How’s The Serenity? This Luxury Albany Accommodation Is Next Level

Disclaimer: We were recently invited to stay at Latitude 35°5 at their expense, so please factor this in to our review below – we stand by everything we’ve said, but figure it best to be up front with you!

It was a strange twist of fate that brought our attention to Latitude 35°5 when we first told you about back in June. Since then, we’ve daydreamed about it, tossed and turned at night, unable to think about almost anything else. 

Over the weekend we were lucky enough to get to stay there ourselves – and let’s just say, being back at the office is hitting us hard. 

Twenty minute’s drive from Albany’s town centre, Latitude 35°5 is situated at a private cul-de-sac amongst the winding roads, just a 10-minute walk from the secluded Goode Beach. As you ascend, you’ll catch glimpses of Frenchman Bay from between the trees, the horizon marked by the dramatic granite mounds of the bay’s islands and the white sands of Skippy Reef Beach in the distance.

Dramatic from first glimpse on its winding forested approach, the home greets you with a glowing chandelier within the impressive double-height atrium, with the front door framed by extremely Albany-appropriate granite boulders – the largest of which has been transformed into a stylish outdoor shower. We’re only minutes from the beach, after all. 

Enter the living room and you’ll be greeted by the absolute centrepiece of the home: that stunning view. Absolutely huge, double-height, floor-to-ceiling windows look out over Goode Beach, Vancouver Lake and Frenchman Bay. During our stay, we were treated to clear blue skies as well as dramatic grey rain clouds – both were spectacular, with the living room’s vast stone-clad fireplace providing plenty of cosiness during the wilder weather. 

You can enjoy the breathtaking view from the living room, or take in the fresh, salty air from the wraparound balcony. While it’s obviously spectacular at sunset, it’s worth setting an alarm and heading out there with your morning coffee – it’s one of the few places in WA where you can enjoy a sunrise over the ocean.

But why get out of bed? Both the downstairs suite and the heart-stoppingly luxurious primary suite upstairs boast some of the best (king size) bed views imaginable. 

While the views are reason enough to fight for the primary suite, there’s plenty more to entice… Like that bath! That bath. There are really no words to describe the bath and the experience of soaking with a panoramic view as backdrop, but we’ll try: brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular – and soothing. 

A spacious balcony, double-height vaulted ceilings, a huge walk-in robe, champagne fridge and coffee station, plus heated floor-to-ceiling travertine marble shipped in from Italy complete the absolute luxury of the experience. 

Pair your soak with a private in-house spa treatment from Albany’s finest relaxation experts, The Temple – from hot stone massages to luxe facials, it’s the ultimate in unwinding. 

Speaking of luxury, what’s more luxurious than your own wine cellar? Underneath the staircase, and we think rather fittingly at the heart of the home, a 160-bottle wine cellar is enclosed in glass and fully stocked by local Mount Barker winery Gilberts – although an in-house tasting will certainly help you discover a few more new favourites – just one of the incredible in-house experiences available to Latitude 35°5 guests.

(Consider us completely converted riesling fans.) 

We certainly needed a snack or two to offset the, ahem, gusto with which we attacked the cellar. While cooking in the marble-clad kitchen is certainly a joy (the view doesn’t hurt – and neither does the spacious scullery or integrated appliances), a meal cooked by a private chef is the ultimate way to sit back and relax. Enter Silas Masih, acclaimed chef from Denmark’s Pepper + Salt, who cooked us a sensational meal with his signature blend of Indian and Fijian flavours, in the comfort of our home (if only for the weekend). Scallops seared with truffle butter, curried prawns and Rankin cod with asparagus harvested that morning, tender marron with tom yum butter… Our dietarily diverse group was incredibly well looked after. 

Sleeping eight people very comfortably, Latitude 35°5 makes the perfect setting for a milestone celebration, nuptials or just a sublimely relaxing weekend away.

Bookings are now open up to January 2024, so head to the Latitude 35°5 website to lock in your next luxury stay.