11 Luxury Escapes In NSW

Spoil yourself at a charming historic hotel, cool city pad or a seaside resorts. Check out these amazing luxury escapes in NSW.

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Cool city pads, golf course escapes, coastal getaways and bush retreats – here are some luxury escapes in NSW to pick for a real treat. Combine an old convent with a 125-year-old bank, former spa retreat for honeymooners and a what was once a basic campground and you have the recipe for the most memorable luxury escapes in NSW. 

At these unique luxury escapes, guests are invited to step back in time and relive the days where horse and buggy was the main form of transport. Then again, they will have access to wifi and other mod cons.

Luxury Escapes in NSW

Northern NSW

By Christina Pfeiffer

1- Mount Warning Estate – Tweed

nsw luxury escapes mount warning estate
NSW luxury farm escape at Mount Warning Estate.

Winter is the time to sink into the comfy leather couch at Mount Warning Estate, with a glass of red wine or local gin.

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What used to be a working dairy building has been thoughtfully transformed into a stylish one-bedroom cabin. The rural-chic decor creatively melds old and new, combining exposed brick with contemporary soft furnishings, rustic timber beams with shiny stainless-steel appliances.

The outdoor entertaining area has a gas barbeque, day bed and outdoor fire pit and is well set up for a fun evening around the campfire.

When the weather is colder or on rainy days, the kitchen has all the appliances needed to prepare a meal, including a woodburning stove with a pizza oven.

A unique feature of Mount Warning Estate is the outdoor bath, where you can soak in silence while gazing at mountain views.

Other mod-cons include smart tv and reverse-cycle air conditioning. In the bedroom, there’s a king-sized bed, fitted with an electric blanket, and the sofa in the living area unfolds to make up a second bed. The set up is perfect for a family of four.

Another reason to stay at Mount Warning Estate is that it’s located in the Tweed Valley, where there’s plenty to do including exploring quirky heritage towns, bushwalking and driving around tasting gelato, cheese and gin.

Mount Warning Estate is at the foothills of the Wollumbin National Park on a 120ha cattle farm in northern New South Wales. The farm also has an organic vegetable patch, 300 fruit trees and a small vineyard.

Don’t forget to take a look at the Bush Tucker Garden, which has hundreds of local plants that can be used in traditional bush tucker or for medicinal purposes.

Mt Warning Estate is at 953 Kyogle Road, Dum Dum, NSW. It’s a one-hour and forty-minute drive from Brisbane. Check out more luxury places to stay in the Tweed region here.

2- Byron at Byron Resort and Spa – Byron Bay

luxury escapes nsw byron bay
This lush luxury escape in NSW’s Byron Bay has a lovely forest backdrop.

Framed by a lush subtropical rainforest backdrop, Byron at Byron Resort and Spa is a luxurious escape in NSW to detox and rejuvenate. 

Take a walk through the rainforest, luxuriate in the spa, indulge in a fine feast and relax around the pool. 

It’s the perfect luxury escape to base yourself while discovering the charms of Byron Bay and Murwillumbah

Rooms at Byron Resort and Spa are light, bright and airy.

For an extra luxury stay book one of the Deluxe Spa Suites, which come with spa baths, separate lounge and dining areas, kitchens and balconies. 

NSW Coast

3- Bannisters Port Stephens

luxury escapes nsw bannisters port stephens
One of the newest luxury escapes in NSW is in Port Stephens.

Opened in September 2018, Bannisters Port Stephens is a luxury escape in NSW with spectacular ocean views.

Luxury suites are full of light and have spacious balconies.

One of the highlights of Bannisters is dining on a seafood feast in the chic contemporary Rick Stein restaurant while letting your eyes drink in stunning water views through the floor-to-ceiling glass. 

And if you do get bored of wining and dining there are plenty of things to do in Port Stephens and Newcastle isn’t too far away.

Check out the most up-do-date prices for Bannisters Port Stephens here and the company also has accommodation in Bannisters Mollymook.

4- Pretty Beach House – Central Coast

luxury escapes nsw pretty beach
A luxury escape in NSW that keeps on winning awards – Pretty Beach House.

This multiple award-winning boutique hotel is a small property with a big reputation. 

Pretty Beach House has three pavilions, each with private pools, and a penthouse above the main house, much of it handcrafted from decommissioned railway timber pylons dating back to 1883, local mud bricks and sandstone. 

The house and each of the accommodations (three freestanding pavilions with private pools and one penthouse above the main house, all with spectacular views) are elegantly styled by Sydney-based interior designer Michelle Leslie.

The creative Aboriginal workshops are a unique experience sharing Dreamtime stories of the land where Pretty Beach House was built and learning how to play the didgeridoo (yidaki) and clapsticks. 

City Escapes

5- QT Sydney

luxury escapes nsw sydney
QT is a city luxury escape in NSW.

In the heart of Sydney’s CBD, QT Sydney is a luxury escape in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. 

The transformation of the historic Gowings building and the State Theatre will appeal to admirers of quirky and cutting-edge design and art.

The experience is a delight to the sense, from the thought of sleeping in the first vertical shopping arcade in the country to the stylish avant-garde theatrical uniforms of the staff and the scent of Coco Chanel’s Chanel Chanel N°5 wafting through each room. 

For a truly luxurious escape in NSW, book the State Suite 1022 (formerly Sir Norman Rydge’s office) and enjoy a spa treatment in what was originally the original Gowings Barber Shop. 

QT Sydney is a cool choice for a luxurious escape right in the midst of vibrant Sydney

6- Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley

luxury escape nsw
One of the best luxury escapes in NSW has a rich history.

One of a handful of ultra-luxurious escapes in NSW, Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley captures the essence of country NSW in a luxurious package.

Located on one per cent of a 2600 ha (7,000-acre) nature reserve, this is a stylish upmarket escape for visitors wanting to be impressed by the NSW country life.

Go horse riding, star gazing or wildlife spotting (kangaroos and wallabies abound). 

The food is superb and the accommodation is in sumptuously decorated villas with plunge pools 

The valley is in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and rich in early settler and Aboriginal history (‘wolga’ is the world for the Old Man’s Beard vine growing around the region).

Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley is a truly stylish luxury escape to the country. 

7- Chateau Elan at The Vintage – Hunter Valley

luzuey escapes nsw golf
One of the best luxury escapes NSW for golfers is in the Hunter Valley wine region.

The main attraction at this NSW luxury escape is the Greg Norman golf course, appropriately named The Vintage, for its location in the Huner Valley wine region. 

Thankfully, non-golfers are also catered for at Chateau Elan with horse-riding (or horse-drawn carriage tours), balloon flights and helicopter tours.

For city distractions, this luxury escape is about an hour’s drive to Newcastle, which has lots to do

Of course, being in one of New South Wales’ premier wine regions, Chateau Elan at The Vintage is a luxurious escape in NSW for connoisseurs of fine wine. 

For more things to do in NSW, read:

Historic Luxury Escapes – NSW 

By Michael Smith

These luxury escapes are within a two-hour drive of Sydney. 

Also read:

8- The Hydro Majestic – Blue Mountains

hydro majestic hotel luxury escapes NSW
Step back into yesteryear at the Hydro Majestic in the Blue Mountains. It’s easy to see why this is one of the top luxury escapes in NSW.

For almost six years, the doors, gates and very much everything else had been bolted shut at what was once one of the most historic and famous holiday resorts in the Blue Mountains.

Much conjecture had been made on what future lay ahead for the grand Hydro Majestic Hotel.

Now that the retreat has been re-opened for more than two years, the answer is as clear as the brisk mountain air on a sunny winter’s morning.

With a fresh coat of paint and in the new ownership of the Escarpment Group which also has Lilianfels, Echoes and Parklands under its Blue Mountains umbrella, this heritage-listed hotel is well and truly back in business – in far better shape than ever before.

The Hydro Majestic’s mix of Art Deco and Edwardian style architecture – and the ornate late Victorian Italianate wedding cake-like roof – is matched by the same views of Megalong Valley which impressed such notable past guests as Dame Nellie Melba, Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Prime Minister Sir Edmund Barton and, in more recent times, actor Russell Crowe.

Step inside this NSW luxury escape and you will be impressed by a contemporary décor, which hasn’t detracted from the hotel’s historic roots.

Centrepiece – the Casino (meeting hall, not for gaming) – is a grand entry point for the Wintergarden fine dining restaurant, a magnet for the view of the valley as much as for its cuisine and day-time Hydro Majestic High Tea experience.

The hotel’s famous Cat’s Alley, linking the suites to the Casino, has been brightened up with new furnishings and oil paintings from famous department store owner Mark Foy’s personal collection.

It was Foy’s vision for a spa retreat in the Blue Mountains which led to the creation of the Hydro Pavilion so many decades ago.

These days the retreat’s Majestic Ballroom hosts regular weekend concerts, attracting such artists as James Morrison and Christine Anu.

One of the Hydro Majestic’s newest additions is the Pavilion, a cafe which also boasts shelves filled with local produce, intermixed with historic memorabilia such as old cash registers, advertising signs and even the familiar green uniforms worn by past staff.

Another addition to this luxury escape is the Salon Du restaurant which offers a refined Asian inspired menu and a range of cocktails and wines.

Across the car park from the pavilion is the old Boilerhouse, once responsible for providing power for much of Medlow Bath.

Today it’s a two-story casual restaurant, the menu Italian.

Guests are catered for in rooms of the Belgravia Wing, the site of the original Belgravia Hotel.

The attractively furnished and decorated rooms may be compact, but the large windows are rewarding for the view of the valley at first light – worth framing for the home.

BOOK HERE

9- Kim’s Beachside Retreat – Central Coast

kims beach hideaway - luxury escapes NSW
Kim’s beachfront villa is one of the loveliest luxury escapes in NSW at Long Beach.

Fronting the quiet Central Coast beach on Toowoon Bay, tucked away in a small rainforest beneath a canopy of century-old Norfolk Pines is Kims Beachside Retreat (one of the few family-owned and operated luxury escapes in NSW) that thrives on spoiling its guests.

From humble beginnings as a campground more than 130 years ago, this adults-only sanctuary attracts discerning couples seeking a romantic luxury escape from the city – in tranquil leafy surrounds.

Kims is plush without being formal, the casual buffet-style dining experience with its plentiful evening seafood, traditional hot dishes, an array of desserts and cheeses, and family-made conserves one of the luxury retreat’s prime drawcards.

kim's resort food - luxury escapes NSW
Kims Beachside Retreat has a seafood display at dinner to rival any of the most luxurious escapes in NSW.

The bungalows, villas and spa suites at this luxurious escape are tastefully decorated with immaculately polished timber floors and spacious Italian tiled bathrooms.

Understandably, under the ownership of long-time yachting enthusiast Andrew Strachan and his wife Maryjane and managers Diana and Peter Kershaw, Kims has nautical characteristics, from the giant mast decorated with flags of the guests’ nationalities to a ship’s bell, rung to signal meal times.

As any guest would vouch, it’s time to ignore the waistline when you holiday at Kims Beachside Retreat, which has earned its place is one of the top luxury escapes in NSW.

BOOK HERE

10- The Convent – Hunter Valley

convent hunter valley - luxury escapes nsw
Charming architecture at the Convent Hunter Valley puts it right up there in the running among the best luxury escapes in NSW.

It’s more than two decades ago and the ambitious plan was hatched to move a disused convent 600kms from country Coonamble to the winegrowing Hunter Valley.

Today, what was once the home to the Brigidine order of nuns is a boutique hotel for wine-loving guests seeking a truly memorable stay in luxurious surrounds.

Significantly, the main building was meticulously reconstructed and lovingly curated with lavish décor on a property which also had a slab cottage which dated back to 1876 and is today a very popular “farm to fork” award-winning restaurant known as Circa 1876.

NSW luxury escapes - the convent hunter valley
Circa 1876 restaurant belongs to one of the top luxury escapes in NSW.

With a tree-lined lane leading through the property past the acclaimed Pepper Tree Winery’s cellar door and its landscaped gardens, The Convent is the very essence of boutique retreat luxury.

Combine the ambience of a grand historic two-storey building with typical Australian country hospitality and you have a hotel worthy of manor status.

As many as 19 elegantly presented guest rooms and suites are featured both inside the original building and an adjacent single-storey dwelling.

The décor is of Baroque style with elements of the days gone by, hanging chandeliers and polished timber furniture featured in the lounge with its fireplace.

On the grounds is a private swimming pool along with tennis court and an area to play boules.

the convent hunter valley is a charming NSW luxury escape
One of the most charming luxury escapes in NSW is in the Hunter Valley.

Dining centres both on The Convent’s Restaurant Eighty-Eight, where breakfast is served and High Tea is fashionable on weekends, and Circa 1876, with its menu of modern Australian cuisine.

Executive chef Trent Barrett – not to be mistaken for the Manly Rugby League coach and former Australian star – is as passionate for the restaurant’s nearby private vegetable garden as he is for the kitchen, the use of organic produce a priority.

In addition to growing – and nurturing – a range of vegetables, herbs and spices, Trent is fond of the honey his bees produce along with the free-range chickens and quails for their eggs.

And to enjoy such a memorable dining experience is only a five-minute walk along the lane from The Convent.

BOOK HERE

11- Old Bank, Southern Highlands

luxury escapes nsw
Clockwise from top to bottom: Old Bank – front lounge; Old Bank – Mittagong; Old Bank – door to the vault

Derelict and in danger of being demolished as a dilapidated pigeon coop, a former stately bank in the heart of the Southern Highlands‘ Mittagong, has a new lease of life – 125 years since first opening.

Who would have thought an old bank would become one of the most elegant luxury escapes in NSW?

A seven-year restoration program by local heritage lovers Warwick and Barbara Wainberg has seen a dramatic transformation which combines mod cons with a window into a bygone era.

The Old Bank Boutique Hotel, as it is known, is now one of the finest historical buildings in the region south of Sydney, the welcome mat inviting guests to “withdraw from the present and deposit themselves in the genteel ambience and grandeur of yesteryear”.

Step inside and you will see walls decorated with images and artefacts from the pioneering days.

Behind the front room with its leather lounges and one of three of the hotel’s open fireplaces is the original door to the bank’s vault, converted into a wine cellar stocked with local wine.

luxury escapes nsw
Old Bank vault in the Old Bank.

As history has it the Victorian-Romanesque-styled property was built in Mittagong in 1892 as a branch of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney with the bank manager and his family living upstairs.

The building ended its career as a bank in the 1970s and fell into disrepair.

Thanks to the hard work and diligence of the Wainbergs, cash has once again been deposited into the bank and the original polished cedar staircase now leads to a number of holidaying guest rooms.

Behind the grand old building, original stables and a convict-built coach house have also been lovingly restored and converted into accommodation.

During restoration work, a collection of old pennies and halfpennies was unearthed to be on show with other artefacts uncovered during those seven years of toil.

BOOK HERE

Looking for more NSW escapes? Read:

10 Amazing Luxury Escapes – NSW

10 Amazing Luxury Escapes – NSW

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