Just half an hour from both Perth and Fremantle on top of the Darling Ranges in a small valley overlooking the city is Bedfordale, where you'll find Lakeside Country Resort.
There are five self-contained and fully serviced top-class places to stay. Built by Walter Lenz and opened in 1987, the chalets and units are furnished in Bavarian style and overhang the lake. They have reverse-cycle air-conditioning, colour television, refrigerator, cooking facilities, gas barbecue and dinghy if you fancy a spot of fishing. You can even drop a line from your balcony.
There is a small, pine-covered island in the middle of the lake and green lawns run to the water's edge. Trout leap in and out of the water, frogs croak and there are plenty of wild ducks to complete the picture of rural serenity, while so close to town.
The 28-hectare property offers tennis, swimming, boating and bushwalking and you can even fish the farmed trout pond.
A couple of hundred metres from the resort is the Elizabethan village, where you can wine and dine and try some boutique-style beers. They serve old English favourites such as ploughman's lunch, pork pies and bangers and mash.
For something a little more formal, try Cobwebs' a la carte menu. They serve lunch and dinner each day in a cosy and intimate atmosphere.
