escape to luxury

Aside from being the capital of cool, Byron Bay is also home to some damn fine breakfasts.

Arriving at Melbourne Airport I’m advised by the rental car company that there are no cars available despite the fact that I’ve booked a car to be picked up exactly at this time.  I’d love it if someone could explain how hire car companies work, as a regular road trip traveller it continues to baffle me? Surely they are like hotels, you book a room/car and it’s allocated in the system – right? After an extended delay, eventually a car arrives, but the process takes an hour longer than I’d planned. The saving grace on a frustrating experience is the rental car attendant at the exit gate who asks where I’m going and then quickly presents me with a map hand marked with directions to the Mornington Peninsula. I keep quiet on the fact I’ve already punched in the destination on my GPS, as this old school gesture just makes me happy.

Sydney, you’ve done it again! Sydney Festival returns with a spectacular program of free and ticketed events spanning contemporary and classical music, theatre, dance and more for a sizzling summer of fun.

It’s less than 4 weeks before the world’s attention is on Brisbane for the G20 Leaders Summit. While there are some great events for locals to celebrate this important occasion including the G20 Global Café and G20 Cultural Celebration, Brisbanites are encouraged to exit the city on Friday 14 November to make way for the motorcades. While glimpsing an Obama motorcade might be cool, what’s cooler is a long weekend by the beach!

Melbourne is synonymous with fashion, so it’s only fitting that the next blockbuster to hit The National Gallery of Victoria is homage to a fashion icon; The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.

There’s nothing better than leaving the city behind and relaxing for a weekend getaway and indulging in top quality food & wine. You can go one better and have it all in one place and that’s where these gourmet getaways are a standout. Eat, stay and play without even leaving your luxury accommodation at these fine establishments, we’re you’ll be hard pressed to reach your Fitbit goals!

We’ve scoured the alluxia collection and gathered our Top 10 Gourmet Getaways: