Rustic charm in amongst the vines

Peace in the vineyards

“We enjoyed our 3 night stay at the Honeysuckle Rise Cottage. It was easy to find and within easy reach of all Coonawarra district has to offer. With a well equipped kitchen, open fire, large tv screen, comfortable bed and views onto the vineyards it was difficult to leave the property. We visited some of the lovely local wineries and spent some time in Penola’s historical precinct. A perfect home away from home”

Such a relaxing and special place in the middle of the vineyards and miles away from the cares of the daily grind. We keep coming back to The Cottage regularly – we can’t get enough!

Beautiful surroundings & views; stunning cottage.

What more could you want? Perfect accommodation – idyllic in every way. I’ll be back, and will be telling everyone I know to check it out too. 110%

Elegance and tranquility.

Gorgeous, tranquil setting, cosy feel and fully appointed. Perfect getaway with lovely owners to boot. I’ll be recommending a visit to all and sundry!

“Beautiful stone cottage in the middle of a vineyard”

We visited Highbank Estate during Coonawarra’s Cellar Dwellers in June 2015. The location is the epitome of wine country – a beautiful stone cottage nestled within a vineyard with beautiful views from each window, We were met on arrival by our friendly host Dennis who provided a wine tasting of his excellent wines. The cottage was warm (thanks to Dennis for turning on the air conditioning before our arrival!), beautifully furnished, and well appointed. The breakfast provisions were also very generous and tasty. The cottage has a lovely indoor spa, surrounded by glass windows looking out into the cottage’s private garden. In warmer weather, there is also an outdoor garden setting and tree swing to enjoy. I would definitely recommend this property and would certainly stay here again. It ticks all of the boxes in terms of ambiance, location, price, and hospitality.

“Comfort, relax, perfect”

1st time to region and a perfect welcome, cute cottage easy access to town and wineries, well equipped and quality breakfast provisions, simply relaxing, minimum 2 nights a must, recommend a longer stay and use Highbank as a regional base.

The quintessential Coonawarra experience

This property is a rare gem! It was so tranquil and relaxing and we loved all the little extra touches such as the vases of flowers and tealight candles. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by Dennis who was very helpful showing us around the property. He was always prompt is responding to our queries and very passionate about his wines and the Coonawarra. Our children loved toasting marshmellows in the open fireplace and playing on the swing whilst my husband and I enjoyed being surrounded by the beauty of the vines. There is a BBQ and an outdoor table under the big trees which is the perfect setting for dining under the stars. It was such a shame to leave and we look forward to staying again in the future. Highbank is in the middle of a string of wineries so it really is the perfect base to immerse yourself in the terra rossa of the Coonawarra wine region!

“A beautiful cottage in a classic vineyard.”

We stayed at The Cottage for 2 nights. It was a fantastic base to explore the Coonewarra wine region by bike. The cottage is a classic sand stone building made from rock taken from the vineyard. The accommodation is set amongst the vines of the winery and is furnished in a classic country style.
Our hosts made us feel at home. Dennis gave us a personalised wine tasting of the Highbank label. It made our break away vey special. We very much enjoyed the provisions provided for breakfast and the facilities that were available.

“Romantic weekend at the cottage”

The cottage was very romantic, we spent our 10th anniversary there, enjoyed the spa and great local restaurants and wines. There are views from the cottage over the vines and huge beautiful gums, very clean and great breakfast, definitely recommend!

“Impressive Cottage with wonderful view”

We are from Hong Kong and start our trip from Adelaide to Melbourne. After Barossa, Mclaren and we spent 2 days in Coonawarra wine region. We stayed 2 nights in Highbank Cottage, which is wonderful experience, everything is so nice and location is good. At the heart of Coonawarra, 15 mins can drive to any winery nearby. Hollick is only 5 mins away. Dennis was a very nice host and shared a lot of knowledge and ideas about wine. If you look at my photo will understand how wonderful the place and the weather there. We will definitely come back again in the future. Full mark experience in the whole trip.

“The Ideal Vineyard Cottage”

This beautifully located cottage was everything we were hoping to find while celebrating a special occasion in the Coonawarra. The accommodation and surrounding gardens were immaculately presented. It was obvious that the owners took real pride in their investment. We stayed at Honeysuckle Rise for three nights and not once did we feel the need to dine away from these perfect surroundings. The kitchen was adequate, an open fire place that was a show piece in itself and some of the best wines in Australia. You will not be disappointed.

“Pure Bliss”

The Room With A View is so much more than the name suggests. The view itself is truly breathtaking: oversized windows frame the expanses of autumn-toned vines and roses. Looking out onto this made us feel as though we had the beautiful Coonawarra wine region to ourselves….

The ‘room’ was a generously proportioned space consisting of a large bedroom, a living room, a bathroom with spa and a gorgeous (& well stocked) kitchen with a little table overlooking the Highbank vineyard. We felt instantly at home which was surely a result of the comfortable, eclectic and thoughtful finishings of this ‘home away from home’.

Thank you so very much Dennis & Bonnie for your warm and generous hospitality – we loved the heady hand picked roses from Bonnie’s garden and the interesting conversation with Dennis over a glass of his superb 2009 ‘Coonawarra’. This was a wonderful experience and we will definitely be back!

“Excellent accommodation, great location”

Recently stayed 3 nights in The Cottage. We were very impressed by the wonderful relaxing location overlooking the vineyard. First day breakfast supplies are included, but there a couple of good nearby cafe options in Penola. The Cottage is spacious with good kitchen, large TV, huge bath and comfy beds. Dennis was a friendly approachable host who responded well to any requests we had during the booking process and we received a generous tasting of the premium Highbank Cabernet at check in – thanks again. Highly recommended.

“Wonderful Weekend Away!”

We had the absolute pleasure of staying at The Cottage this weekend! The gorgeous Cottage was so beautifully set up for a relaxing stay amongst the vines! It is very close to wineries, shops and galleries, and our hosts Bonnie and Dennis were so helpful and welcoming. The Cottage was warm, comfortable and the breakfast provisions were more than adequate and top quality! The open fire was a lovely place to sit in a comfy chair next to and read and chat! It felt very private tucked away in the vines, and the views from every window and door were just lovely. We will definitely be back one day!

Thankyou.

“Second honeymoon”

We found HSR cottage to be everything we wanted it to be. With space to relax, gorgeous views and a warm fire to enjoy the local reds, readily available from the many cellar door tasting venues, we could not have been happier. Surrounded by vines, the sounds of birds and picturesque gum trees just outside the window, it is the perfect place to base a romantic getaway. Or else, you can make day trips to local sights and events. We look forward to returning!

Charming

Stayed 2 nights mid July 2012 with relatively cold weather. The cottage situated in a very picturesque location ‘in the vines’ in the heart of Coonawarra was very comfortable and well appointed. We dined out for lunch (Hollicks) and prepared basic evening meals in the fully equipped kitchen and then enjoyed a glass of red in front of the open fire. Our hosts were very friendly and helpful. If you are a light sleeper you may hear minimal road noise but in reality it is quite unobtrusive. Perfect location to visit all the wineries and would also recommend Narracorte Caves. I would certainly stay here again.

“Perfect setting – best in Coonawarra!”

My husband and I booked two nights at “the Cottage” which was beautiful accommodation in the middle of a vineyard – sleeps up to 4 people. It is central to all wineries in the Coonawarrra and about a 2 minute drive to Penola. We love going away for weekends to luxury accommodation and this is one of the best – open wood fire, double spa bath overlooking garden, full kitchen set up for cooking, spacious floor plan. My highlights would have to be opening my eyes in the morning to see the autumn leaves on the vines outside the window plus the bench swing under the beautiful tree outside. My husband loved the wine from Highbank – the owner came over to allow us to
taste it as their cellar door is by appointment only. We bought a few bottles to take home with us… If you are travelling to the Coonawarra then this is the place to stay!

Everything we needed in a lovely setting. Loved the spa and the open fire.

gorgeous setting. Sunsets over the vineyards absolutely glorious!

Absolutely beautiful, had a fantastic stay. Was sorry to leave!

Lovely self contained cottage amongst the vines in the heart of the Coonawarra. 5 mins to Penola, walk to Leconfield winery. We loved the huge bathroom and Spa with glass wall to a private courtyard garden. The biggest bowl of eggs in the fridge have ever seen! Everything provided for a perfect weekend.