Thorn Park Luxury Boutique Small Hotel Clare Valley

Thorn Park by the vines is located on the edge of Seven Hill in the Clare Valley in South Australia, approximately two hours drive from the city of Adelaide. David Hay and Michael Speers have delivered another magnificent dining and boutique, small–hotel accommodation experience and of an equally high quality. An exquisite private location, with bush and vineyard views looking out over their dam, Thorn Park by the Vines has an ‘Australianness’ about it that will make their luxury accommodation and superb regional dining the destination of choice by international and national travellers alike.

A slightly less formal dining experience, the galley kitchen is open to the dining room, making the theatre of the kitchen dramatically close. The downside of the experience remains hidden in the scullery. As Gertrude Stein recommended, this element of the dining experience ‘should not be seen’.

Each suite has its own view and private area. Quiet spaces and the extensive library remain very important elements of the accommodation experience. New furnishings, beautiful fabrics and the expected extravagances sit comfortably amongst a few favorite pieces.

With two luxurious double rooms, both with ASDL connection, Thorn Park by the Vines sleeps four people, and rooms can be booked singly or as a group the

Yellow room

The yellow room is a lovely blend of pale yellow, cream and deep indigo blue. Pale yellow walls and the blue drapes picked with yellow give this lovely light room a Chinoiserie feel. Antique botanical prints and Royal Doulton plates add to that feel without taking away a sense of space. A superb, early Australian mahogany wardrobe and cedar desk and large comfortable arm chair add touches of both luxury and practicality.
The room’s large windows over look over a beautiful bush land setting and there are comfortable antique cane chairs in the shaded terrace in front of the windows.

facilities include

• queen sized bed
• reverse cycle air conditioning
• ceiling fan
• convection heating
• large spacious en–suite
• walk in shower
• large vanity
• under floor heating for winter comfort
• heated towel rails

The yellow room is also suitable for guests with special mobility requirements

the White Room

The larger of the two guest rooms, the white room has vistas over both the dam and mature eucalypts. The walls are a soft white and the furnishings include a contemporary, gray, white and black floral pattern and sheer muslin drapes.
The white room is furnished with beautiful antiques that include a rare Australian Huon Pine wardrobe and Michael’s Grandmother’s mahogany chaise lounge, which has been recovered in a rich warm gray textured fabric. It provides a perfect spot to lay back and relax with a good book.
Art works include an early Jacquie Hick painting and several Botanical studies. A beautiful rug collected on our recent trip to Turkey, adds an exotic finishing touch.

facilities include

• king sized bed that can be twinned
• reverse cycle air conditioning
• ceiling fan
• convection heating
• large spacious en–suite (also with a view)
• walk in shower
• large vanity and under floor heating for winter comfort

David Hay

Although David Hay might be better known as one of Australia’s finest cooks, he started his career as an interior designer and still continues to do occasional assignments, time and interest permitting. This of course is an explanation of the style and elegance of the Thorn Park properties, and it is his ability to pitch style, elegance and comfort in unique and original ways that makes Thorn Park properties so highly sought after.

A self–taught cook David’s love of fresh regional produce has deeply influenced his cooking style, but it is the learning experience of travel that has continuously enriched and embellished the offerings from his kitchen and his cooking classes.

Many great chefs/cooks struggle to communicate their knowledge to other cooks, but David’s classes are as much fun as they are educational. A common sense approach to cooking, combined with extensive dining experience both in Australia and overseas has provided a broad scope of cuisines to choose from and his personal inquisitiveness and skill has seen him master many cuisines.

Michael Speers

A former senior arts master, Michael is a talented artist and accomplished and patient teacher and his discerning eye has carefully selected the best artworks for their properties over many years.

Michael’s reputation for front–of–house service is legendary. Michael welcomes you on arrival, attends to every detail, from pre dinner drinks to last drinks and the coffee in the morning, to assisting with your day’s plans with well–informed recommendations. Such personalised attention to detail is rare. Never intrusive, always perfectly pitched, Michael’s attention is intuitive; he gauges perfectly, just how much (or how little) their guests require.

Michael has a beautiful baritone voice and enjoys performing publicly when the opportunity arises.