Lilianfels Resort and Spa

We came here for high tea with some family friends and spent the mid afternoon having a beautiful high tea The scones - I must provide feedback. A high tea is not a high tea unless they have scones. And man they served scones. It wasn’t just any ordinary scone, it was outstanding. Crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. Best scones I’ve ever had. Only compliant from me was the size. The home made jam needed some more sugar and it would have been the best high tea experience. The sandwiches were good, the sandwiches were just a little dry The cakes were amazing and wasn’t overly sweet

The Location is lovely. Just perfect for walking to echo point, and the walks of Katoomba. However the decor is old and outdated, there’s no heating in the bathrooms (which I expect at $800 for a room with no view for a single night given how cold the floors and the toilet seat were at midday) and frankly the finishes are all looking very tired. That said, the bar was nice, the drinks and meals have been good. $18 per basic spirit was a bit steep. For the price and “luxury” tag, I would not recommend. But options are limited in the region. We strongly considered simply driving back to Sydney after checking in as the aesthetic and finish are not to the standard we would have expected…. But it was a long day and so decided to sit and enjoy too many cocktails in the bar instead before a drive home early tomorrow, listing to the triple j hottest 100. An Expensive non-sexy night away (the matching wallpaper, curtains and bed clothes as well as the poor heating are an immediate mood killer). Don’t expect we’ll be back. Photo of the decor for context. It’s a lot. And yes - we saw room photos online before coming up, but not all rooms are online.

I’ve stayed at Lilianfels many times over the years, but it’s starting to feel a bit dated. To justify the price per night, it needs to bring back that luxury feel it used to have. The buffet breakfast is decent but lacks variety, and the spa facilities could definitely use an upgrade. Also, for a hotel that promotes itself as pet-friendly, there’s really nowhere you can sit and enjoy a cup of afternoon tea with your small pet. Many pet friendly resorts have a designated indoor/outdoor area where guests can have a coffee and snack with their pets rather than taking turns with family members to have their meals. The location is a highlight and the gardens are well maintained, the indoor and outdoor pool are a highlight.