Fortuna Villa

We had a most wonderful stay at Fortuna Villa. What a magical place to be. We loved the room, a swim in the Roman Baths, a stroll around the lake, and a relax in the dining/lounge. Breakfast was lovely. Just perfect! Paul is a great host who made us feel at home.

High Tea for my 76 Birthday, FANTASTIC! As good as any I have had in my travels.great food, fantastic atmosphere and magnificent house. I congratulate the owner Paul Banks for preserving a massive part of Bendigo's history. I would recommend this venue if you are looking for a SPECIAL Occassion

Paul, the host, was very entertaining and informative. Lovely high tea experience and an interesting part of Bendigo history

We had High Tea and a tour of the villa and grounds by the actual owner. The High Tea was beautifully presented and delicious along with the champagne. The tour of the villa was comprehensive and the owner, Paul was very informative and friendly. The property has been meticulously restored and is beautiful. A credit to Paul Banks.

Nil stars this venue was unable to be contacted when my major surgery, which turned into three surgeries in four days plus four blood transfusions, meant that we could not attend. Then when we finally we able to contact them they said they had already purchased the food and was not going to refund our $665!
Extremely disappointed and do not recommend (would have given nil stars but apparently cannot post without at least one star!)

Shared Hight Tea with a friend, service was brilliant, the music was pleasant, the building is full of beautiful artefacts, and the history of the Fortuna is displayed tastefully
Only drawback there lots of steps, all without hand rail.

Went for high tea and the tour. Was a lovely day, the only thing that could've been better was the lady leading the tour moved on very quickly between rooms so you had to choose between hearing the history or looking around with any leisure (while inside that is).

Just okay! Went for high tea and tour.

Some constructive critiques:
- Tour went for a long time and high tea did not. We were given very little warning that we were leaving for the tour so we had to leave most of our food

- Scones were not cooked properly which was not ideal but they were eventually replaced.

- Drink service was fairly slow, considering the price per person, a bottle of sparkling could be on bigger tables for top ups.

- Venue not at all accessible and considering the upgrades made they could have one accessible entrance that services the high tea area. Its worth noting that the tour is not good for those that are disabled, elderly or pregnant and can't climb stairs. Also hard to keep up with guide regardless in large groups. Maybe a smaller tour for those people only on ground floor could work while others go upstairs?

- Toilets inaccessible during tour, not great after drinking sparkling! This could have been communicated prior to leaving high tea rooms, as there was one toilet on the outside but we also didn't know this at the time.

- High tea didn't include all options on menu (one savoury was missing) and as a lunch high tea I think this would have been a better balance. This missing item could have been replaced with a savoury alternative.

Went for high tea, food, decor and service was excellent except after one glass of wine our glasses were taken away while others had more wine, beer or a cuppa? Very impressed with all the renovations (didn't like the glass framed showers). Being an immediate neighbour (over the back fence) I have toured before when the army invited us all for a tour and supper. Enjoyed the day with guest from Melbourne. Not sure when construction of stage 1 houses will start but there will be none behind me. Booth St needs a little attention where the edge of road needs repair and witches hats removed. The end lol.

ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED!
Did not cater for dietary requirements or allergies even though we ensured to tell them in advance and these requirements were noted on our booking. Paid $90 for a high tea and tour but didn’t get anything to eat, nor were we offered anything to drink. We spoke to the owner Paul Banks about this and he didn’t care and ignored the fact. The tour involved one tour guide and 50+ guests, half of the guests were left behind on the tour with missing out on seeing the Villa, and losing the tour guide.
Terribly organised and no care for the guests!

High Tea was spectacular great service friendly staff beautiful surroundings if your looking too treat yourself you couldn't go past this We have had High tea at Harrods no need to travel that far this is superior in every way

Excellent service provided by the owners and their staff. New experience of a high Tea was exceptional and the tour of Fortuna Villa was entertaining. Great afternoon had by us both.

Do not go here if you have allergies, or even vegan.
Attended for a gathering of a group of friends- we informed the staff 2 months in advance of allergies- was not told they couldn’t/ wouldn’t cater for that allergy therefore paid the $90 and ate nothing. Vegan dietary was also contaminated with other food therefore not edible. Was offered 1 glass if champagne at the start- no further drinks. Owner explained to the ladies with vegan diet the champagne was clear and they could drink it, to later say it contained egg whites and milk products. The owner is a rude, arrogant man. The tour was awful. Too big a group therefore half the group was left behind and missed the information about the villa.

Absolutely beautiful restoration of this divine mansion. I cannot recommend more highly the High Tea and tour. The food, quality of champagne, wine, teas and coffee are excellent. The staff are efficient but friendly and attentive. Paul Banks, the owner, conducts the tour with wit and humour, as well as imparting interesting facts and the history of Fortuna. The original owner, George Lansell, had very good taste, which is evident in the design of this home. The gardens and mature trees which frame the house, are magnificent. The restoration revealed some hidden elements, such as the Roman Baths and tunnels. Some later alterations and additions by the Army, (when Fortuna was the base for Survey and Maps divisions), concealed original features. Underneath, these remained largely intact. Due to Paul's persistence, commitment and vision, Fortuna is once again a Grand Old Victorian Lady. Wear comfy shoes as there's some walking involved, but it's worth it.
A 5 star hotel based at Fortuna will be open to the public in 2021.

What a fantastic way to celebrate my 60th birthday.
Thanks to Paul & Lisa for opening this to the public. "At the end of the day they just wanted somebody to love it" Yes, we
did!
A visit to Fortuna Villa is highly recommended

Went for high tea on wifes birthday with friends was very happy with what we had to eat and drink as well as a very informative tour of local history a great outing.

Fortuna Villa is amazing. After enjoying the High Tea we had a very interesting tour of this amazing old mansion. I highly recommend a visit here.

Fantastic venue for a special family birthday. We all enjoyed the food, the tour and the magnificent restoration. Just a bit of - hopefully helpful - feedback.
The High Tea started at 2 pm and we were all enjoying a drink and working our way through the local delicacies when we were suddenly told we would be leaving the room in 5 minutes and would not be allowed back in - that was around 3 pm. Strange! We sought clarification and it was confirmed - there was a lot of food left and the birthday cake had only just been brought out. Luckily Mrs Banks said that they would serve the cake after the tour in another room. We all felt that the meal was rushed, conversation cut short and drinks left behind with the food.
The tour with Shane was fun but too long; at the end of the tour some more snacks, drinks and some milling around (our party had the cake). Can I suggest that the high tea time be extended by about half an hour, the tour shortened and the drinks at the end would not be necessary at all. Failing that, it would be a good idea to inform all guests of the timing of the event, so that they know what to expect.

High Tea and tour of the property is a wonderful experience. It's been over 3 years since our last visit and the restoration is progressing well. Such interesting history surrounding this property.

This place is amazing. What a beautiful setting for a wedding. If you have a chance to do the tour I would highly recommend it as the history and stories are fantastic.