MANOR’S MEMBERSHIP MILESTONE (from Mt Barker Courier – 2020-08-26)
By Elisa Rose
Thorngrove Manor has maintained 25 years of membership with the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
A local hotel has achieved a milestone that places it among some of the most prestigious boutique hotels in the world.
Stirling’s Thorngrove Manor celebrated 25 consecutive years of membership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World this year, more than three decades after owners Nydia and Ken Lehmann began building the castle-like hotel as a speculative house in 1984.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a community of unique, non-chain hotels across more than 90 countries.
Membership is subject to strict criteria and every year members have to pass mystery inspections.
Mrs Lehmann said members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World were “distinctive, unique, customised, hand-picked” hotels, proud of their individuality.
With six rooms or suites, each individually styled in accordance with the hotel’s baroque theme and prices starting at $999 a night, the five-star hotel is nestled among landscaped gardens between Stirling and Crafers.
The Lehmanns are no strangers to recognition, with the unique hotel claiming several awards over the past few years, including being named Adelaide’s top hotel by the Big Seven travel guide last year and Most Enchanting Hotel – Adelaide and LUX Recommended Most Characteristic Hotel in the UK-based Lux Hotel and Spa awards in 2016.
But with international and State borders closed by the pandemic, this year’s celebrations are a little different. “Our silver anniversary celebrations are little tarnished by tragic world circumstances,” Mrs Lehmann said.
“But this has not diminished the achievement, especially for a small and unique property that is proudly independently minded.”
https://courier.partica.online/newspaper/the-courier-2020-08-26/news/manors-membership-milestone