Who said staying close to home can’t be fun?! It’s all about the Moonstay this year, so if you’re swapping your honeymoon for a staycation (moonstay!), never fear, here are a few ways you can make your holiday more fun without going too far from home.
Header Image and Image of The Calile Hotel: Sean Fennessy
It used to be called Brisvegas, but a slew of hotel openings has changed things. There’s TheWestin for inner-city chic, W Brisbane for OTT adventures, the Emporium South Bank for serious Rockstar vibes, and The Calile Hotel – where it’s Palm Springs meets LA. If you don’t want to stay at a hotel, make a beeline for The Calile, and here’s how to spend your day – start off sitting side by side at The Lobby Bar, with fresh coffee and housemade crepes, before moving on to a couples massage at Kailo Medispa upstairs, swing back downstairs to peruse the well-dressed racks at Dion Lee, Dinosaur Designs and bassike, before easing into a late lunch or early dinner at Hellenika. The hotel’s restaurant sits right by the pool and serves up some of the best modern Greek around town.
Image of The Calile Hotel: Sean Fennessy
Image: Kailo Medispa
Looking to add a bit of culture to your moonstay? You can’t go past a stroll through the Art Gallery of NSW. The grand dame of Sydney’s art galleries has pride of place on the edge of the CBD, right at the entry to the Botanical Gardens. Walk past works by legendary Australian artists John Olsen and Brett Whiteley, if you’re lucky, catch one of the big name international exhibitions like Matisse: Life & Spirit, hitting our shores in November 2021. From there, amble down through the Botanical Gardens, with a drink or two at Opera Bar, before winding your way back around to the MetCentre where Radley’s Bar has been transformed into The Big Bake. Book in for a 90 minute boozy baking session where pastry chef Ridhi Rahman shows you how to whip up some seriously sweet treats while the bar keeps the cocktails coming.
Images of The Big Bake: Big Bash
Image: Punting on the Lake
The silver lining to come out of Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown period is the silver service of having Vue de monde’s kitchen prepare you dinner, at home. Vue to You was born out of adversity and now offers ‘at home kits’ – be brave and order the chocolate souffle kit, with the Lui Bar cocktail trio for dutch courage and you’ve got a pretty special evening on your hands. When the weather turns it on, head outside for a day in the Royal Botanic Gardens – and not just for a stroll. It’s time to go punting. That’s right, you can book in for a private punting tour around the Garden’s ornamental lake with Punting on the Lake. You’ll head out on a traditional wooden punt, with a punter to do the hard work for you, so all you need to do is sit back and relax.
Images: Vue de monde
Whether you want to bliss out at the spa, soak up some culture, or wine and dine, just because you have to stay home doesn’t mean you can’t have a moonstay to remember!
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