As my partner and I turn into the driveway of Kalinya Luxury Estate on a drizzly Friday evening, the horrendous Sydney traffic we battled to get here is instantly forgotten. On a good day, it’s only an hour to Bargo in the stunning New South Wales Southern Highlands.

We’re greeted by the smiling faces of owners Chris and Mandy Barnes and Manager Bec Micari, who wave us in. After Chris checks us in, we drop off our bags at the Lodge, which is our home for the weekend, and park the car around the back of the property.

The Lodge’s massive outdoor bench table and seats are perched on the large covered deck, which proves to be a handy spot for our wet jackets and shoes. It houses five king bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, plus a communal lounge area containing plush sofas, a fireplace, full kitchen and extra-long dining table.

The thoughtful decor adds to the coziness and character of the Lodge, with a wall of VHS tapes on one side and travel guides on the other. The rooms all have stunning art deco and art nouveau touches, highlighting the building’s historic roots.

A hearty feast

Umbrellas in hand, we join the rest of our group at the Carriage House for a wine tasting. It’s the perfect way to unwind and prepare for a weekend of pure relaxation – and an incredible dinner, if the delicious canapes are anything to go by.

The session is hosted by Jeff Aston of Tractorless Vineyards, who serves us a variety of his most popular vintages. The winemaker’s enthusiasm for the biodynamic principles behind his cool climate wines is infectious, and in short order, he’s sold out everything he’s brought with him.

We move to the formal dining table where chef Brad Wolff from Peppertree Catering serves an impressive feast featuring locally sourced ingredients. Sharing plates are heaped with Moroccan-spiced chicken and tender lamb shoulder alongside large bowls of paneer curry, steamed rice, purple mashed potato and coleslaw, topped off with soft homemade bread rolls and cultured butter.

We sample it all, grateful we didn’t overindulge on the canapes. It’s an unforgettable meal and even now, I can’t stop thinking about those bread rolls. Suitably sated, we make our way back to the Lodge and call it a night.

Good night’s sleep

Our heavenly king-size bed is the centerpiece of our spacious room, complemented by a comfy armchair and throw pillows. Both of us wake feeling refreshed and reluctantly emerge from our cloud-like cocoon to start the day. With nothing but birdsong to be heard, it’s little wonder that we were tempted to sleep in.

We’re grateful for the added luxury of our cavernous accessible bathroom’s double sinks, which allow us to get ready at the same time, a blessing given our (somehow) rumbling bellies. As we pull back the curtains, we’re delighted to find the sun shining in a clear blue sky.

We head over to the Homestead for breakfast – the stunning colonial mansion with its colossal wrap-around porch forms the heart of the estate. We find the enormous gourmet kitchen set up with a generous spread of mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes and sausages prepared by Brad. There’s also a do-it-yourself egg station and toast, plus fruit salad and yogurt.

Loading up our plates with a little bit of everything, we sit back and savor every morsel.

Something for everyone

There’s nothing on the itinerary for today except mealtimes, so we’re free to explore at our leisure. We join Mandy on an exploration of the sprawling two-hectare grounds, during which she reveals that in the language of the local Dharawal people, Kalinya means good, beautiful and honest.

With eight bedrooms spread across three floors, the Homestead can accommodate 16 guests, plus the ground floor has two massive living areas in which to relax with a book in front of a fire – sadly, there are no pianists among our group, so the grand piano remains silent.

Emerging onto the deck, we round the corner and discover the hot tub and nearby wood-fire pizza oven. A soak sounds like a great idea for this afternoon, and we’ll put the oven through its paces later when we make our own pizzas for dinner tonight.

We stroll through the garden, past the oversized outdoor chessboard, and marvel at the gorgeous gazebo overlooking the serene pond, which backs onto natural bushland. We pause to greet the resident chickens, ducks and geese who are splashing about in the shallows, and share a chuckle as Mandy points out their quarters: the Chick Inn and Duckingham Palace.

Continuing up the driveway to the Barn, we admire the full-size tennis court and pavilion as well as the 16-meter pool and pool house. Beyond the main parking lot are the stables and a soccer arena, but none of us are in the mood for a muddy trek.

Playful spaces

Adjacent to the Barn are the two Orchard Rooms with a king bed each, which provide a quieter respite for those needing additional privacy. Inside the Barn itself are three king bedrooms and a triple-bunk room, bringing Kalinya’s total accommodation capacity to 38 guests.

We end our tour here, as we’re all keen to try out the facilities. ‘Barn’ is a bit of a misnomer given it has all the mod cons, housing the games center, with a squash/racquetball court, gym, Finnish sauna, pool table, table tennis, foosball, air hockey, dart board, arcade games and a golf simulator.

Upstairs is where we find the Terrace with its conference facilities, including audiovisual connectivity, high-speed wi-fi and large group seating areas, both indoors and outdoors.

At the opposite end of the Barn is a piano and sports lounge with a large outdoor deck as well as a tiered cinema. Our group will try it out tonight – while it’s ideal for presentations in a corporate setting, for us it will be movie night. The hardest part will no doubt be agreeing on a title from the extensive DVD library. Plus there’s a pickleball/basketball court out the back.

Feeling like little kids, my partner and I decide to battle it out in the games center. He wins the title of air hockey champion but I take out the crown in billiards. It seems we’re equally bad at darts, so we move on to Pac-Man, Frogger and Space Invaders.

Before we know it, it’s time for lunch at the Terrace. Tasty Vietnamese chicken noodle salad and Thai beef salad are on the menu, with Brad’s incredible homemade bread rolls on the side with sundried tomato butter (we ask, but Bec politely turns down our requests for the recipe).

Our group goes its separate ways once more, my partner and I choosing to head downstairs with a few others to try out the golf simulator Chris has set up for us. This proves to be a ridiculous amount of fun, given that most of us are shockingly terrible.

We then take advantage of the sunny weather with a walk around the peaceful neighborhood. After hanging out with Kalinya’s friendly avian residents by the pond for a while, we head up to the Barn’s sports lounge to watch the sun set.

Cozy gatherings

We all converge on the fire pit by the brick pizza oven for dinner. Mandy and Bec expertly show us how to make a wood-fired pizza, from shaping the dough to using the paddle to place and rotate it in the oven. It’s not as easy as it looks!

We have an assortment of meat, cheese and vegetable toppings to choose from – yes, even pineapple – and each of us has a turn at creating a masterpiece. Let’s just say that they all tasted good, which is all that really matters.

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Happily fed, it’s time for film selection. After much deliberation, the general consensus is a classic: Pulp Fiction. My partner hurries to the Barn to score a prime seat in the cinema but I’m tired so I opt for a book in a comfy lounge in the Lodge. Some guests drift toward their rooms while others remain by the fire, drinks in hand.

Spent after a day of relaxing fun, we sink into our bed for the last time at midnight and fall into another restful slumber.

A fond farewell

We reluctantly pack for our departure on a beautiful Sunday morning, although we have one last hearty breakfast at the Homestead to prepare us for the journey home. Brad has impressed once again with two heaving platters of Spanish-style omelettes – basil and bell peppers, and bacon and egg – along with toast and fresh sliced fruit.

We thank our wonderful hosts for a truly memorable experience on our way out and they are genuinely happy that we’ve all had such a great time.

It’s been an enjoyable weekend at Kalinya Luxury Estate, which highlights its unique offering – only one group at a time is hosted, so regardless of the size of your party, all of the property’s facilities are at your disposal. We appreciate being able to explore everything on offer, and changing up the location of our communal meals is the perfect way to showcase it all.

Given the attention to detail in the luxurious accommodations, along with the country charm and naturally beautiful setting, it’s easy to see why Kalinya is in such demand for weddings and special events like birthdays. The variety of activities available and well-appointed communal areas also make it popular for corporate groups wanting a retreat where work and play are easily combined.

For more information, visit kalinyaestate.com.au