Need to know
Rooms
Two cabins, sleeping up to six or eight.
Check–Out
10am at the Wren; 11am at the Kingfisher. Earliest check-in, 3pm at the Wren; 4pm at the Kingfisher.
More details
Rates exclude all meals and there’s a housekeeping fee (from $200).
Also
With their sons in tow, owners Margaret and Chris moved to Flat Mountain Farm in 2019: they are the design duo behind Shutze Studio with a wealth of experience in creating beautiful furniture and interiors for the hospitality industry and elsewhere.
At the hotel
Trout fishing lake, canoe to borrow, events barn, cut-flower garden, private hot tub at each cabin. In cabins: washing machine and dryer, free WiFi, TV, drip coffee maker (and filters), coffee creamer and sugar, free tea, Lather bath products.
Our favourite rooms
Polished interiors, generous proportions and a solid ratio of bedrooms to bathrooms at both cabins make them equals in our affections: it’s headcount that should determine your preference.
Poolside
Relaxing soaks come courtesy of a hot tub on your private terrace.
Spa
A local therapist can bring her massage table to you, inside your cabin or on the terrace: she offers deep tissue or Swedish massage, cranio-sacral treatments or reiki.
Packing tips
Boots for the forest trails, shawls for the porch or around the firepit, swimming togs for lake dips and spa trips.
Also
Rest easy at the Wren: although it’s opposite the barn, it’s only available to book when there are no events going on. The antique nature of both cabins means that unfortunately neither is wheelchair accessible.
Pet‐friendly
You can bring your dog for a flat fee of $200, as long as your dog is healthy, flea and tick free, up to date on vaccines and can meet Flat Mountain Farm's pet rules (see booking terms and conditions). See more pet-friendly hotels in Highlands.
Children
Under 14s are very welcome (older teens are charged as adults); the family-friendly cabins sleep up to six and eight respectively; babysitting can be arranged at extra cost.
Best for
Children older than six are best placed to enjoy the rustic setting and handle the unfenced ponds at the farm; they’re also better suited to its peaceful vibe.
Recommended rooms
The Kingfisher sleeps ten and has a second-floor bunk room with four singles that’s ideal for little Smiths. At the Wren, which sleeps up to six, a second bedroom and second living room upstairs sleep up to four children.
Crèche
There’s no crèche or kids club at Flat Mountain Farm.
Activities
Fishing, canoeing, hiking.
Swimming pool
Unfenced ponds and a fishing lake at Flat Mountain Farm are not designed for dipping, but each cabin has a hot tub and there’s a swimming lake with a beach at nearby Cliffside.
Meals
The self-catering set-up at the cabins is ultra child-friendly, but you’ll need to bring all the kit for the littlest of Smiths.
Babysitting
Flat Mountain Farm can arrange babysitting at extra cost.
No need to pack
A canoe: firstly, it wouldn’t fit; secondly, there’s one to borrow by the lake.
Sustainability efforts
The cabins may be vintage, but their insulation, windows and light fittings offer thoroughly modern energy conservation. Pod coffee machines are eschewed in favour of less wasteful drip coffee makers. There’s spring water on tap here (no need for bottled water). Wood for the firepits comes from the farm – cut flowers arranged in the cabins are grown at Flat Mountain, too.