There Really Is Nothing Like It In The Highlands + We Are Blown Away

Blown away is an understatement….everywhere you look when you step inside this beautiful new hotel in Moss Vale is a feast for the eyes.

It may be the distinctive colour palette of a room, a piece of art that stops you in your tracks, a plate of homemade pistachio cookies that appear on the table in front of you, a view through a window of branches of bright pink cherry blossoms creating a piece of art in itself……everything makes you stop and really take it in. 

And that was one of the main objectives for owner of Moss Manor, Louella Grattan-Smith when she and her amazing team renovated, designed, curated and pulled together the Moss Manor experience. 

“My background in mind body medicine really highlighted to me how much humans crave connection, community and peace,” Louella says as we wander from room to room. 

“We wanted to create a space that supports that with warmth and generosity. An experience that goes beyond a beautiful old building or interior design…..an experience where guests can truly escape the busyness of life and slow every part of their mind and body down.” 

Mission accomplished. 

As soon as we stepped through the beautiful big old doors and closed them behind us, we felt that warmth from Louella and the wonderful staff members we met but we also felt it through the beauty of the art on the walls, the linens, and the majestic [yet cosy!] vibes of each room. 

We didn’t want to leave……..so let’s take a closer look at this boutique art hotel making waves across the Highlands and beyond. 

Heritage + history has been embraced and elevated

Built in 1890 as the Moss Vale Council Chambers and Mayoral residence – Nicholas Throsby was the first Mayor of Moss Vale Council formed in 1888 and son of Charles Throsby of the well known local Throsby family – the double storey Georgian style building was used as a private home, and then offices over the years once council moved to Elizabeth Street. 

Soaring ceilings, large sash windows and generous sized rooms are some of the Georgian style architecture that Louella and architect, Luke Moloney made sure remained while adding contemporary touches you would expect of a modern boutique hotel, including an incredible glass extension added on to the original building that makes you feel like you’re floating when you sit on a couch in that space!

The interiors are majestic yet cosy, and incredibly unique

Louella then worked with stylist, Jillian Boustred to blend modern furnishings and materials with the heritage spaces to create interiors that actually give you an emotional response to seeing them.

Quickly followed by a physical response! Yep, you want to touch every piece of linen or marble or cushion. 

Each room has the perfect combination of texture, colour, space and story.

Louella has quite the eye for statement furniture, distinctive materials, and quirky and super stylish homewares. Many pieces and linens in Moss Manor have been spotted, collected and stored by Louella over the years.

“This fringing is from a little market in Italy, these floor to ceiling curtains are made from silks I found on holiday in Vietnam and this chintz on the headboard is from a little shop in the Highlands,” Louella points to beautiful fabrics in one of the rooms. 

“Every piece and room has its own story and personality. And it’s all just really nice to look at!”

And then of course, there is the art.

Sculptor and owner of Defiance Gallery, Campbell Robertson-Swann is an old friend of Louella’s. 

“Campbell has a very holistic approach to his art gallery. He really engages with the artists and the people who buy art. We both have an intuitive sense around understanding that buying a piece of art or staying in a boutique hotel should be more than just a transactional process,” Louella explains. 

“It’s the emotion, the experience, the memory, the feeling…..incorporating pieces of art from Defiance Gallery into the interiors of Moss Manor is the living and breathing incarnation of both our philosophies around experiencing rather than transacting.” 

And wow…..the art is another feast for the eyes. In the bedrooms, the stairwell, the cosy and comfortable common spaces and outside in the garden, it actually looks like the art has been specifically created for its position on the wall instead of it being the other way around. 

“That’s when you know when it’s all aligned,” says Louella, as we stand in front of a Joe Furlonger piece that sits perfectly on the vast wall of the stairwell. 

You’ll find the work of other incredible artists at Moss Manor, including Peter Godwin, Ann Thomson and Campbell Robertson-Swann himself! 

“John McDonald, the art critic for the Sydney Morning Herald and curator of the Australian Art section of The National Gallery for many years, came to stay for a weekend. He walked into the room, looked at that painting and said, ‘that’s a very good painting’,” laughs Louella. 

“It was very understated but that was a very good tick of approval to get.”

The perfect blend of contemporary and heritage extends to the garden and exterior facade

The incredible addition to the original building, is a steel and glass box that sounds harsh but is actually the opposite. It settles into the landscape and surroundings softly and actually provides a space that, as we mentioned before, makes you feel like you’re floating in and above the garden when you’re inside. 

“It really connects you to nature and to the garden. The other day, the rain was pelting down on the glass and it felt so warm and beautiful to be here on the couch watching the show Mother Nature was putting on for us,” says Louella. 

Louella points to a beautiful weeping cherry tree in the garden. 

“That was part of the original garden and we needed to move it to extend the building and I’m so glad we managed to move it, save it and now it’s a feature of the garden.”

With a combination of shady trees, colourful blooms and sculptural pieces throughout, the garden will be beautiful in any season, which is why Louella is keen to welcome intimate weddings and elopements to Moss Manor. 

“Can you imagine walking down that staircase, stepping outside through those big dramatic doors and walking around to this part of the garden for a beautiful ceremony?” Louella walks and talks us through the perfect small wedding. 

“Small weddings and elopements are a beautiful way to connect and create memories and we’d love to help couples create that experience here.”

And it’s all a walk away from the bustling shops, cafes, restaurants and bars on Argyle Street.

Moss Manor is on Throsby Street and looks out across the roofs of Argyle Street. 

“Being connected to the community is very important. We don’t want to just sit up here on the hill doing our thing. Moss Vale is such a great place to visit, live and experience. Restoring Moss Manor adds to the changing environment of Moss Vale and we love sharing the beautiful local stores and cafes and restaurants with our guests,” Louella says. 

“From Birch to Hunters & Gatherers and all the other businesses, we have a great relationship with Suzie Anderson too…..they’re all gorgeous and everyone’s success feeds into each other’s.”

It really is an experience that impacts you on a deeper level

“Every part of you is nourished and cared for at Moss Manor – on an emotional, creative, physical and spiritual level. It’s like nourishing your body and mind without the spa element,” Louella smiles. 

She picks up a card that every guest receives on arrival. 

“I love the poetry of John O’Donohue, he truly understood what it meant to be human. When I was practising psychotherapy, at the end of a session with someone, I would open a book of his poetry and find the right poem for whatever situation it was that person was working through or going through,” Louella hands us one of the cards, where a poem is printed in beautiful cursive typography.

And THAT is at the heart of the Moss Manor experience.

Moss Manor is an elegant and stylish boutique art hotel in Moss Vale. Light and airy in summer, warm and cosy in winter, peaceful and gracious all year round, Moss Manor is not just a place to stay. It’s a place to stop, experience and nurture the mind, the body and the soul through connection, community and calm.

Head to the Moss Manor website for more information and to book a stay at this extraordinary and unique art hotel in the Southern Highlands.

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