Front of the house
Here’s a little known fact about me. When it comes to holidays, I go into crazy detail. Researching where we should stay, where we should eat, and where we should visit in GREAT detail. Seeing as this was our first trip to Margaret River, and also our longest holiday in a very long time, I spent MONTHS, yes MONTHS researching. Top of the list, where to stay.
We were visiting Margaret River, Western Australia with two girlfriends, so this time round it wasn’t just my criteria, I also had to fit in their needs into the requirements. Firstly, my requirements:
- Bang for buck. Very important. The place had to be value for money.
- Needs to have ample living space so that everyone had their own space, and no one was climbing on top of each other.
- A well equipped kitchen because I planned to use the local produce to whip up our dinners.
- All the creature comforts had to be there. Comfortable king size beds, spacious bathrooms, clean, sheets and towels provided, good view.
- Central location so that it is easy to hit the vineyards, close to town to pump gas for the car or a quick nip into the supermarket, and tourist attractions like the caves.
- Gas bbq. Gotta say the cliché line “lets throw some shrimp on the bar b!”
The ladies travelling with us also had their own requirements!
- Each wanted their own bedroom, preferably also with a king size bed.
- A bathroom each would be preferable.
- Washing machine and dryer so that they could pack light and bring home more wines
Margaret River is a pretty big area with quite a few different towns within it. After much research, I decided on Yallingup town because it is close enough to the closest supermarket and gas station, and it was close to a number of vineyards.
The back of the house
Then came the hard work of finding the right accommodation in Yallingup. For this, I did up a spreadsheet. Finding a house for us with three bathrooms was NOT easy. Finally it came down to three homes in the affordable price range with all the above requirements. So why did we pick The Hamptons? Prompt response from the owners when we got in touch with them, the house was the most tasteful of the three, it had good reviews on stayz.com, and it was within our budget.
Before actually booking the place, I actually dropped the owners a note with some questions. Some basic ones like confirming linens and towels will be provided, to nitty picky stuff like will they have roasting trays, bbq tongs, coffee, tea, sugar, specific pots and pans, available in the house. With satisfactory reply to all my questions, it was a done deal. This was the place for us.
Entrance to the house
Entrance looking out
The local residents just hanging out on the property
Dining area leading to the master bedroom
Playhouse for kids in the backyard
We drove straight to The Hamptons from Perth airport. The fatigue faded away the moment we saw the home. Breathtaking. Huge and exactly what it looked like in the picture on stayz.com. Beautifully set up home. The master bedroom is at one end of the house, which gave total privacy, the rest of the bedrooms were on the opposite end. There is also a standalone unit linked by a little bridge for anyone needing complete privacy.
Masterbedroom, you can see the day bed at the left hand corner of the picture
Our private balcony connected to the Master Bedroom (you can see the kid’s playhouse in the backyard)
C and I were lucky. The ladies gave us the master bedroom…not complaining. King size bed, ensuite bathroom, and a private balcony! Great place to kick back and enjoy the twinkling stars in the evening with a glass of wine.
The ladies used the room on the opposite end of the house. No one ended up using the studio because the house was big enough that it was not needed. The ladies decided that they would share the bathroom at the end of the house. (the third bathroom is in the studio)
The kitchen is very well equipped. Miele appliances (five burner hob, oven), it had a dishwasher, microwave and BIG BIG fridge to store produce and beers! When I was doing my research, I could not find any details on what equipment the house would come with. Off the top of my head, here’s what I remember so that it helps others. More than enough pots to prepare pasta/soups etc, wok, two different sizes frying pan, a stick blender, a cake mixer, roasting trays, cake tins, loaf tins, kettle, toaster, sandwich maker, ladles, and a TAGINE! Yes that threw me for a loop. Wish I had time to actually use the tagine. One small minus point…the knives are very blunt. Though they had a stick sharpener, I just couldn’t get the knives sharp enough. Overall, good quality equipment is provided. Very satisfied and happy. Scrap that…delighted!
Lovely fire going every evening
The house came with a fireplace accessible from the living and the dining side of the house. Never seen one of these…love it! The evenings were quite cool, and that gave us an excuse to light a fire. We stayed nice and toasty.
View from the elevated deck
View at dusk from the deck
There’s a huge elevated deck linked to the house with a nice long table. It was too cold to enjoy our meals outside in the evening, but it was the spot to be in the morning, sipping our gourmet coffee (from the expresso machine provided) and munching on Yallingup Wood Fire Bread (which is just a mere five minutes drive away). It was also the place to be after visiting vineyards for the day. Sitting outside, sipping wine, enjoying the sunset, with the aroma of yummy meats sizzling on the bbq. Oh! Have I mentioned that the local kangaroos are there to greet you every evening as you turn into the driveway after a day of wine tasting? Yes!
The beds were ridiculously comfy. Not too hard but not too soft. (I am picky because I have two slipped disc) Everyone woke up refreshed and ready to go every morning. Silky smooth white sheets, comfortable and warm doonas/blankets, fluffy towels. Two thumbs up.
The Master Bathroom
The bathrooms were spacious, ample water supply, and we never ran out of hot water.
We spent seven nights at The Hamptons, and we were all sad to leave. It is truly a home away from home. I wish I lived there permanently! Happy just pack my tooth brush and move in. Nothing I would change about the place. We look forward to returning first half of 2015!
Additional info:
After full payment is made, the owners emailed us a word document which was very detailed. From how to get to the house from the airport, to where to find things around the house, how appliances work etc.
To welcome us, there was a nice bottle of wine waiting for us. Great touch!
This place is great not just for couples, even extended families with kids. The place has 9 beds in total. Definitely enough space for all. It also has a kiddie playhouse and trampoline in the backyard for kids!
Three televisions in the place. The tv in the living room has cable, but not once did we turn on the tv.
The house sits on about 4 acres, and there is a creek somewhere on the property. We tried looking for it…no luck
I found rosemary, Tahitian limes growing near the driveway. Was very tempted to pluck some to help with dinner. I think real soon, the grapefruit plant/tree will also start to fruit!
Don’t skip Yallingup Wood Fire Bakery which is really close by. Best bread ever! Loved their white bread and their fruit and nut bread. (review to come)
Also close by is Bush Shack Brewery. They make a great alcoholic cream soda called Creamin Sceamin. Try it! Not far from Yallingup Wood Fire Bakery. (Review to come)
About 10 minutes drive from the house, there is a great restaurant called Little Fish. You must check it out. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My tip, go there during the day, great view. Nevertheless, excellent food. Loved the blackened fish. Portions are huge. (Review to come)
Travelers heading to Margaret River from the airport, make sure you do a pitstop at Bunbury Farmer’s Market to stock up on produce. Great tip from the owners of The Hamptons. Very reasonably priced, and huge selection. (review to come)
FREE WIFI!!! (really odd, one of the few homes I found which offered this)
Click here for full details of the house and cost to rent
Domestic Sanctuary 
