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Karawatha Cottages offers a choice of 3 stylish, private cottages (UNWIND, RELISH and PONDER). Each of the cottages features a deck overlooking the vineyards and Mount Lofty ranges. The cottages have a fully equipped kitchen, wood heater (gas log heater for 'Ponder'), reverse cycle air con, smart TV, generous bathroom with rain shower and separate bedroom (2 bedrooms for 'Relish'). A shared BBQ patio with open fire place is available for all guests. The elevated position of Karawatha Cottages in the Blewitt Springs area of the McLaren Vale wine region offers sublime views over the surrounding vineyards and ranges; numerous cellar doors and 3 excellent restaurants are only a short walk away. The townships of McLaren Vale and Willunga are less than a 10 and 20 min drive away.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, German
Location
285 Blewitt Springs Rd, McLaren Vale, South Australia 5171 Australia
Karawatha Cottages
254 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Taking advantage of a recent Great State voucher, we chose to stay a couple of nights at Karawatha cottages in the Unwind self contained unit. Our host Georg was nearby when we arrived and he gave us some local knowledge of the many wineries and restaurants to visit in the area. Attention to detail with a welcome bottle of of wine from a nearby winery and B+B basket for breakfast was appreciated as was the yummy Peach jam and chocs. The room was comfortable for a couple with clean modern decor and the balcony deck outside offered beautiful views of the surrounding hills. Whilst the weather was cool during our stay, our unit was comfortable and warm with the combustion heated already stacked and ready to go with clear instructions. The location is nearby to a good selection of wineries. It was a very enjoyable stay.
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Date of stay: August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Ruebensal, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 27 Aug 2021
Thank you so much Sandra for your lovely and detailed description of your experience at Karawatha Cottages! It's always wonderful to read when our little touches, from the home made jam to the daily ready stacked combustion heater, are as much appreciated as you described. We just love it when we can ensure our guests have a wonderful time in McLaren Vale, with all it has to offer. Looking forward to welcoming you back. Warm Regards Georg
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Clean, cosy and comfy with thoughtful personal touches, you will surely say 'How's the serenity' as you enjoy a glass of wine looking out over the rolling hills. Located right in the heart of the McLaren Vale winery region, there's lots to see. F and Georg are welcoming hosts that go out of their way to look after guest's welfare.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karawatha_Cottages, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 6 Jan 2020
Thank you for your wonderful review! It's been our pleasure to host you both and make sure that you had a most enjoyable trip to the beautiful McLaren Vale region. Looking forward to welcoming you back - maybe during the cooler months to enjoy the combustion heaters or the open fire place at our BBQ area. Kind Regards Georg
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We had a perfect 5 night stay in the Relish cottage. It was beautifully decorated with thoughtful special touches to make your stay very memorable. You are provided with a generous hamper for breakfast including fresh eggs, bacon, homemade yummy granola, fruit, yoghurt, butter, homemade jams & bread. The lovely complimentary bottle of wine was appreciated too. Georg is a wonderful host. Very friendly, passionate and informative about the local area. It’s a beautiful outlook on the balcony and the sunsets are stunning. The location is great to do a walking tour of some wonderful boutique wineries and The Currant Shed restaurant (our favourite) We have fallen in love with McLaren Vale and plan to return. Thank you 🙏🍷🍇
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Ruebensal, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 1 Feb 2022
Thank you so much Anna - what an amazing review and also for sharing those sunset photos - we certainly had some particularly stunning sunsets and sunrises over the few days you have stayed with us. So happy to read how much you have enjoyed what we, at Karawatha Cottages. and McLaren Vale, as a food and wine region, have to offer - and sometimes it's the simple things, like our self-guided wine walking tour with the amazing Currant Shed as lunch stop, that are just the best. We couldn't agree more :) Thank you again and looking forward to welcoming you back. Warm Regards Georg
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We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Karawatha Cottages. The accommodation was the perfect end to our holiday in South Australia. The cottage was beautifully appointed with some much attention to detail. Our hosts were wonderful in providing us with information about the local wineries and restaurants. All of their recommendations were spot on. I couldn't think of a better place to spend your time in the McLaren Vale.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:There are three cottages which all have lovely views of the region. Choose the cottage that best...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karawatha_Cottages, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 15 Jan 2020
What a beautiful review - thank you so much Kate. It was a pleasure to have you and your family staying at Karawatha Cottages for a couple of days. Very glad to hear that we could make your stay an extra little bit special by sharing our tips and recommendations. Just makes it that little bit easier to decide with so many cellar doors and restaurants in the region. Hope we can welcome you all back some time. Kind Regards Georg
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Spent two nights in 'Unwind' on our return leg from a bigger trip. The accommodation is relatively compact but is very well appointed, comfortable and has everything required for short stays. The pod type coffee machine (with pods supplied) was a welcome additional touch. The units are well spaced and quite private. The decks are a great spot to sit, unwind and soak up the delightful Mclaren Vale countryside views. Georg was especially helpful giving advice on places to visit/eat etc. Highly recommended.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:'Unwind' was good, deck is a little more elevated.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Ruebensal, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 14 Oct 2020
Thank you jcbdigger for your wonderful review, and making Karawatha Cottages your stopover destination from Kangaroo Island! We are always happy to share our passion for the region and provide our guests with local tips and recommendations. And there is so much more to do and see in the region. Next time, for a longer stay, you may want to consider our Ponder or Relish Cottages - both essentially the same in terms of fit-out than the Unwind, but offering more space. Looking forward to welcoming you back. Warm Regards Georg
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My fiance and I have stayed at Karawatha Cottages on 3 separate occasions now the past 12 months - and we will be back again!! We absolutely adore the cosy cottages and the amazing location in Blewitt Springs, close to all our favourite wineries. Both Georg and Friederike are wonderful hosts, providing us with recommendations and welcoming us with beautiful fresh produce for us to make breakfast. We love the bespoke cottage furnishings and always recommend Karawatha Cottages to our friends! A location and stay you won't regret! X
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Date of stay: July 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Rooms with fireplaces are beautiful on a cosy winter evening with a glass of red wine!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Ruebensal, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 1 Aug 2021
What an absolutely amazing review - thank you so much Erica! It's always been wonderful to have been able to welcome you two back to Karawatha Cottages over the past year and are looking forward to many more visits. Warm Regards Georg
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We stayed 3 nights in the Unwind Cottage & absolutely loved our time from the moment we arrived. Elevated views of the rolling hills, love the sound of nature, love the modern room, wood-fire, views from every window and Georg service is delightful. We were given beautiful fresh food to enjoy and juice. We absolutely loved our stay and the location was perfect so close to so many great places.
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karawatha_Cottages, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 12 June 2020
Thanks so much Adam. It was lovely hosting you and your family for a few days. And if there is one positive from the whole Corona crisis, it is that it allowed us to re-discover our local area. McLaren Vale and our corner of it in Blewitt Springs is so closed to Adelaide and its suburbs and yet, once here it feels like a world away! Looking forward to welcoming you back some time. Kind Regards Georg
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I searched high and low for this boutique accommodation as it would be the last 3 days of our two week stay in South Australia. I love finding places where the owners have a good eye for design and add touches to make your stay that little bit extra special. Our generous breakfast was included and a complimentary bottle of wine from the cellar Geddes next door. The firewood was replaced every day and timely as it does get cold end June. Georg was the perfect host. Very knowledgeable on the region and happy to help out. We highly recommend any of the cottages for that special stay.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:We stayed in unwind which is the smallest of the three. I prefer this to keep it cozy and quaint.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Ruebensal, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 1 July 2021
What a wonderful review - thank you so much Anne. It was an absolute pleasure to have you both staying with us and sharing some of our tips and recommendations with you - we just love the McLaren Vale wine region and the Fleurieu Peninsula and always happy to share our latest discoveries. Looking forward to welcoming you back! Warm Regards Georg
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We recently spent 4 nights in the "Ponder" cottage. It was very clean and spacious and equiped with everything you need for a self sufficient stay, including an excellent range of breakfast provisions. Everything is of a very high standard, and the location is perfect for exploring the McLaren Vale wine region. Their website has excellent recommendations for winery and restaurant experiences. We are fairly particular about our accomodation, and can highly recommend Karawatha Cottages.
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Date of stay: August 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ponder cottage was perfect for 2 people
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Ruebensal, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 12 Sept 2022
Thank you so much David for this amazing review. We do love the McLaren Vale region and all it has to offer and are indeed always happy to share with our guests - or even others by sharing our tips and recommendations on our website. Looking forward to welcoming you back again. Warm Regards Georg
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We stayed in the 2 bedroom Relish cottage. It had everything we could need for the stay. The place was immaculately clean, ample breakfast provisions and absolutely lovely surrounds. Host George was very helpful and knowledgeable of the area, and attended to an issue we had efficiently and promptly. We had a car so drove around a lot. You need a car in Mclaren Vale anyway if you want to visit the wineries. The cottages are as centrally located as any other vineyard with some good wineries a few minutes away. I would definitely recommend these cottages as we had a very restful stay here.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karawatha_Cottages, Owner at Karawatha Cottages
Responded 21 Mar 2020
Thank you for your fantastic review Bhakti! It was our pleasure to have you both stay for a long weekend in our Relish Cottage, and enjoying the best the region has to offer, which we are always happy to share and point into the right direction. A spotless clean accommodation is something that is absolutely core to what we strive to offer - and that's not just during the current crisis but at anytime. For us this means wiping down everything our guests may touch (and many things they probably never do) - from the obvious surfaces like kitchen counter, cabinets and tables, to all door handles (incl. door frames) , all light switches and remote controls, to even the curtain rods for the blackout blinds as well as all our beautiful glass dispensers .... and we do this after every check-out, 100% of the time and not just now. Thus you can venture out into the region, enjoy our quiet and peaceful rural location, walk to our friendly cellar door and restaurant neighbours and recharge your batteries. Looking forward to welcoming you back. Kind Regards Georg
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Hi Stephanie
There are no bus routes close by - but if you are keen to visit wineries and restaurants, we have put together a lovely short walk (about 5 km altogether) that takes you past 5 - 6 cellar doors and 2 restaurants. A perfect way to spend a day in McLaren Vale. You can find details in the Explore section of our website.
Alternatively, we can also put you in touch with a few operators that offer wine tours - either private or shared tours. We will add details soon to our website but will send you recommendations in the meantime via email.
Looking forward having you stay with us.
Kind Regards
Georg
We do not have guest laundry facilities on the property, however there is a laundromat in Mclaren Vale (approx. 5 mintes drive) that is open 7 days a week with good washers and dryers.
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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