Autumn sees boutique hotel collection Mr & Mrs Smith head for the hills. Baby, it’s cold outside, so beat the autumn chill with a smoking-hot escape at High Country holiday house The Kilns, in Victoria’s picturesque north-east.

Situated at the edge of the Alpine National Park, and complete with wood-burning fires, sleek Italian furniture and cushioned window seats, these historic tobacco-drying shacks are the last word in cosy.

The sprawling mountain-fringed property offers a choice of two chic iron cottages – the two-bedroom Chinaman’s Kilnhouse and the three-bedroom Cavedon’s Kilnhouse – which are spaced far enough apart to afford privacy. In fact, you’re more likely to have the resident cows gazing in your window than any nosy neighbours.

Although we’re all for romantic weekends away, this rustic-luxe escape is even better with a group of friends (just be sure to bags the master bedroom in Cavedon’s, as its king-size bed and ensuite with spa bath make it the primo possie).

You’re smack-bang in the centre of one of the finest food and wine regions in Victoria, the High Country, with a covetable collection of smart restaurants, artisan producers and boutique wineries nearby. So, spend your days sourcing gourmet treats from the towns of Bright or Beechworth, before hitting the vineyards of the King Valley.

This Italian-accented region is home to six producers of Prosecco, Italy’s party-perfect sparkling wine, including Dal Zotto, Brown Brothers and Pizzini. These savvy cellar doors now offer everything from wine tastings and grazing plates to winery tours and cocktail masterclasses.

Once you’ve had your fill of bubbles and bocce, slink back to the Kilns and whip up a feast in the sleek kitchen before blissing out in front of the fire with a glass of Rutherglen muscat for cool-weather comfort at its best.

To book one of Mr & Mrs Smith’s stylish self-catering stays and hand-picked boutique hotels, visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the Travel Team on 1300 89 66 27, 24 hours a day, five days a week.