The Stirling Hotel

EVOLVING STIRLING HOTEL A LEADER IN ITS CLASS

WORDS: LUCY BREWER & TYLER MAUND

The Stirling Hotel is living proof that enduring quality – coupled with ceaseless evolution – reaps rewards. One of South Australia’s most loved pubs, the Stirling was awarded Best Overall Hotel – Metropolitan in the 2022 AHA|SA Hotel Industry Awards for Excellence. The hotel marks the gateway to the Adelaide Hills and is a favourite with locals and tourists.

It’s a multifaceted venue that offers a range of dining experiences, from a casual bistro and an outdoor deck, to a more formal wine bar and dining room.

It also features a pizza bar, cellar, patisserie and boutique accommodation.

“Our market is so diverse with what we have to offer,” said Venue Manager Cameron Frost.

“We really want to be able to cater to local families looking for a mid-week dining destination, as well as interstate and international travellers who want a great starting point for their trip to the Adelaide Hills.

“Our main focus is people who have an appreciation for good food and good wine, and who want to be in a relaxed environment that lends itself to our approachable style of service.”

CONSTANT UPGRADES

A large part of the Stirling Hotel’s charm is its constant innovation to satisfy customers.

The hotel industry changes rapidly, and according to Cameron, it is the Stirling’s ability to keep pace that sets it apart.

A commitment to rolling renovations has seen the outdoor terrace area upgraded recently and the hotel’s restaurant space The Grill was transformed into a wine bar and dining room. Five upstairs bedrooms are next in line.

“We now have the one menu running through the whole venue, instead of running two separate venues,” said Cameron.

“It allows our guests to choose how they want to dine, instead of what they’re dining on.

“This means the bistro menu has taken a step up to become a bit more à la carte focused but it still has all the classics. It’s been received really well.”

Pub-style classics sit side-by-side with dishes such as a grilled tuna steak and a lobster and prawn gnocchi.

There are also numerous vegan and gluten free alternatives on offer.

The pizza bar offers 17 pizzas to choose from, including vegan and kids choices and the option to order them gluten free.

“We run three specials every day—the Butcher’s Cut, a Fisherman’s Catch and a curry special,” said Cameron.

“The drinks offering in the bistro includes a very diverse wine-by-the-glass list, with 50 local and international wines available.

“If you go into our wine bar and dining room, we have a sub-regional Adelaide Hills focused wine-by-the-glass list.

“There are over 500 wines on our wine-by-the-bottle list, including vertical vintages from some of the best winemakers in the world.

“We also run a really fantastic dark spirits selection, with very rare American whiskeys and cognacs.”

The wine-by-the-bottle list is extensive, with 18 wines valued in excess of $1,000, including an expertly aged 1973 Penfolds Grange Multi Regional at $1,400.

Its 1976 counterpart tops the list, valued at $2,200.

Not all visitors need to break the bank however, with bottled wines starting at $34.

The Stirling Hotel is also known for its burgundy collection; a passion shared by the owners and local winemakers.

“They like to be able to benchmark vintages against old world, iconic winemakers,” said Cameron.

“For us to be able to have a deep wine selection here is really important, not only for the local punter but also for local winemakers to be able to see what the current old world vintage is doing.”

Visitors can also enjoy the delights of the Stirling Hotel’s Cellars & Patisserie which differs from the customary bottle shop, offering a contemporary style boutique experience and the option to leave the hotel with something in hand.

The Cellars & Patisserie offers craft beer, boutique wines and small batch spirits alongside fine foods and speciality coffee that has been named the best in the Adelaide Hills, offering the choice of a house blend by 5 Senses or beans from guest roasters interstate.

Customers can either dine-in or leave with a coffee, pastry of choice or heat-and-eat meal, along with many other delicacies on offer.

FUNCTIONS

The Stirling Hotel offers two main function spaces suitable for weddings and birthdays through to corporate lunches and boardroom meetings.

Downstairs you will find The Library which serves as an intimate gathering space that features an open gas fireplace, armchairs, coffee tables and stylish bookshelf.

A venture upstairs will take you to The Deck, which has elevator access and a large private bar.

It is a light-filled room with bi-fold doors that open on to the spacious decking area, providing an indoor/outdoor feel that has festoon lighting, outdoor lounges and a retractable roof.

The Deck function space also offers an in-house music system, projector and microphone.

FUTURE PLANS

The future of the Stirling Hotel will be in keeping with the team’s focus on innovation, and desire to surpass the expectations of customers.

“We look out for what’s new in the industry and try and bring that into the hotel,” said Cameron, noting a move towards digital ordering platforms and other technology.

There will also be a fresh focus on accommodation at the Stirling, which currently has five luxurious rooms available for guests.

All rooms include a king size bed and some balcony rooms offer views of Stirling’s beautiful trees and main street, and feature stylish fireplaces.

Room Five has its own entry hall and bathtub views over the iconic deciduous trees.

As beautiful as they are, all five rooms are about to undergo a facelift... part of The Stirling’s commitment to continuous improvement.

“We are always evolving and changing our offering,” said Cameron.

“Our wine list will change every six weeks. Our food menu will change every six weeks. We always want to change things up to be able to create an offering so that people can come back and have something different.”