LUXURY LODGE

Sequoia, Adelaide Hills

Perched on the rim of the Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills, Sequoia is a luxury lodge experience built for the travel trade. Guests stay within Mount Lofty Estate, just 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, with artesian spring-fed hot pools, an infinity pool and access to the 3 Chef Hat Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant. It suits luxury FIT bookings, honeymoons, food and wine touring, and incentive programmes for clients who want an intimate, high-end escape close to the city.

Enquire About Sequoia, Adelaide Hills

Two women enjoy a wine tasting at an elegant indoor venue, seated at a wooden table with multiple

Where boutique luxury meets Adelaide Hills wine country

Sequoia sits on the valley rim of Mount Lofty Estate, overlooking the Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills. It is one of the more intimate luxury lodge properties AABH packages for South Australia, pairing artesian spring-fed hot pools and an infinity pool with a full calendar of on-site experiences, from guided nature walks and sunrise yoga to wine tastings and star gazing. The setting suits luxury FIT itineraries, honeymoons, food and wine touring and small incentive programmes, with the estate’s 3 Chef Hat Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant adding a genuine dining drawcard.

A panoramic view of verdant vineyard rows stretching across rolling hills in South Australia's

A group of professionals gathered around a wooden table on a hillside terrace overlooking

A group of people enjoy an alfresco meal at a table with wine glasses, overlooking a lush forested

The Piccadilly Valley

The lodge sits directly above the Piccadilly Valley, one of the Adelaide Hills’ most picturesque folds of vineyards and native bushland. Guests explore this landscape on a daily guided nature walk that follows a section of the Heysen Trail to a ridge lookout with views across Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges, keeping an eye out for kangaroos, koalas and wallabies along the way. For those who prefer a slower pace, the valley rim is also home to Sequoia’s artesian spring-fed hot pools and infinity pool, both looking straight out over the vines.

Adelaide Hills Wine Country

The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia’s premier cool-climate wine regions, and Sequoia’s on-site wine programme brings that reputation to the lodge. The Maker & Somm session pairs a local winemaker with one of the property’s sommeliers for an informal hour of tasting and conversation, matched with canapes from the kitchen. Guests can also try Le Nez du Vin, a playful aroma-based tasting session using the Jean Lenoir kit, which helps travellers put a name to the notes they’ve always struggled to describe.

Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant

Dining at Sequoia centres on Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, awarded 3 Chef Hats and consistently ranked among South Australia’s finest. The kitchen builds its menus around locally sourced, seasonal Adelaide Hills produce, with breakfast served daily a la carte overlooking the Piccadilly Valley. Guests can also start or finish an evening at the Arthur Waterhouse cocktail lounge, which pairs an extensive wine cellar with relaxed pre and post-dinner drinks.

Signature Experiences, One Memorable Stay

Every stay at Sequoia can be shaped around a set of complimentary on-site experiences. Some clients want to fit in the nature walk, a wine tasting and the hot pools within a single overnight, while others prefer to spread things out over two or three nights and add yoga, star gazing and a full evening at Hardy’s Verandah. Our team works with the lodge to build a programme around the pace your client wants.

An elegant infinity pool with pristine waters and white tile trim overlooks a sprawling forested

Artesian Spring-Fed Hot Pools

Key Details: Stone hot pools fed by natural artesian spring water, plus a separate infinity pool, both positioned on the valley rim. Known For: Mineral-rich spring water that also supplies every tap and bottled water on the property, uninterrupted views across the Piccadilly Valley, and a level of quiet that makes the pools a highlight for honeymooners and wellness-focused itineraries.

A woman in a white long-sleeved top performs a yoga pose on a mat on green grass during an outdoor

Sunrise Yoga & Wine Tastings

Key Details: A private sunrise yoga session suited to all levels, plus wine experiences including Maker & Somm and Le Nez du Vin held throughout the stay. Known For: A slow, deliberate start to the day as the valley wakes up below, followed later by informal tastings with Adelaide Hills winemakers and sommeliers matched with canapes from the kitchen.

A silhouetted father and young son observe the night sky together through a telescope during

Star Gazing

Key Details: A complimentary star gazing session using the lodge’s private telescope, available from dusk until midnight. Known For: Dark Adelaide Hills skies that reveal thousands of stars and constellations exclusive to the Southern Hemisphere, viewed from the same valley rim as the hot pools.

Sequoia Experiences at a Glance

Feature	The Top End (NT)	The Kimberley	Perth & WA South-West
Suggested Duration	4-7 days	5-14 days	4-12 days
Getting There	Direct flights to Darwin from most Australian capitals	Fly to Kununurra or Broome; overland via Gibb River Road	Direct flights to Perth; domestic connections to regional WA
Best For	Indigenous culture, wildlife, wetlands, rock art	Wilderness adventure, expedition cruising, luxury lodges	Wine touring, coastal drives, beaches, self-drive holidays
Highlights	Kakadu, Litchfield, Katherine Gorge, Arnhem Land, Bamurru Plains	Bungle Bungles, Horizontal Falls, El Questro, Berkeley River, Cable Beach	Margaret River wineries, Rottnest Island, Esperance, The Pinnacles

A contemporary bedroom featuring floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking expansive mountain and valley

How AABH packages Sequoia for your clients

Sequoia works well as a standalone luxury escape or as part of a broader South Australian programme. Many of our trade partners combine a Sequoia stay with time in the Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale, or pair it with The Frames in the Riverland for a two-lodge itinerary that shows off very different sides of South Australia. We build the full itinerary, including transfers from Adelaide, so your clients arrive with everything confirmed.

Beyond the Lodge

For clients who want to explore further into the Adelaide Hills and South Australia’s wine regions during their stay, several additional experiences can be arranged alongside Sequoia’s core programme.

Adelaide Hills Cellar Door Touring – A private half-day visit to boutique wineries across the Piccadilly Valley and surrounding Adelaide Hills, hosted by local winemakers
Hiking & Cycling the Heysen Trail – Guided walks and electric or standard bicycle hire for exploring the trails around Mount Lofty Botanic Garden and the wider Adelaide Hills
Gatekeeper’s Day Spa Treatments – Indulgent ritual treatments on the estate, bookable as an add-on to any Sequoia stay
Barossa Valley & McLaren Vale Day Trips – Full-day private touring to two of South Australia’s best-known wine regions, each less than an hour’s drive from the lodge

Two visitors walk along a peaceful tree-lined dirt path through a eucalyptus forest in Tasmania

When to Visit Sequoia

Unlike destinations governed by tropical wet and dry seasons, the Adelaide Hills run on a temperate four-season calendar, so Sequoia suits clients year-round. Autumn (March to May) coincides with vintage across the Hills, making it a strong pairing with the wine-focused experiences on offer. Spring (September to November) brings mild days and green valleys, ideal for the nature walk and hiking. Summer can be warm, though the hot pools and pool deck make the most of long evenings, while winter’s cooler nights suit an evening by the fire after Hardy’s Verandah, followed by a soak in the spring-fed pools.

A young couple jogging together on a forest trail surrounded by tall evergreen trees and lush green

Frequently Asked Questions About Sequoia, Adelaide Hills

How do clients get to Sequoia from Adelaide?

Sequoia sits on the Mount Lofty Estate in the Adelaide Hills, around 20 minutes by car from Adelaide’s CBD and roughly 40 minutes from Adelaide Airport. We can arrange private transfers, self-drive rental cars or chauffeured transport as part of the itinerary. The drive itself is one of the highlights, winding through vineyards and small Hills towns. Clients arriving on interstate or international flights can be at the lodge within the hour, with no need for an overnight stop in the city.

What is the minimum recommended stay at Sequoia?

We recommend a minimum of two nights so clients can properly experience the lodge. One night gives a taste, but two allows time for the on-site programme – a nature walk in the morning, the hot pools in the afternoon, Maker & Somm in the evening, and dinner at Hardy’s Verandah. Three nights suits clients who want to explore the wider Adelaide Hills by bicycle or car, visit cellar doors and properly unwind. For incentive groups, two to three nights works well as a programme centrepiece.

Is Sequoia suitable for incentive groups?

Yes. The lodge’s intimate scale makes it well suited to smaller incentive groups and executive retreats. On-site experiences such as wine tastings, yoga sessions, guided walks and star gazing can all be arranged as private group activities. Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant can host group dining, and the wider estate offers options for team activities and off-site excursions into the Adelaide Hills wine region. For larger groups, we can combine Sequoia with additional Adelaide accommodation.

What dining options are available at Sequoia?

Dining centres on Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, awarded 3 Chef Hats and consistently recognised as one of South Australia’s finest. The kitchen focuses on locally sourced, seasonal Adelaide Hills produce, with breakfast served daily a la carte overlooking the Piccadilly Valley. Beyond Hardy’s Verandah there’s the Arthur Waterhouse cocktail lounge for pre-dinner drinks, an extensive wine cellar, and the lodge lounge, where lighter fare and afternoon treats are available throughout the stay.

Can Sequoia be combined with other South Australian lodge experiences?

Absolutely, and it’s a common request from our trade partners. Sequoia pairs well with The Frames in the Riverland for a luxury two-lodge itinerary that shows off two very different South Australian landscapes, from the vineyard-covered Hills to the river country further north. We build the full itinerary around this pairing, including transfers, so clients experience contrasting scenery without any of the logistics falling on them.

What wildlife might travellers see during a Sequoia stay?

The daily guided nature walk along a section of the Heysen Trail is the best chance to spot local wildlife, with kangaroos, koalas and wallabies regularly seen along the track. The walk finishes at a ridge lookout with sweeping views across Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges. Guides know the terrain and the animals’ habits well, so they can usually point guests toward where sightings are most likely on any given day.

Do clients need a rental car during their stay at Sequoia?

A rental car isn’t essential, as most of Sequoia’s signature experiences happen on-site at Mount Lofty Estate. For clients who want to venture further into the Adelaide Hills, though – to visit cellar doors or the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale – we can arrange a rental car, chauffeured transport or a guided day tour, depending on how hands-on they’d like the touring to be.

Can a Sequoia stay be combined with other South Australian wine regions?

Yes. The Adelaide Hills sit close to some of South Australia’s best-known wine regions, with the Barossa Valley around 30 minutes north and McLaren Vale about 45 minutes south. Kangaroo Island is also accessible via a short flight or ferry. Our team regularly builds these into a broader South Australian itinerary around a Sequoia stay, along with flights and accommodation for the rest of the trip.

What wine experiences can clients expect at Sequoia?

Sequoia runs two distinct wine experiences for guests. The Maker & Somm session pairs a South Australian winemaker with one of the property’s sommeliers for an hour of informal tasting and conversation, matched with canapes from the kitchen. Le Nez du Vin is a more playful, game-like session using the Jean Lenoir aroma kit, helping guests put a name to the scents and notes that define different wine styles. Both showcase the Adelaide Hills’ reputation as a premier cool-climate region.

How do I book a stay at Sequoia through AABH?

Contact our team at enquiries@aabh.com.au with your client’s preferred dates and we will confirm availability, arrange transfers from Adelaide, and put together a tailor-made quote covering accommodation, inclusions and any on-site experiences your client would like added. As an accredited Australian inbound specialist, we can also combine Sequoia with other South Australian or interstate destinations as part of a wider itinerary.