Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains Review

Lilianfels, the historic Grand Dame of the Blue Mountains has had a multi-million dollar refurbishment, rebrand and a new name. Come and see what the changes are at Ardour Lilianfels and why this has become a destination for dining and wellness.

They say that you should never play favourites but if I were sitting next to you, I would conspiratorially whisper that Lilianfels is my spiritual home in the Blue Mountains.

Not only is the location perfect for sightseeing at Echo Point but the food offerings are top notch and the spa is a must try. Many years ago when we first visited here with my family we found the service so welcoming and genteel that we still have fond memories of it.

Lilianfels was originally built in 1889 as the grand summer residence of Sir Frederick Darley. The estate was known for its late Victorian-early Federation architecture and immaculate English gardens.

But as all things must change with time, Lilianfels most recently underwent a name change and refurbishment after a change of ownership. Ardour Lilianfels reopened at the end of June 2026 after a $13M refurbishment. It is now part of Salter Brothers Hospitality which currently owns 19 luxury hotels in Australia.

The colour palette is blush pink in a variety of shades that gives the hotel a welcoming warmth. The rooms have been refurbished and one of the most significant changes was with the spa. Darley's Restaurant and Miss Lilian remain unchanged.

The Room

I've been lucky enough to stay in a few different rooms here. It was only a year ago that I came here for my birthday and we stayed with Teddy and Milo. The staff made it such a memorable birthday especially the manager Bryant who I am happy to see is still there.

This time our room 135 is in the main building and is a refurbished room with colourful patterned bespoke headboards, marble-topped joinery and mismatched lamps. There is a gorgeous view of Jamison Valley from the window with two sets of windows. Our room has a blue and coral colour scheme that whispers luxe - the new rooms have three different colour palettes.

The king bed is comfortable with an extra blanket if it gets too chilly (although the aircon keeps things toasty warm). As befitting a modern renovation, there are easy to reach plugs, USBs and USBC.

There's a large space for luggage, a tea station and coffee machine as well as a mini bar selection. The tv is large and faces the bed although we were too busy to even turn it on during our stay!

The bathroom has a separate bath and a shower as well as Ardour branded amenities and Grown toiletries. Soft oversized bath sheets, robes and slippers are also provided. In fact the first thing we do is change into our swimmers and slip on robes and slippers and head down to Eliva Spa.

Èliva Spa

One of the most significant renovations at Ardour Lilianfels was with the spa. Èliva Spa is designed in line with the InterContinental Coogee Beach where the brand first debuted.

Guests booked for massages can make a selection from the signature oil bar and choose between macadamia, apricot, avocado and grapeseed oils and then layer them with an accompanying scent (tip: the Blue Mountains blend is divine and smells fresh like a bushwalk). Afterwards they can relax in the lounge - I am told that in a few weeks' time this area will be outfitted with vibroacoustic lounges and LED masks for guests to enjoy.

One of the newest experiences at Èliva is the thermal experience where guests can use the magnesium pool, steam room and sauna for $45 for 45 minutes. I love magnesium baths as they cure all soreness and I happily relax in the bath while Mr NQN does the same in the men's area. In fact after 15 minutes in the magnesium pool I am feeling lulled to sleep and rest and float back into my room.

The Pools

There are two pools at Ardour Lilianfels: the indoor pool just near Èliva Spa and an outdoor pool. The latter is currently closed until October 31, 2026.

Dining

There are several restaurants on site at Ardour Lilianfels from Miss Lilian, a Chinese tea house, to the fine dining restaurant Darley's. Tonight we are having dinner at The Lounge. We've had plenty of lunches and afternoon teas here but it's nice to see what is on the menu at night with the new menu designed by newly appointed Executive Chef, Kam McManamey.

There is a range of food available from 12pm-9pm with everything from croquettes, salads, caviar, club sandwiches and steak. We start with the caviar service made with freshly fried purple potato crisps served with sour cream and 10 grams of Osetra caviar on ice. Mr NQN puts caviar in the soft hollow of his hand while I prefer it with sour cream on the crisps for the textural contrast.

The spanner crab brioche are dainty but delicious soft brioche rolls filled with Queensland spanner crab meat with a jicama remoulade and we eat these in small bites to prolong how good they are.

One of the most popular dishes is the lobster and seafood pie with a creamy leek soubise sauce and a dressed leaf salad on the side. We had opted to get some fresh truffle shaved on top and they generously shaved almost half a Kanimbla Valley truffle on top that perfumes the air around our table.

The fusette mini baguette is filled with paper thin slices of Tajima wagyu MB4+ and served with caramelised onion, comte and a dipping jus. These are really tasty especially when we add some truffle from the pie with them.

It was a toss up between fries or spiced carrots and we decide to go for the carrots because they sound more interesting. They are roasted orange and purple carrots served on a bed of whipped ricotta with a green goddess style topping that is made with onions and herbs and is very tasty indeed.

Breakfast

After a good night's sleep, we make our way down to breakfast which is held at the Orangery every morning from 7am-10am.

Barista made coffee is included and there's a range of hot food from pancakes, baked beans, mushrooms, bacon, sausages and scrambled egg, as well as cut fresh fruit, smoked salmon, ham and all the fixings to breads and pastries, yogurt, chia pudding and cereals.

I enjoy some smoked salmon with pickled onion on lightly toasted sourdough while Mr NQN enjoys the fresh fruit salad and toasted granola.

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever stayed at Lilianfels or Ardour Lilianfels? Do you have a hotel that feels like your spiritual home? And do you look for wellness offerings when you travel?

NQN and Mr NQN were guests of Ardour Lilianfels but all opinions remain her own.