My family and I stayed at the Lake House on Australia Day and thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
The accommodation was good and we had views out over the lake which was a bonus.
The only criticism that I make of the accommodation is that the floor boards on the decks outside our rooms need to be replaced as they have either rotted through or become loose. However given that we were on the ground floor it wasn't an issue and it was still safe to walk on.
We all had dinner and breakfast at the resort and had wondferul meals on each occasion.
I even managed to bump into Alla Wolf Tasker (the owner) as she was checking in on the breakfast buffet.
Dayelsford is a great area to explore and as it is so close to Melbourne it is a great place for a weekend escape. Make sure you visit the blueberry farm on the back roads to Melbourne.
I don't understand the negative reviews at all.

My wife and I stayed at The Lake House for 2 nights in December 2011 and found it to be one of the most relaxing weekend escapes we have had for a long time. Our room was extremely spacious and in great condition and overlooked Lake Daylesford and the beautiful gardens surrounding the lake. The rooms are air conditioned, which during the summer months is a must (particulally given that the rooms face West). During our stay we made use of the hotels day spa, which was brilliant. Each night we ate at the hotel restaurant. We had high expecations and we were not disappointed (it was awarded Best Hotel Dining Experience by Gourmet Traveller Travel Awards and has been awarded 2 Chefs Hats by The Age Good Food Guide). The menu changes with the seasons and is generally based around local produce. Their wine list is superb. The staff were all extremely friendly, helpful and attentative. The town of Daylesford has a real charm about it and has a good selection of cafes and restaurants. We really enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend the hotel and restaurant to anyone considering staying and/or dining there.

I stayed at The Lake House for 4 nights in September and I relished every single minute. The suites were beautiful, cleverly furnished with natural and local products. I appreciated the nespresso machine in the room , the heated tiles in the bathroom and the alpaca throws.

Waking up each morning to the sound of ducks and geese with a delightful view of the lake. The breakfast in the restaurant was sublime and treatments at the day spa were wonderful.

my only complaint ....I had to leave !!

Stayed for several nights during the Christmas period and was utterly disappointed with the lakehouse for the following two reasons:

1. Food
Having heard that the restaurant had received rave reviews from a variety of sources, I had high expectations for the quality of the food. Unfortunately the restaurant failed to deliver. I found the food over engineered in that the chef was intent upon doing something different only for the sake of appearing to be creative and innovative. The result was the destruction of fantastic local ingredients in small portions that leave the average diner hungry. It seems to me as though the food is trying way too hard.

2. Price
Whilst I may have forgiven the lakehouse for its shortcomings in other areas if it was priced accordingly, the hotel charges top end rates. We paid $76 (without alcohol) for two courses in the restaurant over dinner. If you had asked me what I believe they are worth in dollars and cents I would probably say something in the order of $30 given the small portions and over-engineered bizarre food concepts served up. The accommodation bill for several nights stay was also verging on ridiculous - and people wonder why Australian tourism is suffering...? I can find far cheaper and better serviced hotels and restaurants all around the world yet the Lakehouse believes that its idyllic sitting beside a manmade lake and a few positive critic reviews means it can charge an arm and a leg and still have customers returning for more.

3. Service
I found the quality of the service to be good but nothing beyond a 'good' restaurant or hotel. There were one or two snooty waiters who did make me feel out of place. Perhaps one notable example being when I arrived for the breakfast buffet at 8AM and found the restaurant empty of other diners and proceeded to select my own table only to be told by the waiter that I'd have to sit where she placed me. I also ordered a refill of freshly squeezed juice only to be informed that it was one per table.... quite bizarre really. I come to Australia once a year and I forget if this is normal in the Australian hospitality industry?