http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/hid17729 TravelPost.com - Hotel reviews, information, and rates from thousands of websites http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/r320516 Lilianfels is often mentioned as one of the great resorts of the world. We had an excellent time here and were very impressed with the amenities and level of service, but didn't feel that it was the "one of a kind place" that others had indicated. The resort is pretty self contained, but surrounded by other properties and houses meaning it doesn't have much of a view of the actual blue mountains. That said, the service couldn't have been better - we were there on Christmas and had a stocking delivered to us and a great Christmas brunch complete with local customs. The hiking in the area was also excellent - the hanging gardens trail lived up to it's name, to say the least! http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/r320516 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/r647972 For many of the people in my orientation group, it was a bit of a shock going from the Swiss Grand in Bondi to the Blue Mountains YHA in Katoomba; I, however, felt right at home. I heard no end to the complaints from some of the girls in the group because they didn't have private bathrooms. I, on the other hand, thought this was an extremely nice hostel to stay in.Our group had our own little wing of the hostel, which included its own huge lounge room, with at least six or eight sofas in it, along with dinner tables and its own kitchen. I figure that this area is open to normal backpackers when there isn't a huge group staying that night. Our room was off of this large lounge room, in a hall with two or three other rooms and two bathrooms, one with a toilet and one with a toilet and a shower. The bathrooms were very clean (at least, before some of the idiots in our group got to them). The rooms were nice as well; our room had four bunk beds and plenty of extra room, since none of us had much luggage at all. There was also a pretty good view—mostly of fog, which started creeping in in the evening.The main hostel also had very good facilities—there was a huge kitchen area with lots of room to cook and plenty of nice tables with benches to sit at. There was a large Internet area as well. To use this, we had to pay for a certain amount of time at the front desk and then put the code on the computer. People that weren't staying in the YHA even came in to use the Internet, although I'm not sure if they were allowed to or not. There were also a few pay phones, although it was difficult to use phone cards here since the call to Sydney was long distance, and the toll-free numbers on the card ate up money very quickly.The hostel was nicely situated towards the end of one of the main streets in Katoomba, aptly named Katoomba Street. To get to anything in Katoomba itself, you really just had to walk out the front door, turn left, and walk up the hill. It is very close to bus routes and the train station, and since it is the main hostel in Katoomba, most of the major bus tours use this hostel as accommodation.The price of the hostel was included in our study abroad package, but I saw the rates and they were a reasonable $26 a night, including the YHA fee. This hostel was definitely a great value for money and I don't see why anyone would pay more to stay anywhere else (unless you want to stay somewhere historical, in which case The Carrington is your best bet). http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/r647972 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/r647973 All Review Photos Picture an English manor house and put it in the Blue Mountains, and you have Lilianfels. We planned our stay at Lilianfels as a break from a very hectic travel schedule. My perfect 3-day stay there was a highlight of my visit of Australia. We had comfort, luxury, kind and attentive service, very fine food, and a large and lovely room. The views from this hotel are outstanding, as many of the bedrooms look out over the Jamison Valley and over to the Three Sisters. The Blue Mountains are World Heritage-listed and give every impression that you are in a most wonderful place to visit. On arrival, you are greeted as a dear friend making a return visit. The hotel is not so large that you spend endless minutes trekking long hallways. My room was a five minute's walk from the dining room used for breakfast and lunch and also the wonderful lounge. My room, #203, all in rose and white, was perhaps a bit too frilly for my husband, but I certainly enjoyed it. The rooms vary in size and decor. We had a fine view of the valley, a generous seating area with a table and chairs for room service, a desk, and a fully stocked minibar. Of course, we also had a television! All the fittings and linens were high-quality. Everything was planned for your comfort and happiness. Even the overhead lights and thermostat had bedside controls. The large bathroom has a massive soaking tub and a walk-in shower with plenty of room to set up for a relaxed bathing experience. The provided soaps and shampoo were wonderful but not overly perfumed. There are many planned activities at this hotel, including guided walks through the rain forest at the bottom of the valley and wine-tastings. The entire health club, pool, and spa are luxury-class, as one would expect from a hotel that is one of the Orient Express group. We had several great meals at the hotel, which I will write up in a separate entry. Although the village of Katoomba is nearby, you could do very well by having all your meals in the hotel. A special pleasure for us were the evenings we spent in the lounge enjoying great Australians wines, including some of the best port wine in the world. The atmosphere of fires burning in the marble fireplaces, comfortable sofas, and kind, but not invasive service made us feel very much as if we were at home. We also had a light meal in the lounge one afternoon, as the views out over the valley from that location are outstanding. I truly love this hotel and plan to make a return visit soon. At about two hours out of Sydney, it is easy to get to by train, bus, or private car. I think it would be a great place for a honeymoon. For more info: www.lilianfels.com.au http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Lilianfels_Blue_Mountains/r647973