.

The bouillabaisse is gutsy and rich with diamond clams, blue swimmer crab, scallops, samphire and a fillet of perfectly cooked Mulloway in the centre. On top are hand cooked potato chips in place of the traditional bread and rouille.

The beef eye fillet is two perfectly cooked eye fillet steaks paired with broccolini, parsnip puree, jus and a sweet and tangy black garlic puree.

Make sure to get the smashed potatoes that are creamy and tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside. These go well with both the bouillabaisse and the steak.

The frozen honey parfait on a base of dacquoise sponge has shaved macadamia that gives the creamy, sweet ice cream a nutty touch as well as a touch of lemon thyme.

The strawberry granita has a sorbet texture and tastes of sweet, fresh strawberries on a base of creme patisserie custard with slender batons of meringue. It's the perfect fruity counterpoint to the creamy honey parfait.

After a sleep in and completely missing breakfast the first night, we head to the floral dome at noon. The dome is part of the main homestead decorated in the style of roses and greenery for our afternoon tea. Normally afternoon tea is available from Wednesday to Sunday but if you are on the Beneath the Roses package you can have it any day of your stay. There is only room for one couple in the dome so it is a private experience so you do need to pre-book this if you want a particular time.

The afternoon tea starts with glasses of Dalz Otto Prosecco followed by a choice of tea or coffee. Then the tiers of food come out with a stand. There are three sandwiches: a turkey, brie and cranberry finger sandwich, an egg salad sandwich and a smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese brioche bun.

What we also love is the extra plate of warm savoury items like the beef sausage roll, a mini Quiche Lorraine and a spinach and cheese turnover. On the middle tier are two fluffy, warm scones with whipped chantilly cream and strawberry jam. And on the top there are macarons, strawberries, a vanilla buttercream cupcake and a raspberry opera square but we are too full to finish these so we pack these up to try later in our room.

We spend the rest of the afternoon at Usher Tinkler, a winery just 5 minutes away with a cellar door that looks out towards the Brokenback Ranges. This was a recommendation by our lovely waitress from Jimmy Joan's the night before. This small winery is known for their Death by Semillon wine as well as a buttery smooth reserve Chardonnay that changes every year. They are also known for their cheese and salumi platters which many say are the best in the Hunter Valley. These platters can only be ordered as part of a wine tasting and start at $50 for 1-2 people up to $180 for 6-8 people. The wine tasting is $20 per person but free if you buy wine and the last order for cheese platters is 3pm.

We order the truffle salami and Comte and add on the spicy Pamploma salami. It comes with crackers, bread, quince paste, pickled cauliflower and cucumber and olives. It's a fantastic platter and with the additional salami more than enough for two people. The lovely staff take us through tasting 8 wines from the Death by Semillon which really comes into its own with spicy food like the Pamploma salami to their Rosé.

Their advice for rose wine? It is best to pay between $15-$35 for a Rosé as they explain there is nothing they can really do to a rose to make paying a higher price justifiable. And look for a local Rosé as it is best drunk within 3-4 years; after that it turns savoury and loses its brightness and freshness. And if in doubt, look for the Wine of Australia label that ensures that the rose is not adulterated with additives and colours. We spend a couple of very relaxing hours here before buying a bottle of the Reserve Chardonnay and heading back to our hotel for a walk around the grounds.

We say hello to the resident pigs, turkeys and chickens at the stables and wander around the rose garden. On a Monday night there isn't a lot open in the Hunter Valley as most places close at night (even nearby Iron Gate Kitchen) although the hotel's Epoche bar is open 7 days a week from 10am-10pm and has a range of pizzas, burgers, salads and desserts. But we are still full from the platter so we stay in and relax in our room.

The next morning after a fantastic night's sleep we rise just in time for breakfast and manage to make it 15 minutes before breakfast closes at 10am. And even though it is about to finish they make sure that a lot of selection is still topped up. There are pre-made eggs benedicts, hash browns, bacon, sausage and scrambled eggs. A bread machine toasts a range of breads from brioche to sourdoughs and there is also an abundance of fresh fruit as well. Barista coffee is extra but there is a coffee machine that makes a decent coffee.

I get a bit of everything for us -the baby croissants are crisp and buttery while the hash browns are well seasoned and crunchy crisp. At 11am we check out refreshed and well rested, ready for our drive home.

So tell me Dear Reader, would you have chosen the afternoon tea or dinner in the dome?

NQN and Mr NQN were guests of the voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley by IHG Hotel but all opinions remain her own. The meals at Jimmy Joan's and Usher Tinkler were independently paid for.

voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley by IHG Hotels

336 Oakey Creek Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320

Phone: (02) 4998 7680

www.ihg.com/voco/hotels/gb/en/pokolbin/ceshv/hoteldetail?