escape to luxury

'Tis the season to be jolly! But if you've been tasked with hosting this year's Christmas celebrations, you might be feeling daunted by creating the perfect festive menu for your loved ones. We've asked celebrity chef, Stefano Manfredi from Manfredi at Bells to create a dream Christmas dinner for alluxia. In part one we shared the recipe for entree of roast tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella and basil pesto and here we bring you an alternative from old-school turkey or ham and bring you new-school roast duck with aged balsamic for a very cool yule!

At alluxia, we bring you the very best from each region, researching the hidden gems and seeking hard to find accommodation to make your next holiday truly memorable.  The best experiences are those spent with your loved ones – good times with family & friends and simply spending some quality time together. So ditch the generic hotels & overcrowded resorts and spend time living like a local in one of these beautiful beach houses.

To save you time, we’ve gathered alluxia’s Top 10 Beach Houses:

Are you still struggling to find a Christmas gift for the discerning beach goer or sun-lover in your life? We asked interior decorator, Belinda Smith for her top 5 Christmas gift ideas from the beautiful coastal inspired collections of White Coconut.

Still on the lookout for somewhere to soak up some summer sunshine? Get ready to slip into your sarong, slap on the 30+: here’s our shortlist of 10 boutique hotels or unique escapes that still have room for last-minute sun seekers…

THE LOOK

When you arrive at Thala Beach Lodge you’re greeted with a fruity concoction in a tall glass, decorated with a pineapple wedge, as your luggage is whisked away allowing you to take a moment after travelling to breath deep and relax - you’ve arrived at your destination so let the holiday begin!  Thala Beach Lodge is set on 60 hectares, with bungalows scattered along the landscape, leading to the main reception where ceiling fans languidly swirl at Osprey restaurant. It’s timeless and reminiscent of Dirty Dancing & I love it.

We asked Lisa Maclaren, Resort Manager at Smiths Beach Resort to share his insider tips on what she loves about Margaret River!