04 July 2024
13 mins Read
The best Kangaroo Valley accommodation is designed with the destination in mind. Be it a boutique hotel or a winery that will allow for a fabulous foodie weekend, here is our guide to the best places to stay in the Kangaroo Valley that will keep you ensconced in the NSW countryside.
Home cooks will find themselves filled with genuine inspiration in the kitchen at Kangaroo Valley Luxury Farmhouse Braebrook. The kitchen in the charming original weatherboard cottage has a sunny nook for breakfast, and spills out into a dining area and wraparound deck.
The interiors are like a work of art that makes every moment feel special. Sit outside and admire a magnolia tree said to be Australia’s oldest. Lounge, limbs askew, on the day bed and stroll around the manicured gardens plotting your permanent escape to the country. The house accommodates nine people, and has a gas-burning stove, a large outdoor area and a barbecue.
Best for: Staying put in an idyllic and tranquil setting.
Address: 5 Battys Road, Upper Kangaroo River
It’s Wildes by name, and Wildes by nature. This dreamy 23-room boutique is a cosy little nest in the actual village of Kangaroo Valley (population 850), in the heart of the Southern Highlands.
Built around a main sandstone building, the Wildes Boutique Hotel nods to the natural beauty that surrounds it. The pooch-friendly hotel has a pool, which is a pleasant spot to relax on a sunny afternoon and a dedicated dining room.
There are also a range of versatile function spaces for families and friends celebrating a special occasion.
Best for: Those who want a romantic weekend away in Kangaroo Valley.
Address: 152 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley
It’s by design that golf courses are usually found in stunning locations. And if you are looking to book accommodation in Kangaroo Valley with a golf course then the Kangaroo Valley Golf & Country Retreat should be top of mind.
Choose between one-and two-bedroom cabins and villas, a two- or three-bedroom Deluxe Villa or a state-of-the-art two- or three-bedroom Superior Deluxe Villa. Walking around the carpeted hillocks with the towering escarpments all around is undeniably beautiful.
Best for: A golfing holiday with great views across Kangaroo Valley.
Address: 391 Mt Scanzi Rd, Kangaroo Valley
Barranca is all about the elements. Located at the edge of an escarpment, bathed in a honeyed light in the early afternoon, the four architecturally designed villas are peppered around a private 404-hectare property in the picturesque Kangaroo Valley.
The aesthetically rich villas are made from a mosaic of native Australian timbers and upcycled sandstone and provide the perfect place to kick back after a day hiking to nearby Fitzroy Falls or exploring the rolling farmland. Nobody ever stumbles across this Kangaroo Valley accommodation, which makes it feel like a secluded oasis.
Best for: Dashing off to explore the countryside and then retreating to your villa.
Address: 408 Bunkers Hill Road, Kangaroo Valley
Black Star is the kind of place that inspires guests to sit back and breathe deeply. The luxury accommodation in the Kangaroo Valley is framed by a backdrop of the rugged ridges of the Barrengarry Mountain. And a stay here provides a taste of what it must be like to engineer a treechange.
The accommodation is a contemporary take on a traditional barn with soaring ceilings and windows for walls that frame the views of the valley below and the mountain beyond.
The idea of the luxury dwelling, which sits on two hectares, is to choose your own adventure according to the seasons. Sit by the log fire in winter or swan around by the pool over summer.
Best for: Entertaining friends in the chef’s kitchen.
Address: Paddington Lane, Kangaroo Valley.
There are beds of tended gardens filled with native flora and a large rampage of forest all around for those who want to fully enjoy the local foliage in Kangaroo Valley. Holiday Haven attracts a steady flow of visitors who are not inclined to rush off elsewhere; it’s here in the green folds of the valley they want to be.
The staff are sociable and friendly, and the accommodation is diverse enough to suit a range of visitors and budgets. You will find couples strolling in solitude. Extended families taking advantage of the BBQ facilities. And adventurous teens paddling up and down the nearby Kangaroo River. Holiday Haven is one of the best spots for camping in the Kangaroo Valley, too.
Best for: Families who appreciate having affordable, comfortable cabins near a playground.
Address: 5 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley
Accessing wilderness walks from the front door of your villa at Amaroo Valley Springs is one of the greatest luxuries of a stay at the Kangaroo Valley accommodation. Follow the, ahem, udderly cute cow-shaped signs to this five-star adults-only retreat sitting pretty on 64 hectares of farmland.
All up, there are three boutique villas that sleep four adults and look to nature for ideas, forms and materials that enhance the living environment. The villas are both farm stay and luxury retreat in equal parts.
Best for: Birdwatchers who will appreciate spotting lyrebirds, owls, eagles, parrots and swallows.
Address: 260 Bunkers Hill Road, Kangaroo Valley
Hardcore #cottagecore fans will love the four luxury Kangaroo Valley cottages at Crystal Creek Meadows, which feel like you’ve stepped into a Country Style shoot. The elegant cottages have well-placed lamps for reading. Sofas to sink into. Log fires. Country-chic kitchens. And lavender-scented gardens to look out onto. Forget digital fun. Think board games, charades and apples in the orchard. The cottages are an essay on subtle hues so as not to compete with the colour from the curtains of greenery all around.
Best for: Conscious travellers who appreciate the Advanced Ecotourism Certified rating.
Address: 1655 Kangaroo Valley Road
Soaking in a hot tub under a vast ceiling of stars is a vibe. And it’s one that screams ‘take me to the country or lose me forever’. This romantic retreat manages to nurture the nostalgia of the 1970s Aframe with furniture that retains some of the textures of the surrounding forest.
The Ben Gray Architect-designed retreat was constructed from telegraph poles that once lined a suburban Sydney street. The seven-metre tall windows on the north side of the house face the escarpment and have the wow factor of waterfall views.
Best for: Engaging the senses both indoors and outdoors. And, hands down, hanging in the hot tub.
Address: Barrengarry
Sky Ridge is part of the carefully curated collection of homes managed by Kangaroo Valley Escapes. It’s just the place to perch and feel pampered while on a road trip to the NSW wilderness. The two-storey black barn is a marvel of steel, glass and polished concrete with elevated views over the rumpled folds of the valley.
Wildlife at the property is abundant with echidnas, birds, possums, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats all likely to make cameos during your stay. Architect Alexander Michael designed the off-grid home, which sleeps eight, on the slopes of Mt Scanzi, and it abuts a pocket of pristine bushland.
Best for: Those dedicated to doing a digital detox in the country.
Address: 679a Mt Scanzi Rd, Kangaroo Valley.
Who doesn’t love a bit of #cottagecore? The aesthetic that celebrates simple living is so popular it was one of the Macquarie Dictionary’s words of the year in 2020. Despite being in the heart of Kangaroo Valley village, the cute-as Scribbles Cottage is whisper quiet and smells of expensive scents and candles.
Curl up near the log fire while listening to the soundtrack of the Kangaroo River rushing past. Or Channel Donna Hay and pull together a grazing table to enjoy on the large deck which boasts beautiful river views. The light-filled renovated original settler’s cottage is just a short hop away from the iconic Hampden Bridge.
Best for: Group getaways for those who like to entertain.
Address: 15 Cullen Crescent, Kangaroo Valley
You might expect Kevin McCloud, the host of Grand Designs, to round the corner and start narrating the back story of these renovated milking sheds, which have been transformed into luxury accommodation using reclaimed and recycled materials.
Insta-braggers should definitely film the moment when you fling open the French doors to the al fresco dining area, which is covered by pretty clusters of lavender-purple wisteria.
The Dairy at Broger’s End, which was one of the OG dairy milking sheds in the Upper Kangaroo River, sleeps up to four people and includes a fireplace, outdoor bathtub and well-appointed kitchen. Complete the country experience by collecting free range eggs from the chickens for breakfast.
Best for: Families who want to experience life on a working farm with cows and chickens.
Address: 4 Battys Road, Upper Kangaroo Valley
Planning to elope in Kangaroo Valley with 10 of your closest friends in tow? You will have the run of Robinson’s Run when you book out this contemporary country manor for the weekend. Located on a crook of a creek that runs through the property, Robinson’s Run is an ode to the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that is so suited to the Australian climate.
The different living areas all open up to the elements, making for a stay that is so Instagrammable that it has its own hashtag. Deploy #robinsonsrunkv when you’re bunkered down in this luxury holiday accommodation in Budgong, Kangaroo Valley.
Best for: Keen walkers who want to explore the trails that follow the course of the creeks on the property.
Address: 165 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley
Planning a 50th birthday party? You will have room for your entire entourage to stay when you book the luxury Lake David Luxury Lake House, which looks out over Lake Yurrunga. The 16-hectare finger of land is just 20 minutes outside of the village of Kangaroo Valley.
Call Henry Clive Caravan Bar to get the party started while you take advantage of the fully equipped country kitchen for inspiration. The property, which is about two and a half hours from both Sydney and Canberra, has a full-sized tennis court, heated pool, eight-person jacuzzi, spa, sauna and games room.
Best for: Lovers of nature: the real star of the show here is the glistening lake and towering escarpment.
Address: 903B Jacks Corner Road, Kangaroo Valley
Kangaroo Valley is a paradise for foodies. And the owners of this working farm have created paddock-to-plate experiences that read like a love letter to the land. A stay at Terrewah Farm is all about education with everything from courses on home composting to soil testing.
Although there are many on-farm experiences on offer, you can also just bunker down in Budderoo House, an architecturally designed gem that has breathtaking views of the valley. Carrialoo is also located on the farm and is crisscrossed with bush trails, making it one of the best Kangaroo Valley Airbnbs.
Best for: Those who want to learn more about where their food is from.
Address: 293 Tallowa Dam Road, Kangaroo Valley
A stay at Cally Mill Farm checks a lot of boxes when it comes to weekends away in the Kangaroo Valley. The brand-new architecturally designed four-bedroom, five-bathroom home sits on a 20-hectare parcel of land that is oriented toward those valley views. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill farm stay.
The luxury retreat has a central living area with vaulted ceilings and a master bedroom with its own wing that even has its own private outdoor bathtub. A getaway to this luxury farm stay in the Kangaroo Valley ensures a healthy dose of fresh country air with a wealth of nearby landmarks within walking distance.
Best for: Finding peace in the countryside away from the chaos of the city.
Address: 155 Tallowa Dam Rd, Kangaroo Valley
Travellers can stay in a caravan, self-contained cabin or villa or camping site when they book a stay at Kangaroo Valley Glenmack Park. The campground is near the village of Kangaroo Valley, with great restaurants and cosy pubs on the doorstep.
City slicker families will love the fact their children can pet the resident animals such as Harvey the horse, Mikey the pony and alpacas Bambi, Yoda and Chewy. The park has a resort-size swimming pool, mini golf and large children’s playground too.
Best for: A family getaway for the weekend.
Address: 215 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley
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