A romantic and private destination was the perfect start to our honeymoon. See why this luxurious rainforest retreat blew us away!
Lying in bed surrounded by floor to ceiling windows with an unprecedented view of the lush and pristine rainforest is how I want to spend every day of my life.
There’s nothing like waking up on a cloud the size of a king bed, being greeted by the soft tweeting of birds as gentle morning light seeps through rainforest canopies opposite – the only distraction being the temptation of another spa as the luxurious bath glimmers in the corner of your eye.
The second we stepped out of the car at Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat in northern New South Wales, we knew we were somewhere special. The sugar-cane and green pasture-laden drive through the Tweed Valley, less than an hour from Queensland’s Gold Coast unearthed us to the surrounding National Parks and eventually Numinbah Nature Reserve, which engulfed our panoramic views in Lamington Lodge.
This was the start of our honeymoon and we knew we’d made the right choice.
Our jaws hit the floor upon entering ‘Lamington Lodge’, one of Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat’s Luxury Mountain View Lodges.
We entered to find a bottle of Moët Champagne, two engraved crystal champagne flutes to keep as a memento, a box of chocolates, along with candles and rose petals littered charmingly around the room (available with honeymoon & romantic extras packages).
We were blown away – but this was only the beginning!
A few seconds of stunned silence stilled the air as we slowly surveyed our spectacular new surroundings. An outdoor deck to the south-west included a solar-heated plunge pool, sun lounges, seated setting and barbeque facing an impeccably green backdrop of rainforest vegetation and canopy.
The linear floor plan boasted exquisite finishes and detailing of architectural merit including recycled French oak floorboards throughout, a double-sided fireplace separating the bedroom and lounge, a complete kitchen and dining area for two, along with skylights (with electronic blinds) above the dining table and bed for stargazing.
The skillion roof allows for high-level – and a seemingly endless – wall of windows which invites the rainforest right into the luxury of the lodge. The integration between nature and luxury is again emphasised by the waterfall shower and ceramic spa bath glistening in the reflections of the marble bathroom floor. One of the first things Courtney exclaimed after processing our accommodation was “I don’t want to leave this room!” I agreed with her!
You may think that all the glazing and open views to the rainforest would be at the cost of privacy – for a few minutes this was one of our thoughts, but it couldn’t be further from the truth! The privacy is impeccable and the lodges are oriented away from each other with no walking tracks in view!
Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat prides itself on privacy and as the retreat doesn’t accommodate kids or more than two people per lodge, it is the perfect place for a romantic getaway.
Whether you’re the adventurous type or if you prefer to stay in and relax, Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat has you covered.
There are a number of hikes just minutes from the cabins and lodges and 8km of trails in total on the 250 acre property – some of which lead to glow-worms or hammocks. There’s also an orchard nearby which doubles as a perfect picnic location, some bikes available if you’re an avid rider, and a games room which houses a pool table, table tennis table, a handy computer with internet and a massive range of DVD’s and Blue Ray movies at your disposal.
It was difficult to pry ourselves out of the comfort of our lodge, but we enjoyed the ‘Rainforest Walk’ trail one day and adventured to the glow-worms one night. It’s best to bring covered shoes as the tracks are a little uneven underfoot, but the good news is that insect repellent, hiking sticks and torches are available at the guest house for anyone to use.
The glow-worms are pretty tiny, but enjoyable nonetheless and it was fun to have a night-time walk in the pitch black rainforest!
On the Rainforest Walk, you’ll come across the hammocks – they sprawl over the creek while pockets of sunlight trickle through the branches above as leaves flutter to the stream that trickles below.
It’s a great end to the short hike and if you need to cool down, there’s a natural swimming hole between the two sets of hammocks.
On a romantic retreat or honeymoon, the last thing you want to think about is preparing dinner… With the chance to order chef-prepared meals, we didn’t have to!
The food was something else! We had gourmet hampers delivered to our fridge daily, and when we say gourmet, we mean it! These epicurean delights were full of delicious and impeccably fine quality food which reflected the overall luxury that Crystal Creek offers. The hampers were delivered between 2pm and 4pm which not only promised fresh food, but also meant that we got to enjoy our dinner whenever and however we wanted.
There were no set dining hours and no concerns over hot delivered dishes going cold. Our only worry was whether we’d be able to fit in that indulgent piece of cheesecake after dinner!
If you’d rather bring food and prepare your own meals, you’ll have everything at your disposal to do so. We chose to make our own lunches and breakfasts, and it’s couldn’t have been easier. The dinner hampers included tips but essentially just needed to be heated on the barbeque – too easy!
Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat is simply the perfect choice for a honeymoon stay or romantic getaway.
Between the synchronised chorus of cicada that rings at certain intervals through the forest, the luxury and comfort in the cosy lodges, the incredibly beautiful and unique surrounds and plethora of activities to enjoy and spaces to relax in, Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat simply was the highlight stay of our honeymoon. We will be back!
Thanks for reading our Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat review! More info:
Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat
Web: http://www.ccrr.com.au/
Phone: +61 (2) 6679 1591
Location:
201 Booka Road (formerly Brookers Road)
Upper Crystal Creek via Murwillumbah
New South Wales
AUSTRALIA
Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat Location
While our experience at Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat was complimentary, you can rest assured that our thoughts, opinions, and findings are our own as always. This place is truly awesome.
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