The Central NSW town is about 210 kilometres northwest of Sydney, and hanging out in wine country, away from the big smoke, is hotter than ever right now. From dinky little pods to quirky cottages and contemporary lofts above cellar doors, here is the lowdown on the best luxury accommodation to book in Mudgee.
Wilgowrah Church was built in the 1920s, deconsecrated in the 1950s and abandoned until 2020 when the current owners engaged architect and heritage advisor Barbara Hickson to convert it to accommodation. They put their faith in the right place, as the Federation-era building has been beautifully realised, genuflecting back to its origins with its gothic windows and vaulted ceilings. The heritage-listed accommodation has already amassed quite the following, with everyone from oenophiles to romantics staying here as the perfect encapsulation of a visit to the country.
The private space is so light and airy and its proximity to Mudgee’s award-winning wineries an epiphany, nudging you outside to explore.
Be in close proximity to some of the best wineries in Mudgee.
What could be more memorable during a stay in Mudgee than hunkering down in the boutique Shed by Zin to bookend a day of wine tasting. There are plenty of noteworthy reasons to visit Lowe Family Wine Co. and staying in this contemporary Aussie shed is one of them.
The boutique studio accommodation is the ideal couple’s studio, with organic food and wine at your doorstep at the Lowe Family Wine Co property, which includes modern farmhouse restaurant, The Zin House. Stay here and you’ll get the full Mudgee experience.
The evident passion shown by owners Kim Currie and David Lowe, who tread lightly on this oh-so-painterly landscape.
The boutique studio accommodation is the ideal couple’s studio.
The Perry Street Hotel is one of the most charming places to stay in Mudgee. Housed within the historic 1862 Mechanics Institute, the iconic two-storey structure is a great example of Victorian architecture repurposed for 21st century living.
The boutique hotel is part of the Peppertree Hill Group and features 13 stunning suites that take their design cues from the colour and architecture of Berlin.
Swanning about in custom robe and slippers in the contemporary Perry Suite.
The Perry Street Hotel is one of the most charming places to stay in Mudgee. (Image: Destination NSW)
A weekend in Mudgee doesn’t get more immersive than when staying at in-vine accommodation at Yeates Wines.
The Gate House and Vine Loft both offer proximity to Yeates Wines’ newly constructed and award-winning cellar door, which is set in the middle of the historic vineyards; one is a mezzanine-style apartment, the other a smaller bedroom that sits above the cellar door. Pre-order a breakfast hamper to enjoy on the grounds the next morning when you step out your front door.
The revitalised vineyard is built around sustainable, ecologically sound principles.
A weekend in Mudgee doesn’t get more immersive than this. (Image: Yeates Vinestay)
Rosby Guesthouse has raised the bar in Mudgee when it comes to the ultimate luxury escape to the country. Spend the night in the stylish guesthouse lodged into the watercolour landscape near Mudgee and you will see the landscape change as the light shifts and the blanket of mist is pulled back to reveal the drama of a new day.
The homestead scores exceptionally well on all fronts: there’s the hand-crafted wines, the paddock-to-plate-style food, the artistic flourishes found in each stylish room and the sculpture garden designed to encourage visitors to soak up their surrounds. Sign up for an art workshop and make plans to return to the annual Sculptures in the Garden exhibition.
The rammed-earth Rosby Art Gallery designed by architect Cameron Anderson, which recently received three architecture awards including the prestigious James Barnet Prize.
Sample some of their hand-crafted wines. (Image: Destination NSW)
The terraced landscape around Mudgee becomes even more impressive when viewed from a wood-fired hot tub at Glenayr Farm. Base yourself in one of four luxury bell tents, the family-friendly Bunk House or Glenayr Farm Villa and you will be in a good position to explore nearby restaurants and wineries.
Walk the perimeter of this 130-hectare working farm and you will see far-off sheep, like balls of lint on a green blanket, making this the quintessential country escape.
That Glenayr Farm has been built 100 per cent off the grid and is near to Mudgee Observatory, one of the premier stargazing sites in Australia.
Base yourself in one of four luxury bell tents. (Image: Glenayr Farm)
A perfect weekend in one of NSW’s No.1 wine towns involves staying somewhere a little bit luxe. Sydneysiders in the know are onto the Wine Lover’s Den in Central West of NSW, booking out the luxury three-bedroom Airbnb in order to seek refuge from the city while enjoying the town’s epicurean delights.
Prepare a BBQ feast to enjoy around the large communal table with your complimentary bottle of Mudgee chardonnay and pray for a cold snap so you can light the wood-burning fireplace in the main lounge area.
The pops of colour from pink-potted hanging plants, the leafy outlook, and oversized bathtub perfect for wallowing in.
While Tiny Away houses Merlot and Chardonnay are technically located in Windeyer, half an hour’s drive from Mudgee, it matters not when your host offers personalised private wine tours as an added extra.
Throw a few doe-eyed alpacas into the mix and you will experience the Central West at its very best. Both of the compact homes on wheels are on the same property, so perfect for two couples. They feature a kitchenette, queen-sized bed in the loft and sofa bed on the ground floor. There is also a fire pit and outdoor jacuzzi.
The self-sufficient ‘compact homes on wheels’ are made with sustainable materials and feature waterless compost toilets, rainwater collection tanks for showers and solar panels.
The Tiny Away houses, Merlot and Chardonnay are definitely worth the drive.
Let us pray you will find a weekend available at The Church so you can book that much-fantasised-about romantic getaway. The Church was one of Mudgee’s early places of worship and the renovated rustic cottage is full of charm, cocooned as it is in leafy surrounds.
The self-contained accommodation, which was built in 1939, has access to a large in-ground swimming pool, tennis court and outdoor dining area that is very conducive to long lunches. Sleeps two.
That you can collect your own eggs from the chook yard.
Gawthorne’s Hut is everything we wish for and more for a weekend away in Mudgee. You will find awe-inspiring views from every angle in this cosy cottage, designed by award-winning local architect, Cameron Anderson, who is reinventing Mudgee, one sustainable design at a time.
After spending the day exploring Mudgee’s cellar doors, Gawthorne’s Hut is the perfect place to hole up in with the soothing minimalism of the hut offset with exposed bricks and warm timber tones and softened by the blue-hued foreground of Mt Frome.
The handmade furniture, the use of recycled bricks sourced from Wilgowrah property’s original Gawthorne Hut and that contemporary reimagining of old and new.
Gawthorne’s Hut is the perfect place to hole up in with the soothing minimalism of its design. (Image: Amber Creative)
The Mudgee Homestead Guesthouse draws on the character of the Federation era, with everything from its décor to its dimensions. Positioned on the flanks of Mt Buckaroo, overlooking the Mudgee Valley, the homestead is one of the best places to stay in Mudgee with rooms as cosy as a wombat’s burrow. You will feel like you’ve pressed rewind at the sprawling homestead, which has seven guest rooms, a formal dining room, fireside lounge, billiards room and guest tearoom.
The Frenzied Fox wines produced from the property’s vineyard, which you can enjoy alongside a four-course feast prepared by head chef Janelle Bull.
The homestead is one of the best places to stay in Mudgee.
The heritage listed Wilgowrah homestead is also home to Tom’s Cottage, which was originally built as a bachelor pad for Thomas Mills, one of the original owners of the property.
As with all the Wilgowrah brand’s outposts, the details in the cottage are subtle, but utterly elevated. Today, the cottage continues to facilitate romantic weekends and you will feel that warm embrace the minute you step foot on the property, which has a sun-soaked deck, wood-burning kitchen stove, and fire pit purpose-built for stargazing.
The fact that the owner’s Jack Russell terrier, Birch, also has ownership over Tom’s Cottage and is likely to pop in for a pat.
After spending the day spiralling around the countryside visiting the best cellar doors in Mudgee, you can switch off and completely unwind in one of three luxurious eco tents at Evamor Valley.
The three tents are all celebrations of the landscape: stay in Merindah for views of the dam and jetty; Karri, which is hidden amid a grove of eucalyptus trees or Cardina, where you can enjoy watching the first rays of sunlight paint the sky buttercup. The eco structures, which each accommodate two guests and feature plush king beds, a private kitchenette and en suite, are located just minutes from Mudgee’s CBD.
That there’s no TV or wi-fi here, but there are maps designed to encourage guests to explore the working farm.
Unwind in one of three luxurious eco tents at Evamor Valley.
If there was a poster property for Destination NSW’s #FeelNew, #FeelNSW campaign it would have to be Strikes Mudgee. At the heart of the campaign is the concept that a visit to NSW is not just about the destination, it’s about how it makes you feel. And from where we’re sitting, on the deck of Strikes 1 looking over the Lucerne flats of Bunnamagoo Estate, we’re feeling all the feels.
The two contemporary cottages have been designed to allow guests to reconnect with nature and with each other. Book a private inhouse yoga session and pilates class, enjoy a signature massage, read a book undisturbed, and simply enjoy the intimacy, privacy and quiet of the picturesque Eurunderee Valley.
The quality linen, luxurious throws, louvred windows, and views over the undulating landscape.
The contemporary cottages have been designed to allow guests to reconnect with nature.
The country is calling. Can you feel it? Sierra Escape was designed to give guests a deeper connection to the landscape. Attached to the hills outside Mudgee, the premier and award-winning luxury glamping tents are attached to a raised deck with nature on the doorstep.
Stay in Sierra Escape’s Alkira tent to take advantage of the outdoor freestanding tub.
As Mudgee’s first glamping accommodation provider, Sierra Escape has won a plethora of state and national awards for its five tents, which offer different levels of luxury. Our pick is the premium Alkira, which has an outdoor freestanding tub where you can soak under a star-lit sky.
The indulgent foodie experiences on offer, the fire pits, exquisite panoramic views and eco-friendly approach with the comforts of a high-end, luxury hotel.
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It appears that these are aimed at couples. However, if you’re looking at luxury accommodation for groups, you should consider Tyalla Lodge, Common Rd Mudgee & Luxury Living, both by Innkeeper Mudgee. Both properties are extremely well appointed & welcoming.
I say, whilst holidaying at Mudgee several times over many years, I’ve discovered
unmatched hospitality at the Homestead Guesthouse. By good fortune I’ve become acquainted with the founding family, whose patriarch is a source of opinions balancing serious analysis with an equal
amount of humorous observation.