3 Kings is going wine!!!!!!!

3 Kings Bed and Breakfast is smack bang in the middle of one of Victoria's and Australia's best cool climate wine regions. So it occurred to Julie and I that we should provide some quality wine for our guests to enjoy. So on that basis we decided to place a small wine rack in each unit with half a dozen or so reds and whites and a couple of sparkling wines in the fridge.

Now you are probably aware that to keep wine at it's absolute best then it should be cellared at approximately 15 Celsius out of direct sunlight and with a minimum of vibration so as not to disturb any sediment that may still be in the bottle. Well how do we do that in a unit when the heater or air conditioner changes that to suit our guests personal comfort requirements?

Answer... Purchase 3 thermoelectric wine storage cabinets. So what does this mean? Thermoelectric does not use a refrigerator compressor and is silent and has no vibration. The cabinet is able to hold the wine at a constant 15 degrees, which is perfect for all of your red wines. If you prefer a white say a Sav Blanc then out of the cabinet and a further 15 minutes in the fridge, would see that perfect at approximately 5 degrees for drinking. Finally the cabinet keeps the wine out of any bright or sunlight.

Each cabinet holds 28 bottles and we intend on filling them with premium Yarra Valley wines. We will make sure that for every bottle there will be comprehensive tasting notes and most importantly EVERY BOTTLE will be sold at cellar door prices. That is the same price you would pay if you drove to the winery yourselves and bought direct.

3 Kings has a moto that says 'when quality matters' and we will constantly strive to provide the best we are able to do. So if fine wine is on your agenda, then please consider 3 Kings as the perfect partner.

We hope to have everything up and running and in the units before August 2010. So please feel free to ask any questions or to enjoy this very tasty part of our beautiful Yarra Valley, cheers Brian and Julie

Star rating evaluation carried out by AAA Tourism.

Well it was that time of year again for us at 3 Kings (actually it is the 3rd time in 18 months) when the AAA tourism inspector turned up to do an inspection on our property. This time around the inspector turned his eye on unit 3. All of our units are the same, exactly if fact, so it would be fair to expect that if they are the same then an inspection of one should then tick off all 3, right? Wrong. In all the inspection lasted for approximately 2 hours. Everything is checked, including free space inside the unit.

At the end of the inspection we were informed that we have retained our 5 Star rating!!! We actually increased our points total due to the inclusion of Chess, Monopoly and Scrabble board games in each of our units.

We have a number of improvements on the table at the moment, including an extensive wine choice all held in temperature controlled storage. An ungraded CD sound system and even Blue Ray DVD players. Maybe some really nice bedside lamps and an upgrade of our BBQs. AAA tourism explains 5 Star as being truly exceptional in all aspects of the accommodation. That's us and we plan on even getting better. we will keep you posted on all the things we do as they come to hand and it is our guarantee to supply the very best we can. 20/07/2010

3 Kings would love some help!!

3 Kings has been operating now for just about 18 months, in that time we have had some fantastic testimonials that we have placed on our web site. It is so heartening to read that our guests have had a wonderful experience and comment that they will tell their friends and family and promise to return again.

However as yet we do not have any guests reviews on Stayz.com.au . Stayz are one of the biggest search engines for accommodation in Australia and a good review I'm sure would help us a lot.. So if you have been our guest and you enjoyed the experience and happened to book your accommodation through Stayz, then we would be really grateful to see a positive review appear next to our listing. cheers for now Brian 7/06/2010  

More local information on things to do

Every week we will be placing a list of things that is happening in the Yarra Valley. It is compiled and put together by or local tourist centre, we print it and leave it in your unit, so you will be right up to date on all things that is Yarra Valley. cheers Brian 4/5/10

Gift vouchers, the perfect gift

Have you ever considered a gift voucher as a present?

Imagine your friend or loved one receiving a personalised letter from 3 Kings inviting them for a weekend or midweek stay. this is not a massed produced gift certificate with the blank spots for their names to be filled in.

We will construct a personal letter of invitation just for them with any details that you deem relevant and will include one of our A12 brochures just to whet their appetite!!

If its a birthday,Christmas present, wedding night, anniversary, appreciation thank you or just a nice thing to do, then have a chat to Julie or myself and we will be more than happy to make that special gift happen just the way you would like. Call us any time on 0409 678 046  

Saturdays are starting to prove popular!

February 24th 2010

3 Kings has been open now for approximately 15 months and Julie and I have discovered that the toughest thing to have to say to prospective guests is 'I am very sorry we are full'. This is made even more painful when it is a special occasion that they have been planing for weeks and weeks.

The problem is, is that we only have one Friday and Saturday per week. Now I don't know who is to blame for this oversight because two Fridays and Saturdays each week would make life much better for us that is for sure!

On a little more serious note, the first available Saturday that 3 Kings has is the 24th of April 2010!  So if a weekend away in the beautiful Yarra Valley and enjoying that in the luxury you deserve, then please contact us sooner rather than later so we will be able to secure that date that you are seeking. From Sunday through to Thursday we have a good vacancy rate, so if a Sunday, Monday or midweek break is a possibility and remembering it's cheaper as well, then we are sure we will have your unit how you want it and when you want it at the time that suits you.

I would expect that this years snow season for lake Mountain (cross country) and Mt Donna Buang (sightseeing and snow play) should prove to make things very busy for us given that a lot of the accommodation lost in the black Saturday wild fires has not yet been rebuilt. One thing that is true about the Yarra Valley area is that there is something happening all through the year. So go on pick up the phone and have a chat with us about your plans nice and early and relax 3 Kings style. Cheers for now, Brian

 Why not try this new trail?

On Sunday the 7th of February, Julie, the kids and myself decided to try first hand a part of the newly opened O'Shannassy Aqueduct Trail. From 3 Kings we drove to Millgrove (5 mins) and headed up to the end of Dee Road. This is one of the many entry points to this picturesque walking trail.There is a large car park and an information board showing where the trail runs and for how long with a bit of local history.

The construction of this water course started in 1911 and was completed in 1913 it was designed to transfer fresh drinking water to Melbourne it was managed for nearly the whole century by Melbourne Water, being decommissioned in the 1990s. It was then gifted to Parks Victoria and they then went to work turning it into the Yarra Valleys newest trail. The water has not flowed for quite a few years however the concrete lined V shaped channel is there to see and the trail runs right along side. (be careful not to fall in)

On Sunday we hit the hustings mid afternoon and headed off towards Warburton it was 32 Celsius we were pushing a pram with our 5 yr old on his electric scooter. The heat was not really noticed due to the shade protection from the towering Mountain Ash and tall Tree Ferns. Being a channel the grade is very slight and the track very smooth for our wheeled vehicles. The distance from Millgrove to Warburton is about 7 kms, we walked for about 5 kms then turned around and walked back to the car, so we were on the trail for couple of hours. Do not worry about keeping left too much because we only saw a small hand full of fellow walkers, maybe because of the heat but I think that not too many people have discovered this beautiful part of the Yarra Valley.

Make sure you stop and check out the large landslip that occurred in the 1940s. They fixed the problem by building a bridge over it and replaced the channel with a steel section, very clever indeed. There is lots of diversion gates and old valves to see along the way even a creek that passes underneath the channel. The view at the top of the Dee Rd of the Valley is absolutely stunning, take a while for a photo or just soak it in, this is how life should be!!

This is only a small section of this trail it actually starts at the O'Shannassy's Well near Reefton and runs all the way to the Don Valley near Launching Place. You are able to hop on at lots of different spots and the views and vegetation would change as the area changes. This has my tick of approval and from the heart foundation i guess as well, It is great exercise!

If you would like any information about the O'Shan trail please do not hesitate to talk to Julie or myself any time. Cheers for now Brian 9/02/2010

My opening attempt 

Well, well yet another brand new piece of technology(for me anyway) to come to terms with! Hello my name is Brian and along with my beautiful partner Julie we are the owners of 3 Kings Bed and Breakfast, nestled in the village of Yarra Junction, smack bang in the middle of Victoria's beautiful Yarra Valley. 3 Kings has now been open in full swing for about 12 months and it has been truly exciting and hectic.

We are AAAT 5 Star rated the newest in the valley, so you can be absolutely assured that luxury and quality is what you will expect and find if you will be our guests. the photos that you see on our web site do NOT have special filters or funny shaped lenses or enhanced colours. the most recent photos were taken in November 2009, so what you can see is exactly what you will receive.

One of the things that we have found in our first year is that a lot of our guests are looking for an experience to remember, to celebrate a wedding or anniversary, a special birthday or just a well earned break!

Julie and I want to hear the phrases.... "if its not too much trouble"    " could i ask a special favour"   "I'm looking to make this a stay to remember"    " do you have any ideas to make this extra special"   "my wife/husband has no idea that i am organising this"  " I am going to propose"  "this is the first time we have taken time out for ourselves"

3 Kings does not have an official reception desk we have a small coded key safe next to the door of each apartment. You do not have to front up for keys and sign in, rather push in your code and walk right in, maybe have that card or special gift mailed to us earlier and we will place it in your unit for your loved one before you arrive! Champagne on ice as you open the door or local handmade chocolates on the table. balloons, streamers and banners or maybe that bottle of wine that you both enjoyed on your very first date...

We are about special romance and a time to remember. Motels are a great place to sleep we want to be a great place to experience. Even our breakfast hampers are placed in the refrigerator just before you are due to arrive. And what a breakfast it is!! free range eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, yogurt, juice, a whole loaf of bread, milk and condiments. coffee, tea, hot chocolate and of course your very own coffee machine with top quality fresh beans.

Privacy, yes you bet, however if you need assistance we are only a minute away. The experts do say that the perfect waiter is the one that you really don't notice was there. 

We have some fantastic packages that we forged with some of the best operators in the Yarra Valley. From great value local restaurants with superb menus, to in house massage or hours of bliss in a day spa. If it is fine wine you seek where the wine grower produces the grapes and makes the wine right there on the property and is there to talk about his product face to face. Maybe golf or a balloon flight or a sightseeing tour with some cycling involved. Farmers markets or visits to the farmers property to sample the product off the tree. Then you need to talk to Brian or Julie your hosts and we will be happy to organise all the details for your special occasion.

In the coming weeks we will list attractions and supply up to date information about what is happening on our side of this beautiful Yarra Valley. So keep checking our brand new blog and we hope that we can be a valuable source of information to visitors and guests of 3 Kings Bed and Breakfast. In the mean time please call on 0409 678 046 and talk to either Julie or Myself and discuss what we can do to keep 3 Kings "fit for a king" ... kind regards Brian Westlake