Bling's the thing

The bygone era of utterly beautiful hotel restaurants has made a comeback, writes Elizabeth Meryment

THERE was a time, not long ago, when to eat in a hotel restaurant was akin to suffering a social death. Nobody, but nobody, would choose to dine in the boring dining room of some faded brand-name hotel. All the best eating places were in trendy hot spots away from the CBD locations of big hotels.

Then hoteliers began realising they had been left behind in the gourmet stakes and started doing something about it. One of the first to receive a shake-up was London's grand dowager of hotels, Claridge's, which installed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to head its restaurant. The coup worked and the restaurant became one of the city's best.

The trend has finally caught on here and now Australian hotels are locked in a race to see who can offer the most sumptuous dining room, best chefs and most innovative menus. For travellers, it means luxe nights of dining, without venturing much further than the elevator.
Here are some of Australia's most luxurious restaurants, all within the distinguished walls of fine hotels.

Vanitas, Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast: Located snugly beside the lagoon-like swimming pool of Australia's only six-star hotel, Vanitas boasts Australia's plushest dining room. Expect gilt-edged mirrors, velvet furniture, domed serving dishes and Versace china.http://www.palazzoversace.com/

Glass, Hilton Sydney: When the tired Hilton received its megabucks renovation last year, management did not fail to revamp the hotel's menus, installing celebrity chef Luke Mangan in the kitchen of the keynote restaurant, Glass. The lofty ceilings and plush furnishings have to be seen to be believed. http://www.glassbrasserie.com.au/

The Grange, Hilton Adelaide: Cheong Liew was Australia's hotel restaurant trendsetter, taking over the Grange at a time when hotel dining was at its most unfashionable. A pioneer of nouvelle Australian cuisine, Liew is one of our most lauded chefs and continues to maintain premium standards in an elegant setting. http://www.hilton.com/

Absynthe, Q1, Gold Coast: French chef Meyjitte Boughenout has brought cuisine class to the super-tall Q1 hotel and residential complex at Surfers Paradise. His food is both weird and wonderful and plenty of money has been spent on the glossy, very "GC" fitout. http://www.absynthe.com.au/

Koko, Crown Towers, Melbourne: Crown will this year update its eatery options with a Neil Perry grill, but for the moment Koko is a worthy dining parlour to the stars. Chef Allan Koh's Japanese creations match the sumptuous design, watery gardens and Yarra River views.http://www.kokoatcrown.com.au/

Lake House, Daylesford, Victoria: Consistently voted one of Australia's best regional restaurants, the Lake House is beautifully plush dining by the water, with deluxe accommodation. http://www.lakehouse.com.au/

Altitude, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney: Newly installed British chef Michael Kean has already made his name at the five-star Dorchester Hotel in London and is now revamping Altitude's mod Oz menu. Situated on the hotel's top floor, Altitude is one of Sydney's most glamorous locales with a spectacular view. http://www.altitudesydney.com.au/