The 10 Best Cabin Escapes Around NSW

In need of an escape from the daily 9-5? Want to get out of the city and get back to nature? Well, haven’t we got a treat for you.

There’s nothing quite as restorative as a weekend in nature, breathing fresh air and switching off your phone.

Check out our list for the top cosy cabin escapes in NSW and spend your days bushwalking, bird-watching, star-gazing and sleeping in.

1. Bush Cabin, Capertee Valley

This secluded and peaceful self-contained two-bedroom cabin is located 2.5 hours from Sydney, just across from the Blue Mountains.

Sit on the deck and enjoy the spectacular views while cooking up a feast on the barbeque. Try your hand at fishing, yabbying or if you’re feeling extra brave, go for a dip in the dam.

The area is also known for its bush trails, so lock in a morning stroll and set up a spot, spending the day reading and watching the world go by.

By night, sit by the indoor fire, or head down to the local pub (known for their great pizzas).

Rates from $150 per night.

2. 1950’s Sydney Train Carriage and Tiny Shepherd’s Hut, Lower Hunter Valley

A truly unique experience, the 1950’s Sydney Train Carriage and Tiny Shepherd’s Hut are 100% tranquil and completely surrounded by Hunter Valley bushland.

Satisfy those outdoor cravings and check out this eco off-the-grid farm accommodation. The two separate cabins can sleep up to four adults.

The train deck is the perfect spot to spend the afternoon watching the farm’s alpacas, guinea fowl and chickens roam about.

Rates from $225 per night.

The 1950’s Sydney Train Carriage and Tiny Shepherd’s Hut is a truly unique experience

3. The Artist Studio, Pokolbin

Originally built as an artist’s studio in the early 90’s, this sweet cottage is situated on a working cattle farm in Hunter Valley. The perfect location for those wanting to fit in some wine-tasting on their escape.

What looks like an old shed from the outside has been transformed into a modern country home with all of the mod-cons you might need.

Rates from $250 per night.

4. Loughmore Cottage, Kangaroo Valley

This early 20th-century cosy, Irish settler’s timber hut, is situated in the heart of Kangaroo Valley on the NSW South Coast.

The cottage has a beautiful rustic interior, stone fireplace, elegant 4-poster bed and eclectic furnishings; making it the perfect romantic getaway destination.

Canoeing and horse-riding are just a stone’s throw away, as well as a range of cafes and pubs to choose from.

Spend an afternoon browsing through Loughmore Cottage’s collection of art and design books, or watch one of the classic movies.

Rates from $257 per night.

5. Tom’s Cabin, North Coast

If you’re really wanting to immerse yourself in nature, then this is for you.

You’ll find this charming cabin nestled within New England National Park on NSW’s North Coast. The perfect location for adventurous types keen to explore.

With no electricity or power outlets, guests will need to be prepared with a supply of food and torches. Spend the night by the indoor fire, playing cards by candlelight.

Tom’s Cabin is great for a family getaway or that all-important girls’ weekend away.

Rates from $85 per night.

The secluded Tom’s Cabin

6. Tallarook Tiny Home, Mogood

Escape the city and stay in this architecturally designed tiny home, surrounded by the Australian bush on the Clyde River in the Shoalhaven on the NSW South Coast.

Tallarook is set amongst some of the most breath-taking nature in Australia, allowing guests to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with nature.

Polished hardwood floors, heating, and contemporary furnishings make for a comfortable stay. The owners will also drop by with fresh farm eggs, bread, jam and even bacon each morning.

Rates from $250 per night.

Tallarook Tiny Home has all the comforts of home

7. Nulla Nulla Blacksmith’s Retreat, Macleay River Valley

A former horseman’s cottage, Nulla Nulla Blacksmith’s Retreat is a red-cedar luxurious log cabin that overlooks the pristine Nulla Nulla Creek and casuarina forests.

Guests can choose to add a hamper of fresh-picked organic vegetables or choose from the menu designed by the farm’s chef for a fully-catered experience.

Spend the day exploring your surroundings or indulge with a private yoga lesson or massage.

Rates from $261 per night.

Sleep overlooking Nulla Nulla Creek and casuarina forests

8. Love Studio, Bilpin

This cute timber and corrugated iron studio dwelling is the perfect couple escape. The enchanting outdoor spa bath overlooks the Wollemi National Park. Could it be any more romantic?

Made from recycled materials and furniture, the bohemian décor is full of character.

It also boasts an indoor fireplace and self-contained kitchen, so you can enjoy your remote bush escape in complete comfort.

Rates from $343 per night.

9. Worrowing Wilderness Hut, Jervis Bay

Nature comes first at this secluded Wilderness Hut.

Nestled between Jervis Bay and St Georges Basin, Worrowing Wilderness Hut is just minutes from the famous white-sand beaches.

The hut is beautifully appointed with a bathtub, heating, a full kitchen, handmade furniture and art.

Rates from $280 per night.

Worrowing hut, Jervis Bay

10. The Rabbit’s Hut, Coolac

Find this quaint cottage on a working cattle station, bordered by the Murrumbidgee River in the Riverina region.

The Rabbit’s Hut has the perfect mix of country charm and modern comfort, with an open fireplace and stunning views of the property.

Nearby Jugiong has plenty of great places to eat. Our pick is the Sir George – a classic country pub with an artisan bakery and excellent food.

Rates from $220 per night.

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

The 10 best cabin escapes around NSW