Pinda Lodge in Margaret River, South West, Australia | Lodge

If position is paramount, as the real estate people insist, then Pinda Lodge, nestled between Margaret River and the ocean, has much to recommend it.

A 10-minute drive from the town and less then that from wineries and the beach, the 1.6ha property includes a peppermint-shaded creek that feeds into the Margaret River below.

From the verandah you can hear the river's rush and, on a still day, the sound of ocean waves beyond.

The peppermints and other native trees isolate the Lodge from surrounding properties. The kangaroos that graze on the lawns and in the land that sweeps down to the creek line reinforce the rural feel.

Yet it's what lies within that sets Pinda Lodge apart: the four elegant but understated luxury suites, the log fire, the congeniality of the hosts, Pierre and Linda Every, and - perhaps most notably - the cuisine.

Each suite is decorated to celebrate an element of the Margaret River experience - forest, vineyard, wildflower and ocean. Each has a private veranda and two-person spa, with special touches like bathrobes, electric blankets and a CD sound system.

Linda Every likes to think of Pinda Lodge as a restaurant with luxurious suites. She has studied cooking in Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia (attending the renowned Oriental Hotel Cooking School in Thailand) and confesses it's her greatest passion. Many establishments in the region are happy to point visitors towards the nearest restaurant but Linda recommends you have at least one evening meal at the Lodge. And so you should.