Cosy retreats don’t get more idyllic than these cabins in the Blue Mountains.
Regardless of the season, a cabin in the Blue Mountains will provide a perfect change of scene. Now you’ve scoped out which town you’d like to stay in, here are some of our favourite Blue Mountains cabin options to rent when you need to escape the city to a nature-ensconced retreat.
1. Cuyong Cottage, Katoomba
This charming Federation cottage has a modern, minimalist interior with all-white and wood décor, pretty stained glass windows and French doors that open onto a flower-filled garden. The home offers space for six adults, has a back porch for barbecues and offers all the amenities you’d expect from a Superhost. If you love to cook, Cuyong Cottage has a dreamy kitchen and vegetable garden. As well as being within a cooee of Katoomba’s Echo Point, the cottage is within walking distance of restaurants, bars and pubs.
2. MontPierre Mountain Cottage in Kurrajong Heights
This is one of the most character-filled Blue Mountains’ cabins we’ve seen on Airbnb. It’s a riot of colour and personality that is at once quirky, comfortable and cosy. Enter through an antique garden gate to access MontPierre Mountain Cottage, which is tucked away in the picturesque village of Kurrajong Heights. Outside, you’ll find a wood-fired pizza oven, day bed, outdoor bathtub and private guest terrace with regional views.
3. Eco Woolshed, Blackheath
This rustic Eco Woolshed cabin manages to avoid cringy Australiana tchotchkes even though it has accents that have a distinctly Aussie twang. For instance, although there’s an inordinate amount of corrugated iron and timber in use, the architecturally designed eco cabins still manage to be bright and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows that open out onto a deck with dreamy views. There are just two eco cabins on the 100-hectare property, which looks out over the blue-hued mountains and bony escarpment that backdrops Blackheath.
4. Piccolino, Wolgan Valley
Although it’s tiny in stature, Piccolino punches above its weight in terms of its location and amenities. In fact, the private retreat maximises its footprint by squeezing in as much amenity as it can into a small space, which encourages guests to focus on those expansive bush views. Proximity to local attractions is another draw as the property is near to a glow worm tunnel, Newnes Ruins and ancient Indigenous rock art at Mayingu Marragu. The artfully styled tiny house has a fire pit and more than 40 hectares of land to explore on foot or by bike.
5. The Dream Cabin
The Dream Cabin looks like it might have been designed by Dr. Seuss. Blending corrugated iron with polished concrete and rustic timber beams, the whimsical light-filled cabin also features a hanging chair and ceiling festooned with fairy lights. The Dream Cabin has an outside shower and separate bath house with a hot tub and views over Bowen’s Creek Gorge from the lofted bedroom, which is accessed via a ladder. Enjoy a walk to Bowen’s Creek or kick off your shoes and curl up by the fireplace.
6. Cooee Cottage, Katoomba
Cooee Cottage is the definition of dinky. And if we were to judge it on its exterior alone, the diminutive dwelling with wrap-around verandah would be given a gold star. The 112-year-old weatherboard residence looks like it has been dipped in Dulux Emerald Delight, a colour that is coded complimentary to the surrounding greenery. The Katoomba cottage is in a quiet setting not far from the train station and town centre and the option to light a fire in cooler weather is a welcome extra. It’s a very homey vibe indeed.
7. Logan Brae Retreats, Megalong Valley
The Machinery Shed on the Shipley Plateau regularly ranks in the Top 3 most wish-listed Airbnbs in Australia.
As one of four luxury accommodation options at Logan Brae Retreats, one of the biggest selling points of the tastefully restored machinery shed is its eye-catching design followed by the fact it’s located on a 100-year-old working apple orchard. Fight for who gets first dibs on the outdoor treetop tub, which is hidden amid the trees and the perfect place to unwind.
8. Cloud Parade, Katoomba
This Katoomba house is blessed with great natural light. But the real bonus at Cloud Parade is the view over the Three Sisters and Mt Solitary. The designer home, which is set on a bony ridge of the iconic escarpment, is also in the flight path of passing clouds. Pick up a copy of The Cloud Collector’s Handbook so you have an excuse to stay glued to the lounge near the fireplace in the living room to identify every cloud that floats by and tick them off your checklist. Extra points are awarded for anoraks who spot the oh-so-rare mammatus.
9. Nungaroo Cottage, Bilpin
Grab your nearest flannelette-clad faux lumberjack and make them earn their stripes by chopping firewood for the combustion fire that is at the heart of this classic timber slab mountain retreat. Guests keen to relax indoors can crawl into the lofted bed at Nungaroo Cottage which is encircled by cool-climate gardens and quiet bushland. The owners of Nungaroo Cottage are Bilpin’s very own Dr Dolittles and there is all manner of animals — including rescue horses and donkeys – that will give you a sneak peek of the rural idyll.
10. The Hilltop Cabin, Kanimbla Valley
Be the envy of all your friends by being the first to book a weekend in The Hilltop Cabin , which has flung open its doors from its lofty position on the highest point of the Kanimbla Valley.
Picture this: a private mineral healing plunge pool off the cabin deck; a cargo net hammock to wallow in; a stone bath with sweeping views and an open fire.
The cabin is modelled on a traditional American log cabin, albeit with luxurious touches. Use the cabin as a base to explore the landscape which is home to kangaroos, wombats, and wallabies.
