Lon Retreat
Lon Retreat is a house hotel, taking form out of Claire Gemes’ ancestral farm in Point Lonsdale, Victoria.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: Nikole Ramsay
A site-specific artwork by Hannah Nowlan sits above the fire in the foyer, in which the artist was invited to come and respond to the farmland Lon Retreat sits upon using the interior designers’ tonal palette. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
Beautiful simplicity was the one thing that Claire Gemes had in her mind for Lon Retreat, to create a space where guests can disconnect from the busyness of life. Working together with another Bellarine local, Pip (from Pip Interiors), who Claire met on the school run, they aimed for an earthy design — mirroring the 360-degree views from the Bass Strait to Lake Victoria.
Opening in October 2018, Lon Retreat has been a long-term dream for Claire and Rob Gemes, on the farm Claire’s family had lived on for six generations. With Rob’s building experience and Claire’s background in accounting law and marketing, the couple started the planning process for the unique model: a House Hotel, which give a five-star experience and a homely feel: “like a hug in every room.”
Claire Gemes wanted every room to feel like it was giving you a hug. They did this but using soft, earthy fabrics throughout, like the HK Living cushions from The House of Orange in Armadale. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
“I wanted to keep it as local as possible, every element had to be made here on the Bellarine or Australia... and have a story like the idea of our house hotel.”
The house hotel offers 360-degree views that bring changing landscapes with different seasons. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
“It's those little surprises that make it, the smell of fresh freshly baked food, that makes you feel at home and makes you feel welcome,” says Claire Gemes. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
Claire’s mum and dad had been living in the original sandstone building, running a bed and breakfast, and managing the farm — which is still going today. Rob built a new house for Claire’s parents on the property, and they set about building the Lon Retreat House Hotel from the bones of the original property.
Essential to the new build was the connection from the outside in, using the same colour tone and natural materials to complement that timbers and stone throughout. Claire and Pip set out to source everything as locally as possible, with Rob using all local carpenters and tradespeople to assist in the build. The couple also recruited her parents, sister and brother-in-law to help, turning it into a full family affair. Today the hotel is run by Claire and Rob; however, everyone is still working the family farm, providing delicious baked treats for the guests, growing the herbs for the spa, tending to the heirloom orchard, and flower arrangements from the native plantations that surround Lon.
“There is a special synergy that just creates this beautiful simplicity in calm and slowed down effects,” shares Claire Gemes. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
The guests are invited to experience five-star luxury experience without the pretentiousness, within that relaxed coastal feel which they do so well. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
“It’s so lovely seeing people come, and just slow down, and walk barefoot from one end to the other. ”
The spa uses water from the natural spring discovered by Claire Gemes’ great, great, great, great grandfather and uncle, 100 years ago, who had dug down 30 metres in the caves to find the water source. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.
Claire and Rob Gemes used local artisans to work on every detail of Lon Retreat, to ensure the local warming vibe continued through every room. Photo - Nikole Ramsay.