Daisy Hill Lodge (#2) calls Bonnie Doon home. It's right on the doorstep of the Victorian high country, surrounded by hikes, fishing spots, wineries, Mansfield’s shops, 4WD tracks and mountain tops.

Now, back to Daisy Hill - the ultimate holiday playground. The indoor games room is epic: pool table, darts, piano, disco lights, dancefloor, board games, puzzles, books, magazines, a cosy woodfire, giant TV, bluetooth speakers and a massive chess-tiled floor with pieces you can actually move... checkmate! We spent ages exploring it all and kept wishing we’d dragged 10 friends along. The neon-lit bar is perfect for birthdays, wedding crews, or just a full-on (responsible and respectable) holiday blowout. Outside, there’s an undercover BBQ, cosy seating, a big table ready for summer salads and cheese boards, a fire pit, and lush green grass for badminton, cricket, or lawn bowls (gear provided) - making it easy for everyone to hang, laugh, and compete a little. Did I mention air hockey and a retro tabletop arcade machine?

We took it slow (remember, we forgot to bring our friends and family!), slow mornings flooded with sunlight, afternoons wandering the grounds, climbing the hill for sunset views, and saying hello to the friendly alpacas and chickens who live on the acreage. Evenings? Fire blazing, a game or two of pool, good vibes, and yes, we whispered: “How’s the serenity?”

The lodge has a nostalgic, carefree charm. Everything about it makes you want to gather your people, share meals, fire up the BBQ, and soak up seriously good times.