Hotel Vera Ballarat

06/09/2026

20 best towns in Victoria to visit now!

These towns have just been ranked the best in Victoria.
Whether you’re a foodie, festival addict or outdoor adventurer, Victoria’s diverse array of towns will no doubt dazzle you – if you let them. We’ve put together a list of the 20 best towns in Victoria to visit this year, based on Australian Traveller’s industry-judged 100 best Aussie towns to visit list.

9. Ballarat
Overall: 50/100

Tucked into Victoria’s gold-rush heartlands, heritage streetscapes meet a rebellious arts streak in Ballarat, a regional city shaped by its history of political defiance during the 1854 Eureka Stockade. This UNESCO City of Craft and Folk Art is home to the country’s oldest regional gallery. Victorian-era homes dot the boulevards, maintaining a charm you won’t find in many other Aussie towns. “All praise to the locals who fought to retain the heritage features of this town – now they’re hauling in hospitality gold," notes panellist Catriona Rowntree. While the Art Gallery of Ballarat is currently undergoing a renovation, the team has cleverly decamped to a pop-up on Mair Street, keeping the creative pulse alive.

Don’t miss: Panning for gold at nearby Sovereign Hill, stargazing at the Ballarat Municipal Observatory and Museum, and a gin masterclass at Kilderkin Distillery.

These quaint yet vibrant boroughs have just been ranked the top 20 towns in Victoria, boasting everything from foodie delights to festivals.

04/09/2026

We loved hosting all the pie lovers who made the journey to Ballarat for the pie competition!

Look forward to seeing you again in 2027!

https://www.delicious.com.au/eat-out/latest-news/article/winner-best-pie-ballarat-been-named-2026/n69acb33?

Where can you find the best pies in regional Victoria? Head straight for Ballarat. This historic city is fast becoming as famous for its golden pastry as it was once for its gold fever.

03/09/2026

Chefs Corner with Babae Executive Chef, Roy Rosenfeld

Babae is one of Ballarat's best restaurants - get to know the chef behind it!

One of Ballarat’s most celebrated restaurants has a focus on a seasonal menu and local produce. Housed in Hotel Vera, Babae Ballarat Restaurant is an award-winning entry to the regional Victorian scene with dedicated degustation menus as led by renowned chefs.

We head into the kitchen in our series Chefs Corner to discover the menu, the flavours, and favourites of Babae Executive Chef Roy Rosenfeld.

https://fortemagazine.com.au/chefs-corner-with-babae-executive-chef-roy-rosenfeld/

Article by Forte Magazine

Visit Ballarat Ballarat In The Know Visit Melbourne

We head into the kitchen in our series Chefs Corner to discover the menu, the flavours, and favourites of Babae Executive Chef Roy Rosenfeld.

10/08/2026

For the rest of August, 30 venues will showcase their very best pies to the public and compete for the title of People’s Choice Pie. So make sure to swing into Ballarat to fill your rumbling belly with the flakiest, tastiest pies and cast your own vote.

In crust we trust: Ballarat’s best pie revealed for 2026

Congratulations to Di of The SharedTable

by Eleanor Edström of Australian Traveller

https://www.australiantraveller.com/vic/goldfields/ballarat/ballarats-best-pie-competition/?

The winners of Ballarat's best pie competition for 2026 have been crowned. Roll up to Ballarat this August to taste all the entrants yourself.

29/06/2026

Some weekends deserve more intention. We've teamed up with Hidden Lanes - Ballarat & Victoria Tours to create a boutique 2-day Ballarat escape: a stay with us at Hotel Vera, a story-led walking tour through hidden laneways and historic spaces, our hyperlocal continental breakfast featuring Turret Cafe and Catering pastries, and a beautifully styled high tea picnic at the Botanical Gardens.

Designed for couples who want something meaningful without the planning. From $1,495 for two. Link to book below.

https://hiddenlanes.com/ballarat-weekend-getaway-hotel-vera

28/06/2026

This isn’t a trip. It’s a love letter to slow travel. One night at Hotel Vera. We’ve teamed up with Hidden Lanes - Ballarat & Victoria to create a boutique 2-day Ballarat escape: a stay with us at Hotel Vera, a story-led walking tour through hidden laneways and historic spaces, breakfast, and a beautifully styled high tea picnic at the Botanical Gardens.  

All the details handled, so you can just be present. Our new collaboration with Hidden Lanes starts from $1,495 for two. Created for couples who appreciate thoughtful travel, this 2-day escape brings together refined accommodation, immersive local experiences, and the simple pleasure of exploring at your own pace.

✨ Boutique accommodation at Hotel Vera
✨ Hidden Lanes walking tour
✨ Vintage High Tea Picnic by Lake Wendouree
✨ Hyper local continental breakfast with Turret Bakehouse pastries and curated local recommendations

Go to the Hidden Lanes website www.hiddenlanes.com to book

25/06/2026

🎉 WE HAVE WINNERS! 🎉

Huge congratulations to Celeste Robertson for winning our $250 voucher to use towards a stay at Hotel Vera or a dining experience at Babae!

And congratulations to Amelia Kingston, who has won a $100 Design Exchange shopping voucher.

🏆 Please check your DMs to claim your prize.

📩 A massive thank you to everyone who entered, liked, shared, and supported this giveaway. We have the best community!

Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways and collaborations in the future.

22/06/2026

150 trees in the ground. 🌿

We’re proud to share our latest planting with Fifteen Trees at Scotchmans Lead Reserve, Napoleons, on the traditional lands of the Wadawurrung People.

Hotel Ernest Bendigo and Hotel Vera Ballarat partnerned with Fifteen Trees to fund periodic group plantings across regional Victoria. This time, 150 eucalypts, acacias, banksias and hakeas now line Union Jack Creek, providing shade for fish and platypus, shelter from erosion, and habitat for a wildlife community that’s gone from six bird species in 2010 to more than forty today. Koalas, echidnas, rakali, and wallabies now call this reserve home.

Huge thanks to the Napoleons and Enfield Landcare Group for their years of work rehabilitating this riparian zone. As their President Jenny Ryle puts it: “The results are now speaking for themselves. Financial support is so useful to get things done well, and it also represents moral support, which is very motivating.”

True luxury, founded upon environmental integrity. That’s always been the vision for Hotel Ernest and Hotel Vera. A trackway now runs alongside the creek so visitors can walk through and see the restoration in progress.

🌱 400 trees planted to date across two regional plantings.



Visit Ballarat

https://15trees.com.au/tree-plantings/hotel_vera-hotel_ernest/

18/06/2026

"Today’s diggers face no such hardship since Ballarat has a lively hospitality scene – fuelled, I suspect, by a recent wave of craft-beer-loving Melbourne exiles. Two local eateries, Babae Ballarat and Underbar, were awarded single hats in the 2026 issue of The Age Good Food Guide, but we enjoy exploring Ballarat’s pub scene and settle on the Golden City Hotel, which is child-friendly and stumbling distance from our hotel."

Mark Chipperfield
The Age

There are far more glamorous destinations in Australia, but none quite offers the sheer variety, warmth and charm of this inland oasis.

14/06/2026

As another season gently draws to a close, we’re reminded that hospitality, like nature, moves in rhythms.

We pause to give thanks — to the land and its seasons that inspire every menu, every table, and every stay. To the farmers, growers, makers, artisans and producers whose care and craftsmanship allow us to share the very best of our region.

To our extraordinary team, whose warmth, dedication and generosity create the magic that guests experience every day. We are endlessly grateful for your passion.

And to our wonderful patrons — many of whom have become familiar faces and dear friends — thank you for choosing to spend your time with us. Your support, loyalty and trust allow us to continue doing what we love.

As the season changes, we look forward to welcoming new flavours, new stories and new moments of calm, surprise and connection.

With gratitude,
Hotel Vera & Babae