2 Best Hotels in Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, The Gold Country

Restrained and elegant, The Dudley provides a country house for explorations in this spa town. There are six rooms: the queen and king rooms in the main house and the more private spa studios, adjacent to the house, each with its own balcony. Each room has its own style: romantics the heritage kings feature four-poster beds and original two-meter claw-foot bathtubs, reflecting the style that prevailed when the guesthouse opened in 1908, when people traveled to the town specifically to "take the waters." Original artworks and sculptures line the walls and gardens and open fireplaces make it a cosy country retreat, even in winter.

Featuring one of Australia's best restaurants, this rambling lakeside hotel adds a distinct glamour to spa country. Set in 6 acres of gardens, guest rooms are spread between the original homestead, plush waterfront rooms and suites, all of which have balconies, and the fully inclusive and luxurious two-villa retreat. The restaurant's seasonal menu ($$$), which promotes the region's bountiful produce, lists such delicacies as butter poached pheasant with chestnuts or spring lamb with asparagus and morels, while the bounty of nearby orchards feature in its desserts and preserves. Much of the produce and baked items come from their own Dairy Flat Farm and bakehouse, 10 minutes away, which is open to guests staying in the farm's Lodge, while Lake House guests can take a private tour. The restaurant also serves four-course a-la-carte lunches and dinners (A$175 per person). Choose the elegant dining room or the deck overlooking the beautiful lake.

A day spa administers some treatments specifically for men and expectant mothers, as well as those for couples, along with the more-traditional pampering. A soak in one of the hot tubs housed in its own little cedar "tree house" with views across the lagoon is a heavenly treat not to be missed, as is its lakeside pool.