Crowne Plaza Terrigal: The perfect seaside escape

By Kassia Byrnes
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Crowne Plaza Terrigal offers a family-friendly beachside escape in perfect style. Here’s everything to know before you book your stay.

Terrigal is the perfect setting for a laid-back flop-and-drop getaway. The beach is long, the waves are gentle, the stores are cute and the food offerings are plentiful. Right in the middle of the action, sits the striking, 4.5-star Crowne Plaza Terrigal. Its understated elegance embraces and elevates the relaxed beachside feel, and the staff welcomes guests with warm and genuine smiles.

Perfect for families looking for some bonding time (and plenty of activities to keep young ones occupied), couples looking for a romantic getaway, or groups of friends wanting to hit the bars.

bedroom view at Crowne Plaza Terrigal

Inside or out, the view is unbeatable. (Image: Ryan Linnegar)

Location

The location of Crowne Plaza Terrigal really is its shining star. Right next to the heart of Terrigal on New South Wales’ Central Coast, you can barely even call the few steps it takes to reach the beach, or the many restaurants and cafes of this suburb, a walk. Not that you can’t turn it into a beautiful coastal walk if you choose to walk further on to the famous Skillion cliff in one direction, or along the water to Wamberal on the other.

aerial shot of Crowne plaza terrigal beach

Flop-and-drop with a Crowne Plaza Terrigal getaway.

As for Terrigal itself, just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, it’s a suburb that has really been booming in recent years. It’s become one of the happening places to visit on the Coast for seaside dining and/or drinks. You’ll find options that are as casual or as fine dining as you wish your occasion to be with pubs and cafes right next to bars and restaurants.

The beach here tends to be a calmer one, making it good for swimming. Plus there’s an ocean pool and heaps of rocks at the end of the sand for kids to play around.

view from inside a wave on terrigal beach

Take a dive into the calm waters of Terrigal Beach. (Image: Destination Central Coast)

Style and character

Elevated but easy, breezy beach vibes are definitely the order of the day here. With bright, crisp whites trimmed with marble, gold and wood. Crowne Plaza Terrigal has been a local icon for decades, but it still feels fresh and modern, especially once you step inside. The lobby feels quite grand, with a central spiral staircase and a very high roof.

We’ve caught them on a very busy weekend, the first weekend that really feels like summer. So service is a little on the slow side. Despite that, it’s also some of the friendliest service you’ll ever experience.

pacific king room at Crowne Plaza Terrigal

Relax into a colour scheme accentuating breezy beach vibes.

Facilities

The pool here is amazing, especially for anyone who has ever wished to swim at the beach without dealing with all the sand. It looks out to the ocean and is just elevated enough that you can’t see the

There’s a gym, multiple in-house restaurants, a kids play room and special school holiday kids programs.

pool at Crowne Plaza Terrigal

Watch the beach as you relax by the hotel pool. (Image: Ryan Linnegar)

Rooms

Crowne Plaza Terrigal has 199 guest rooms and suites, all with balconies overlooking the outdoor heated swimming pool and outwards to the beach.

We stayed in the large Pacific Suite, complete with a king-sized bedroom, entrance hall, spacious dining and lounge room and a large wrap-around balcony, perfect for catching the sunrise in the morning and enjoying sundowners in the afternoon. The bathroom alone is the size of a small Sydney studio. It screams minimalist elegance, with wide floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the panoramic view and the light.

living room in the pacific king suit Crowne Plaza Terrigal

Spread out in the Pacific Suite.

Food and drink

There are several restaurant and in-room dining options here. Meribella is the upscale offering, with a charming bar attached for a pre-dinner cocktail and a curated degustation menu available. If you do book, add the wine pairing – the passionate sommelier makes it fun and keeps the wine selection unique and interesting. In the morning, Meribella becomes the sight of a buffet breakfast for guests.

meribella dishes at Crowne Plaza Terrigal

Feast on a tasty, curated degustation menu. (Image: Kitti Gould)

Downstairs, Terrigal Beach House offers a fun and funky pub with great views. Perfect for a drink or pub grub. If you don’t want to leave the comfort of your room, there’s an extensive in-room dining menu, or wander down to the pool and order a poolside menu at The Deck.

To be completely honest, the food is absolutely top-notch, but the service was incredibly slow at every venue and even when ordering in-room dining ahead of time. The good news is, that you’re right next door to Terrigal’s incredibly diverse food offerings and range of bars to suit your vibe – whether you’re ordering a pizza to take back to your room or enjoying a modern fine dining experience.

Terrigal Beach House

Enjoy a more relaxed setting at Terrigal Beach House.

Does Crowne Plaza Sydney have access for guests with disabilities?

All Crowne Plaza Sydney levels are accessed via a lift, making rooms and restaurants easily accessible.

Is Crowne Plaza Sydney family-friendly?

Absolutely. Families with young kids won’t be alone among the guests here. The pool area includes a smaller paddle pool, there’s a kid’s playroom with games like foosball and special school holiday kids programs. Rooms are spacious with plenty of room for families, and the breakfast buffet caters to even fussy eaters.

Details

Address: Pine Tree Ln, Terrigal NSW

Best for: Families and couples

Price: From $260

Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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    This boutique hotel on the Bouddi Peninsula with its own award-winning restaurant and recently added luxury lodges is the perfect retreat.

    Bells at Killcare on the NSW Bouddi Peninsula is a world-class retreat with dreamy rooms, luxury lodges, a day spa, bakery, vibrant restaurant and hectares of tranquil gardens. Owned by husband-and-wife team Karina and Brian Barry, who bought the stylish retreat from Australian entrepreneur John Singleton in 2017, Bells at Killcare offers all the charm and sophistication you want from a five-star coastal break.

    The addition of The Lodges at Bells at Killcare in 2023 upped the ante further with four luxurious tri-level lodges offering an elevated stay on par with nearby sister property and Luxury Lodge of Australia, Pretty Beach House.

    The location

    a group of friends exploring the Bouddi Coastal Walk, Central Coast

    The Central Coast is home to the scenic Bouddi Coastal Walk.

    The Central Coast, just an hour’s drive north of Sydney, has evolved to become an incredibly accessible and beautiful seaside destination where some seriously sophisticated retreats, luxury places to stay and vibrant dining options have sprung up over the years.

    The Bouddi Peninsula is located at the southern tip of the Central Coast, across from Sydney’s northernmost suburb, Palm Beach, and is dotted with high-end holiday destinations such as Macmasters Beach, Pretty Beach, Patonga and Killcare.

    Bells at Killcare

    Lodges feature a heated magnesium pool, two outdoor double day beds and a dining area.

    This is the spiritual heart of the Central Coast – Bouddi means heart in local Aboriginal languages – and there is evidence of rock carvings and middens found in numerous locations around the area’s idyllic national parks.

    Pack walking shoes and swimmers as, all up, there are seven pristine beaches and many spectacular walking trails that wind around the coastal headland at Killcare. You can also take the scenic route and visit the sleepy, picturesque seaside villages of Pretty Beach, Hardys Bay and Killcare itself, where Bells isn’t. (It’s located up the hill at Killcare Heights.)

    The accommodation

    The Bells at Killcare bedroom interiors in Central Coast, NSW, Australia

    Cottages and suites have an easy-breezy Hamptons aesthetic. (Image: Dom Cherry)

    Bells at Killcare boutique hotel comprises a series of suites and cottages set in landscaped gardens. Kitted out with Ralph Lauren furnishings in a palette of beachy blue and white with signature striped awnings, they embody a coastal-chic Hamptons aesthetic that will have you in holiday mode from the moment you check in.

    Deluxe two-storey cottages, one-bedroom cottages, lakeview villas, garden villas and king suites are designed for two people, while the two-bedroom cottages are perfect for families and groups of four.

    Bells at Killcare

    Rooms in the lodges channel the tones of their bushland surrounds.

    Four tri-level, two-bedroom luxury lodges in a separate bushland setting on site are the latest addition to Bells at Killcare’s variety of accommodation options.

    The Lodges

    the pool deck at Bells at Killcare

    Spend your days relaxing at your own private pool when you check into a lodge.

    In 2023, Bells at Killcare added another feather to its cap with the addition of four luxurious, architecturally-designed lodges. The design departs from the rest of the property’s Hamptons aesthetic and tunes into the local environment instead with natural tones, textures and design details that reflect the surrounding coastal angophora canopy.

    Each lodge is split over three levels.

    On the ground floor, two bedrooms each with its own en suite and balcony are rendered in a calming palette of stone and foliage tones.

    Bells at Killcare

    The lodge’s spa-like bathrooms boast underfloor heating, rain shower and a free-standing tub.

    Bathrooms boast underfloor heating, rain shower and a free-standing tub as well as access to your lodge’s private magnesium pool, complete with day beds and barbecue area.

    The second level opens up to a generous open-plan dining and living area, with fully equipped kitchen and comfortable lounge area with a fireplace for the cooler months, large-screen TV and sliding doors that lead to a wraparound terrace.

    two women hanging out at the sunset deck of Bells at Killcare

    Soak up the view from the sunset deck – the centrepiece of each lodge.

    The pièce de résistance of each lodge is a third-level Sunset Deck that lets you drink in views over Pittwater, Palm Beach and the Hawkesbury River. Best served with pre-dinner snacks and a sundowner of your choice delivered daily to the lodge.

    Thoughtful touches abound in the lodges: from the well-stocked bar and pantry full of local goodies to the fresh-baked bread and choice of newspaper left in a basket by your front door every morning.

    The Lodges are fully serviced, and all-inclusive packages can include concierge service and nightly turndown, breakfast and dinner at The Wild Flower Bar & Dining (see below), two-course lunch or barbecue pack delivered to your door or an explorer’s backpack lunch for days you’re exploring Bouddi National Park, and local transfers to the beach and walking trails.

    All delivered with laid-back, friendly professionalism by staff passionate about showing off this beautiful pocket of NSW.

    The food

    THE POOL BAR

    the pool bar, Bells at Killcare

    The pool bar is an ‘honesty’ bar where guests can pour their own drinks.

    Bells at Killcare has a garden bar and poolside service so that you can enjoy a cocktail and oysters al fresco as well as an honesty bar tucked into a dinky 1950s caravan where guests can pour their own drinks.

    The relaxed pool area, tucked into a private corner of the property, also follows the Hamptons theme, with blue-and-white umbrellas and lounges.

    ONSITE BAKERY

    Freshly baked croissants available at Bells Bakery in Central Coast, NSW, Australia

    Bells Bakery produces freshly baked pastries and artisan sourdough daily. (Image: Dom Cherry)

    There’s also a beautiful bakery and larder onsite, which turns out freshly baked pastries and artisan sourdough and offers both guests and locals the chance to pick up picnic goodies to take away or back to their cottage or lodge.

    THE WILD FLOWER BAR & DINING

    The Wild Flower Bar and Dining Restaurant at Bells at Killcare in Central Coast, NSW, Australia

    The Wild Flower Bar & Dining is inspired by the theme: Bouddi by the Sea. (Image: Dom Cherry)

    The onsite restaurant, The Wild Flower Bar & Dining, has been shaped by culinary director Cameron Cansdell. Menus are guided by the idea of ‘food of the sun’ – from the Med to Morocco – and harness produce from the property’s own kitchen gardens, chooks and beehives as well as from local NSW suppliers and growers.

    The restaurant interiors commissioned Kate Swinton wallpaper and cushions and framed etchings of native flora. The light fittings that feature so prominently in the dining room are also woven from local Killcare grasses by local artist Lee Cavendar.

    The main dining room here is on the balcony, which overlooks the beautiful, manicured grounds and, thanks to floor-to-ceiling louvres, has an al fresco feel.

    The wine list is also extensive with a globe-trotting mix of international – particularly Italian – and local wines.

    The day spa

    a woman relaxing at the Bells Day Spa

    Rejuvenate both your body and mind at the Bells Day Spa. (Image: Dom Cherry)

    Another drawcard at Bells at Killcare is Bells Day Spa, a stylish sanctuary that is anchored to the garden and thoughtfully designed with warmth and intimacy in mind.

    The day spa is hugely popular for its botanical iKOU products, which are used in treatments such as the Mindful Wellness Ritual, which involves both a massage and a facial.

    Its bespoke beauty and bathroom products are hand-made exclusively for Bells at Killcare and include a beautiful high-end signature candle (in collaboration with Lumira), Botanical Shampoo & Conditioner, hand wash and hand lotion, which are all available for purchase.

    The beach is not far away, and there’s magnificent hiking around the Bouddi National Park. That’s if you can bear to tear yourself away.

    Does Bells at Killcare have access for guests with disabilities?

    The Garden Suite has ramp access and a rail and seat in the shower. 

    Is Bells at Killcare family-friendly?

    Bells at Killcare makes an ideal family break. Children over 13 can be accommodated in any room type across the property. Children under 13 are welcome in the lodges and in the two-bedroom cottages.  

    Details

    the outdoor lounge at Bells at Killcare

    Escape to this scenic hideaway on the Central Coast.

    Best for: Couples, families and groups looking for a luxe coastal getaway close to Sydney with all the bells and whistles.   

    Address: 107 The Scenic Road, Killcare Heights

    Cost: All-inclusive packages at The Lodges start from $750 per person per night for four guests and $1200 per person per night for two guests (minimum two-night stay). Children under 13 stay free of charge.

    Or opt for the Bed & Breakfast Package, at $2000 per night for four people.

    Guests checking into The Lodges during the cooler months can take advantage of a Winter Stay3Pay2 offer: stay three nights in June, July or August for $4000 for a family of four, including daily gourmet breakfast, delivered drinks and canapés to lodge each afternoon and VIP nightly turndown. Perfect for July school holidays.

    Rates for cottages and suites start at $527 per night for two people, including gourmet breakfast.

     

    Need more inspiration? Discover the best things to see and do on the Central Coast.