How The Duchess Does It

Everyone should have a Happy Place. A place where you can go and completely get away from it all, enjoy a quiet glass of something sparkly and indulge in a nice meal. Our such place is the Mercure Kooindah Waters Golf & Spa Resort on the NSW Central Coast, which is literally an Aboriginal word for Happy Place! 

Completely hidden and somewhat off the beaten track is a place that most Coasties don’t even know exists. This out-of-the-way site includes a beautiful hotel, an award winning golf course and a restaurant and cafe option that will suit even the pickiest of foodies.  

Perched high over the 9th Hole, Karinya’s Restaurant and Wine Bar is cosy during Winter with a large glass fireplace to keep you warm while you watch the rain fall on the large picture windows. Dimly lit, it is very romantic and with excellent service, Karinya’s is the perfect place to impress a first date. I should know! KAM is a smart man! Whilst their menu changes seasonally, I can highly recommend their steak dishes – they are always cooked to perfection! With dishes priced around $35-$40 each, this is love at first bite! The wine list too, changes quite regularly and they obviously have a great relationship with some top wine companies, so you won’t get bored with the offerings on the list. 

On the flip-side the more relaxed wine bar with a cafe style menu is great for a lazy Summer lunch and is no “poor cousin” to its fine dining counterpart. Lazing on the sunny verandah (watching poor golfers having the occasional tantrum over a terrible shot!), a large umbrella shades us as we sip champagne and wait for our meals. We can usually order enough food for the two of us to share for around $30 which is very reasonable considering the size of the dishes when they arrive, and bottles of bubbly are usually around $35 each – today we have chosen Taltarni T Series, Chardonnay Pinot Noir to pair with our lunch – a stonking drop! All in all, a small expense for the level of quality served here. 

Mercure Kooindah Waters is always a quiet place to relax in chic, contemporary style and is 100% our go-to place when life starts to overwhelm us. All the staff know us by name and always greet us with a smile and a warm welcome. When we decide to head to Kooindah, we don’t tell anyone where we are going, we turn off our mobile phones and do not allow devices at the table. We have had many a moment here just breathing and sitting in the silence, trying to regroup. This is our Happy Place and I guarantee you will find your “happy” here too. 

Mercure Kooindah Waters
40 Kooindah Blvd, Wyong
NSW 2259
(02) 4355 5777
http://www.mercurekooindahwaters.com.au/