Ocean Grove hideaway shines on Airbnb

It was a coincidence that Steph King found himself living in a beautiful block of bushland in his hometown of Ocean Grove.

Fate has played a part in where she finds herself today – raising a family in the area where four generations of her family have lived and running The Woods, the bespoke bush holiday she nurtured for becoming a popular Airbnb destination.

In four years of traveling the world in her twenties – soaking up every detail of the places she stayed – Steph’s passion for accommodations came to life.

“We’ve stayed in such a variety of accommodations over the years, from sleeping in hammocks in a bungalow in South America to guesthouses in Poland, campgrounds in Serbia, and small guesthouses in Portugal. .

“Every time we came to a new place my friends would organize the local sangria or wine that we drank that night and I would disappear and walk around the properties and write little notes about the things I liked.

“I was always in charge of booking the accommodation because I loved and cared about it and others didn’t care where they slept.”

Both cabins are located on 1.6 acres of peaceful bushland in old Ocean Grove. Photo: NIKOLE RAMSAY/Courtesy QANTAS MAGAZINE

After returning to Australia, Steph saw Bellarine through a different lens and was struck by the world-class beauty of her childhood playground.

“I was going to walk around The Bluff in Barwon Heads and I was looking at Ocean Grove and I remember thinking, ‘this is amazing, this town and what we have here is just as amazing as anything I’ve just seen “.”

Fast forward to 2016 – when Steph and her husband Jason were looking for a family home – a series of strange coincidences led them to the 1.6 acre property the previous owners had called home for 50 years.

“We were doing a home inspection and the owners were Sharon and Bill King and my dad (Ken Guyett) said ‘oh yeah, I sold them the empty block of land when the Woodlands Estate opened,'” explains Steph.

“Looking through the house there was a picture of my grandmother on the wall because she was friends with Sharon’s grandmother. And Sharon even has the same initials as me, SE King.

“And there were already two cabins – it felt like all roads led to this property because Jason had this dream of living on land with lots of room for landscaping. As a landscaper, he looked the amazing setting here and his eyes were just lit.

“We just knew it was for us.”

The stunning outdoor tub is always a hit with visitors. Photo: NIKOLE RAMSAY/COURTESY QANTAS MAGAZINE

The couple spent three weeks renovating the cabins before listing them on Airbnb and starting to share their piece of paradise.

“Over the years, we’ve added layers and kept tweaking. They’re beautiful, but the thing I’ve spent more time on is enriching that experience for people.

“All the little extras that people don’t expect are what have the biggest impact on people’s stays and their memories.”

The cabanas are nestled in landscaped gardens that attract native birds and offer beautiful perennials, winding paths, an edible garden and lush expanses of lawn – all designed by Jason who, with Steph, runs King’s Gardens & Pools.

Each deluxe cabin features beautiful furnishings and decor such as French linen sheets, a stylish kitchenette, a coffee machine, and homemade pizza dough ready for the outdoor oven.

Local produce is showcased and promoting other local businesses is a priority for Steph who has even created a winery map which she dubs “The Woods’ Tipple Trail”.

The outdoor tub is popular with guests who can relax under starry skies. Photo: NIKOLE RAMSAY

When not exploring the area, guests can savor a glass of local wine under the shade of the century-old yellow Bellarine gummies, enjoy a soak in the private outdoor clawfoot tub, play a game of Giant Jenga and have a shot at tennis or putt-putt golf.

At night, they can relax by roasting marshmallows in the fire pit under a starry sky.

It’s no wonder The Woods has been featured in many high-profile national publications such as Country Style Magazine and australian traveler.

More recently, The Woods was chosen to be part of a Qantas campaign with Airbnb, featuring in Insider of the journeywhich has an online audience of over a million people, in addition to being featured in the June issue of Qantas magazine.

Steph’s style and special touches help make The Woods a stay to remember. Photo: NIKOLE RAMSAY

It’s a testament to Steph and Jason, who have two beautiful daughters – Frankie, 7, and Maggie, 4 – and what they’ve lovingly created in their peaceful bush hideaway in the heart of Ocean Grove.

“Travel has become very personal and people want their material comforts, to be taken care of and to feel safe,” says Steph.

“It’s not that kind of disposable trip that I think we once took for granted where you go on a resort vacation and you come back and check the box of having had your vacation for the year.

“Now people really want richer experiences.

“I think back to all those amazing experiences I had when I was overseas, I wanted to be able to offer that to people here at The Woods.”

Find out more by visiting thewoodsoceangrove.com.au and on Instagram @thewoods_oceangrove

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