The Watervale Hotel: Quality At Every Turn

A unique blend of historic charm, European style, fine food and country hospitality.

From the moment I walked into this beautifully restored hotel, I knew I was in for something special. Elegance blends with a warm, earthy ambience that feels like home. A rare combination.

Warrick Duthy and Nicola Palmer’s Watervale story began in 2015 when they bought Penobscot Farm, just outside town. Three years later, a casual dinner at the hotel reportedly ended with a handshake deal to buy the place. They could both see its potential and imagined something much bigger than a traditional country pub... a destination that could showcase the Clare Valley.

Their different strengths soon started to bring that dream to life. Nicola, an award-winning chef, brought food, design and creativity; Warrick, a seasoned hospitality professional with decades of wine experience, brought customer service and an instinct for how guests should feel. Together, they’ve shaped one clear vision for Watervale.

The farm remains an important part of what they’ve created, supplying seasonal ingredients to Nicola’s kitchen, while their Kitchen Garden near the hotel provides fresh herbs, edible flowers and other produce. It doesn’t get much more farm-to-table than that.

*One of Watervale’s many inviting rooms.*

The hotel unfolds through a series of beautiful rooms and spaces, each with its own character. Magnificent stonework, warm lighting, artwork and rugs give the hotel a classy, relaxed feel. Colourful leather Chesterfield sofas add comfort and character throughout.

*A quiet corner to sit back and take it all in.*

The kitchen is equally impressive. Large glass windows allow diners to watch the chefs at work, but Watervale takes that openness even further. Its Penobscot Restaurant seats just 10 people at a Chef’s Table, where guests can watch the team in action as the degustation unfolds. To me, it sends a clear message:

*The working kitchen remains part of the dining experience.*

“We’re proud of what we do, we’re proud of the way we do it, and you’re welcome to watch.”

Even the bathroom caught my attention. The white pressed-metal detailing, reminiscent of old Australian theatres and hotels, sits beautifully alongside an ornate gold-framed mirror. Another thoughtful touch.

*Even the smallest spaces get the Watervale treatment.*

The People Who Set the Tone

Warrick was attentive throughout my visit, constantly moving, guiding staff and engaging with guests. During a conversation with him, he proudly told me the hotel has collected around 40 awards, including five at international level.

*The small bar is one of several intimate spaces dotted through the hotel.*

That same care carries through the team. The current waiting staff bring a distinctly European flavour, with team members from France, Italy and beyond. Our waitress this evening was Jeanne, from near Normandy in France, who had been at Watervale for around three months.

Dinner, Done Differently

At Watervale, you soon learn to slow down, settle into the surroundings and let dinner unfold at its own pace. This is country time, where good things don’t need to be rushed.

We started with bread and house-made smoked butter, followed by Beef Porterhouse and Nomad Pasture Raised Chicken Breast, with sides of roast carrots and cocktail potatoes. The meals were generous and beautifully presented, but the vegetables soon became the stars of the table.

We chose a Mitchell Wines Pinot Gris to go with the meal. Crisp and refreshing, it was a great match - so good, in fact, that it prompted a visit to the cellar door the following day.

*Beef Porterhouse - generous, beautifully presented and built for a serious appetite.*

Watervale’s approach is pretty simple: quality food and wine, warm hospitality and knowing where it all comes from. They call it “Ethical Epicurean”. The hotel is also proudly part of South Australia’s Epicurean Way, a food and wine road trip linking McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley.

It’s easy to see why tourism plays such a big part here. Warrick said around 80 per cent of the hotel’s business comes from visitors, with travellers also heading north towards the Flinders Ranges. Watervale has become a destination in its own right, rather than simply somewhere to stop along the way.

A Quirky Side to Watervale

*The Hell Hole: yesterday’s lock-up, today’s private dining room.*

Out the back is the “Hell Hole”, a small jail built in 1868 to hold the drunk and disorderly until the police arrived. Today it’s a private dining room, seating up to 20 people with its own terrace. And keeping with the theme, they’ve even called the private toilet “Solitary Confinement.”

And Then There’s Frankie...

*Frankie Blue, unofficial maître d’ and Chesterfield regular.*

Frankie Blue, the hotel’s resident English Staffordshire Bull Terrier and unofficial maître d’, wanders through the hotel, greets guests and parks himself on whichever Chesterfield takes his fancy. His presence in the dining room quickly becomes a talking point and adds a homely warmth to the place.

Sophisticated, with no sign of stuffy... yet still home for a contented Staffy.

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