Granite Belt Climate

Did you know that the Granite Belt has its own unique microclimate? Sitting at an altitude of more than 800m, the Granite Belt is unlike any other grape-growing region in Australia. If you consider that “less than 1% of Australian vineyards are located 600m above sea level,” it’s easy to understand how special this region is.

In fact, according to Halliday, the region is crowned as the only spot in Queensland to experience four differing seasons in one year.  In other words, the Granite Belt experiences everything from hot summer days to freezing winter nights, as well as spring frosts and heavy rainfall.

Wine Varieties Grown in Granite Belt

Halliday notes that Shiraz grapes were the first to be planted in the granite Belt in 1965. Since then, white and red varieties have been grown in almost equal amounts (roughly 45% white and 55% red). While Shiraz remains the region’s most distinctive variety, other prominent varieties include:

• Verdelho
• Semillon
• Chardonnay
• Cabernet sauvignon

Read more about the wine styles of the Granite Belt or come and visit Stanthorpe so you discover the incredible local wines for yourself!

Granite Belt: More Than Just Wine

In addition to wine, other goodies to sample during your visit to Stanthorpe and surrounding villages include locally made:

• Olive oil and vinegar
• Cheese
• Meat pies and cured meats
• Jams and preserves
• Cheese
• Chocolate

Read more about the Granite Belt Climate or if you are looking for accommodation in Stanthorpe, you can contact our reservations team or book online.

Upcoming Food & Wine Events

If you love your food and wine, then you will love these upcoming events near Stanthorpe.

50 years of Shiraz at Ballandean Estate

Join in the festivities at Ballandean Estate as 50 years of growing Shiraz is celebrated. The $40 entry fee includes a glass of sparkling wine on arrival as well as lunch in the Barrelroom Restaurant (including dessert and a glass of Shiraz).

Date: November 10
Time: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Cost: $40

Dinner Under the Stars @ Twisted Gum Wines

Don’t miss this unique food and wine dining experience at Twisted Gum Wines. Local chef Jason Costanzo will treat guests to a selection of delicious, locally sourced dishes, accompanied by handcrafted single wines.

Set in the grounds of a beautiful 1920s Queenslander cellar door building, tickets will sell out fast. Spots are limited so make sure to secure yours in advance.

Date: November 10
Time: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Cost: $150

Accommodation Near Ballandean

Ballandean is only a 20-minute drive from Stanthorpe, making it an ideal location to base yourself in while exploring Southern Queensland Country. The Granite Belt Wine Country is as beautiful as it is diverse and an absolute mecca for foodies. If you’re thinking of visiting one of the above events, check out our great value Stanthorpe accommodation, book online or contact us to ask any questions.

Hotel vs Motel: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between a motel and hotel? They sound similar, and on the surface, a hotel and a motel seem to offer the same product. However, there are subtle differences, and once you understand them you will be able to make an informed decision as to which one is more suitable for you. Read on to discover the key differences between a hotel vs motel.

Hotels

Often located in urban areas, hotels are designed for travellers who may need to stay for more than just a few nights. Compared to motels, they have more facilities and amenities on offer like restaurants, room service, a swimming pool, a spa, and other services tailored to the needs of holiday goers and business travellers. In most cases, a hotel also provides venues for meetings and conferences.

Hotels can be a single or multi-storied building. Some, particularly luxury and five-star hotels, have multiple buildings in a single compound. A distinctive feature of all hotels is that their rooms open to the interior of the building.

Motels

What is a motel? The word “motel” is derived from the phrase “motorist’s hotel” and was used to describe “hotels” that were made especially for people travelling along highways. Motels are often located outside the centre of the city or town and are visible from main roads. Although many motels offer breakfast, they do not always have a restaurant on-site. Some don’t provide room service either. However, one advantage of motels is that their rates are usually significantly lower than hotel rates, making them a great choice for budget travellers.

Initially, the rooms of motels had doors facing the parking lot or had garages to make coming and going easy for guests. These days, this is not always the case as there are some motels that have room doors facing common areas. Some motels also have amenities similar to those offered by hotels such as swimming pool, room service, and laundry service.

Motel In Stanthorpe

Are you travelling to Stanthorpe? If you are, Boulevard Motel offers comfortable accommodation for all kinds of travellers. Just a 2.5-hour drive from Brisbane, we have 15 well-appointed rooms located beside the beautiful Quart Pot Creek. Perfect for families, couples and anyone looking for high quality yet affordable accommodation. Book your room today.

Gourmet Dining Near Your Stanthorpe Accommodation

Just a 5 minute drive from your lodging at Boulevard Motel, you’ll find a fantastic attraction: the Queensland College of Wine Tourism. This educational centre offers students the opportunity to study viniculture, oenology, business, tourism, and hospitality. With a multi-million dollar facility and exceptional training, it’s a great place for young people to get a head start on their career. However, it’s not only a place of learning, it’s a major site for visitors to the region. Offering dining, fine wine, and more, a fantastic culinary experience is mere minutes from your Stanthorpe accommodation. To enhance your holiday, why not take a visit to this wonderful spot?

An Award-Winning Restaurant

The Varias Restaurant & Function Centre is one of the highlights of the QCWT campus. Open to the public, this operates as a real-world training opportunity for the college’s students, while providing exceptional food and beverage to guests. Open 7 days a week with a spectacular luncheon menu, Varias Restaurant emphasises locally-sourced products and regional flavours. The college’s students prepare and serve everything on the menu, consistently maintaining the highest level of professionalism. Enjoying your meal in a well-appointed environment, you can cosy up to the fire or take in the views of Stanthorpe from the outdoor patio. It is truly a remarkable dining experience not to be missed.

After you’ve settled into your Stanthorpe accommodation (with Boulevard Motel, of course), a short drive will bring you to the Varias Restaurant. Open daily from 9:00am until 4:00pm, the restaurant opens early on Sundays (8:00am) for breakfast. Due to popularity and high demand, Varias has also begun offering Friday and Saturday evening dinner service! Book a reservation in advance to ensure you get a table at this local hotspot.

Sample the Local Varietals

Here in Stanthorpe, we are in the heart of Queensland’s Granite Belt wine region. Also functioning as part of the college is nearby Banca Ridge Wines. Offering hands-on training to students by allowing them to observe and manage wine production, this is a great asset to the institution and to the community as a whole. Pay a visit to the cellar door to sample many of the local varieties produced at Banca Ridge. The cellar door is open for tasting daily from 9:00am – 4:00pm. In 2000, a student vineyard was planted, boasting tempranillo, petit verdot, merlot, and marsanne grapes. This winery is a must-do for any visitor to Stanthorpe.

Host an Event or Business Function

Perhaps your stay in the area is for more than just a holiday. If you’re travelling in Stanthorpe to hold a business event or other occasion, the Varias Conference and Function Centre may be your ideal venue. Weddings, conferences, meetings, and more can find a place here at Varias. Large groups of up to 250 can be accommodated theatre style, with smaller parties appropriate for banquet style catering. Modern architecture, spacious grounds, and a beautiful environment make this a prime spot for hosting an event in Stanthorpe.

As you can see, there is a lot going on here in our region! After selecting your comfortable and affordable Stanthorpe accommodation, it’s time to start planning your itinerary. We hope you’ll make time to visit the wonderful Varias Restaurant and the campus of Queensland Wine Tourism College.

5 Tips for Choosing the Best Stanthorpe Accommodation

As you surf the web seeking accommodation for your upcoming holiday, you are faced with a seemingly endless number of options. Your goal is the ideal Stanthorpe hotel or motel to meet your needs as a traveller. But how do you know which to choose?

Reviews from previous guests certainly help, and TripAdvisor is a great place to start. But beyond that, there are a few key points to examine that will assist you in selecting the perfect hotel to meet your needs. And even better, these tips can be applied when looking for the best accommodation in Stanthorpe or anywhere else in Queensland, Australia, and beyond.

Consider holiday or business travel

What to look for in your Stanthorpe hotel or motel will depend heavily on what kind of travel you’re planning. For a family holiday, you will want a room which can comfortably hold your group. The right amount of beds is vital, but space is important as well. Opt for accommodation which allows everyone to move around and happily make themselves at home.

Those travelling for work will need to source lodging that offers support for their business-related activities. In this day and age, WiFi is essential, but in-room amenities that can make your stay easier will also be highly valuable. Boulevard Motel provides everything a traveller may need during their stay, and if we don’t have something you require, just ask, and we’ll move mountains to get it for you.

Go where the CBD meets nature

Stanthorpe is a lovely area, and any visit to the region will call for an encounter with nature. Yet, most visitors enjoy the convenience of being quite close to restaurants and shops (walking distance that is), as well as perfectly positioned next door to the beautiful Quart Pot Creek and parklands, Boulevard Motel rooms overlook the creek and provide a relaxing and tranquil experience for all. The parklands consist of many walking tracks that capitalise on the natural environment that surrounds us and suit the activity level of any walker. For that reason, the best accommodation offers a blend of both worlds; it’s where the CBD seamlessly meets the outdoors. Your best bet is to select a hotel that boasts a prime location and also incorporates nature and the great outdoors into their property. This is exactly what is meant by the phrase “location, location, location!”

Look for luxury in simplicity

A luxury travel experience does not have to require a large bill. Instead of looking at luxury accommodation as something for a special occasion, or something only attainable for the wealthy, consider redefining how you view luxury. Sometimes luxury travel is less about expense and more about the beauty of a simple and comfortable stay. Luxury is about having your needs met and your desires catered to. At Boulevard Motel, our well-appointed guest rooms deliver a luxurious and rejuvenating experience without the exorbitant prices of other establishments. Your comfort is our priority and your positive experience is our ultimate goal.

Choose a business that prizes quality above all

Luxury is also about outstanding service. Your visit to Stanthorpe will be immensely enhanced by a hotel that treats you with respect, offers personalised service, and anticipates your every need. We pride ourselves on providing this level of great service, and our high quality is something our customers have come to expect from our staff. In this way, we’re pleased to offer budget accommodation that doesn’t feel at all like a typical budget experience.

Seek peace and relaxation, no matter what your travel entails

The final tip for choosing the best Stanthorpe accommodation is to prioritise your own physical, mental, and spiritual needs. Whether you’re travelling on holiday or for business, every getaway deserves a touch of peace and relaxation. Whatever lodging you choose should present this in spades. With our location set right against Quart Pot Creek, you’ll find the quiet serenity necessary to help your stay in the region be its very best.

For more information or to book your upcoming stay with us, get in touch.

5 Places to Eat When You Stay in Stanthorpe

With so many things to see and do around Stanthorpe, you’re definitely going to work up an appetite. If you’ve chosen Boulevard Motel as your Stanthorpe accommodation, you’ll already be staying in the finest hotel in the area with the warmest service and all of the amenities you could ask for. Now you’ll want to eat at the finest dining establishments, as well. While you’re staying here, you will not want to miss any of these delicious restaurants…

Aussie Beef Steakhouse

At the Aussie Beef Steakhouse, you’ll enjoy the most tender and juicy cuts of beef cooked to order and to perfection. They combine the highest quality meats with fresh, local ingredients for meals that will make your mouth water and leave you full and more than satisfied. Plus, if you’re not in the mood for steak, you can also choose from selections of dishes made with lamb, chicken, pork spare ribs, or seafood. And the friendly wait staff will be happy to help you pair the perfect wine with your meal, too.

Anna’s Restaurant

Originally called Stanami, Anna’s Restaurant has been serving delicious meals in Stanthorpe for nearly a hundred years. This Italian restaurant offers all of the traditional favourites, including creamy fettuccine carbonara, fillet parmicciana, cannelloni, and much, much more. The service is friendly, and the wine selection is extensive with a lot of high-quality options.

Stanthorpe Yim-Thai Restaurant

If you’re craving Thai food, you can’t go wrong with Stanford Yim-Thai Restaurant. The food is spicy and flavourful, and the service is impeccable. We especially recommend the Pad Thai or the hokkien noodles.

Brinx Deli

If you’re looking for food to take with you for a delicious picnic or if you want a light breakfast and some delicious coffee to get the day started, Brinx Deli is the perfect place to stop. The pastries here are heavenly, and there are healthy kid-friendly selections like smoothies, too. The products and ingredients sold at Brinx Deli are largely local and gourmet, so you’ll never be disappointed, no matter what snacks or dishes you’re in the mood for.

Bramble Patch

If you’re looking for a place to sit down for a hearty and delicious breakfast, stop at Bramble Patch, everyone’s favourite breakfast spot in Stanthorpe. You’ll have a variety of choices, from savoury breakfast food to delicate and delicious desserts. Try a waffle with ice cream and fruit compote, Dutch pancakes, or a signature Ice Burger (a burger-themed ice cream treat), and see what everyone’s talking about.

Once you’ve eaten your fill, you can relax at your Stanthorpe accommodation and take in the beautiful views from your motel room. At Boulevard Motel, you’ll want for nothing, as each room comes with free wireless broadband Internet, electric blankets for chilly nights, coffee and tea facilities for a warm wake-up in the morning, air conditioning for cool afternoons, friendly service, and much more.

When you stay at Boulevard Motel, you’ll see why it’s the very best choice for accommodation in Stanthorpe and why so many people come back to stay here again and again every time they visit Stanthorpe and the surrounding area.

5 Amenities to Insist on When You Book Your Trip to Stanthorpe

We’ve all been there – a beautiful trip to a fabulous destination that’s almost completely ruined by poor hotel accommodations. The right hotel with a few essential amenities can make all the difference for any vacation or business trip. Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, you can make your whole trip better if you insist on a hotel in Stanthorpe that pays attention to all of the right details.

In-Room Wi-Fi

First of all, if you’re travelling from another country, you may not have the same cellular service that you have at home. This can make it difficult to plan activities and find places to eat. With in-room wireless broadband Internet, you’ll have all of the information you need to find destinations, get directions, book tickets, etc.

Newly Renovated Rooms

The Boulevard Motel in Stanthorpe is famous for its beautifully refurbished rooms. Guests rave about how amazing the beds feel and how beautifully the rooms are decorated. When you walk into your motel room here, you won’t feel like you’re walking into just any motel. The rooms at Boulevard Motel really feel like home for as long as you’re staying in them.

When a motel has been in business for some time, even if the rooms were top-notch when it first opened, rooms need to be updated. Mattresses wear out. Décor gets shabby. Furniture starts to wear. With newly refurbished rooms, a motel can feel brand new and make you feel wonderfully relaxed from when you walk in the door to when you check out.

In-Room Coffee and Tea Facilities

If you’re like most people, you just aren’t yourself until you get your morning cuppa. That’s why the best motels and hotels always offer free coffee and tea facilities in their rooms. That way, you don’t even have to go to the lobby to get your coffee. Instead, you can have a hot, delicious cup of coffee or tea before you even get out of your pyjamas.

Electric Blankets and Air Conditioning

Stanthorpe has a very mild climate all year round, but it can get chilly in the evenings during the winter. And summer days can get warm in the afternoons. That’s why you should always insist on amenities like air conditioning and electric blankets. That way, on the coolest nights, you’ll go to bed feeling warm and cosy. And when you get back to your hotel on a warm summer day, you’ll be greeted with cool, comfortable air.

Flat Screen TV

Finally, this one might seem a little bit frivolous, but it actually really makes a difference. Older televisions take up a lot of space and can make any hotel room feel cramped. With a flat screen TV, you’ll have more room to spread out and enjoy your hotel room. That’s especially important when you have kids with you, but even if it’s just you and your spouse, you’ll still feel better able to relax and enjoy your trip.

Boulevard Motel offers all of these amenities and more, and when you see all that you get when you stay there, you’ll understand why guests call it the best motel in Stanthorpe. Plus, along with all of these amenities, Boulevard Motel has picturesque surroundings and is conveniently located in the central business district of Stanthorpe.

For the best trip to Australia for your next vacation or business trip, you won’t want to miss a stay at the finest Stanthorpe hotel with all of the amenities you could ask for. Stay at the Boulevard Motel, and your entire trip will be enhanced.

4 Breathtaking Places to See in Southeast Queensland

The southeastern region of Queensland offers some of the most beautiful terrain and natural attractions in all of Australia, and when you stay in a Stanthorpe hotel, you’ll be within driving distance of so many gorgeous sights that it’ll be hard to choose which to see. In fact, when you stay at Boulevard Motel, on Quart Pot Creek, you’ll be surrounded by so much beauty right outside your bedroom door that you may not even want to leave the motel at all.

Of course, you can’t spend all of your vacation time at your accommodation in Stanthorpe. You’ll want to get out into the countryside and see some of the most breathtaking scenes and views of your entire life. Here are just a few of the places you can enjoy nature at its finest near Stanthorpe.

Sundown National Park

Just southwest of where you’ll be staying in your Stanthorpe hotel, you’ll find Sundown National Park. Depending on where you park and what you want to see, you can enjoy rugged terrain that’s a bit challenging to even experienced bushwalkers, or you can enjoy shorter walks that are a bit more hospitable to less experienced hikers. Either way, you can see rivers, gorges, and beautiful flora and fauna. Sundown National Park is most definitely a must-see attraction.

Main Range National Park

About an hour away from your Stanthorpe accommodation, Main Range National Park has numerous breathtaking sights to behold. This ancient rainforest lies between Gondwanda-lined ridges and peaks to the west and Queenland’s Scenic Rim to the east. The circuit through the rainforest here has amazing volcanic views over such features as Lake Moogerah, Fassifern Valley, and Queen Mary Falls.

Ravensbourne National Park

Ravensbourne National Park is both majestic in its own right and rich in history and culture for the Aboriginal people of Australia. For many years they would traditionally stop here on the way to the Bunya Mountains for annual festivals. Now Ravensbourne National Park is open to the public, and everyone can enjoy the gorgeous rainforest with its numerous species of beautiful birds, as well as its orchids, its incredibly dense canopy, and all of its gorgeous plant life.

Visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch at either Cedar Block or Blackbean, and there are multiple short tracks to explore nearby, as well. Ravensbourne National Park is about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Stanthorpe, so you’ll want to get an early start and make a full day of your visit.

Benarkin State Forest Park

About three hours north of your motel in Stanthorpe, Benarkin State Forest Park is a beautiful place to do some fishing, plan a picnic, go for a hike or a bike ride, and see a platypus or two. The rainforest here is made up of a number of beautiful species of trees and plants, including eucalypt, blackbutt, white mahogany, tallowwood, ironbarks, and more. And, if you decide to make more than a day of it at Benarkin State Forest Park, there are camping areas, as well.

Whether you camp or head back the same day, you’ll be glad to return to your warm and inviting accommodation in Stanthorpe at Boulevard Motel. Whether it’s just the two of you or you’re bringing the whole family, Boulevard has rooms for two to five people, along with electric blankets, in-room wireless broadband Internet, en-suite baths, coffee and tea service, and more. After a day of exploring the rugged and breathtaking sights of southeast Queensland, you’ll be more than happy to sink into a comfortable bed in the best Stanthorpe hotel, the Boulevard Motel.