July 23, 2020
8 mins Read
From boutique hotels and heritage homes in central Orange to vineyard villas and country cottages dotted among the region’s wineries, those looking for a romantic retreat in the Orange region are spoilt for choice. So whether you want to stay in town or go remote, we’ve rounded up our pick of the bunch.
Stay at this design-driven boutique hotel in the heart of Orange for an experience that blends the best of the city’s rich history with its contemporary edge. This 4.5-star offering is comprised of a beautifully restored three-bedroom homestead juxtaposed with a bold and colourful 19-room modern wing.
Byng Street Boutique Hotel is a design-driven stay in the heart of Orange.
Signature room The Yallungah Suite, in the heritage wing, is all light and charm and tonic tones of blue and coral. Embodying the building’s strong sense of place, it has a sumptuous king-size bed and statement headboard, fireplace, separate lounge area and large private balcony overlooking the garden. A two-course à la carte breakfast of local produce is served downstairs each morning in the Yallungah Dining Room.
The Yallungah Suite boasts a large private balcony overlooking the garden.
With 25 luxurious rooms, de Russie Boutique Hotel is set within a striking brick building on a tree-lined street in central Orange, a short stroll from the Central West city’s must-visit shops and restaurants.
de Russie Boutique Hotel has 25 luxurious rooms to choose from.
Opt to spend the night in a studio suite, where each one opens up to a romantic Juliet balcony and some come with a spa bath in the en suite bathroom stocked with L’Occitane amenities. Or up the ante in The Blue Room, a decadent space with a four-poster bed, velvet accents, an oversize bath and a terrace for stretching out on.
For a calm and contemporary space, the newest addition to the hotel is the ticket – with a large bedroom, oversize tub, two-headed shower and its own private courtyard. de Russie provides a light breakfast in the morning.
Inside the luxurious de Russie Boutique Hotel.
Nashdale Lane is a family-run winery and vineyard just a short drive out of town in the sleepy locale of Nashdale, a traditional fruit growing hub. The boutique property offers on-site accommodation by way of two luxury glamping cabins, Rustig (meaning quiet/calm in Dutch) and Kalmte (serenity/calm).
Well secluded from each other, both cabins are decked out stylishly with a four-poster queen-size bed, hardwood floors, bathroom with monsoon shower and wood fire. Details like Australian designer merino wool blankets and throws add further luxury touches and outside you’ll find a built-in deck with sunken lounge and a barbecue. Pick up a bottle of wine after your tasting at the property’s cellar door – based in an old apple-packing shed – and enjoy it on the deck while the sun goes down over the shiraz vines and patchwork of farmland in the distance.
Nashdale Lane Glamping offers on-site accommodation by way of two luxury glamping cabins.
Set on the volcanic slopes of Mt Canobolas, Borrodell Estate is one of the Orange region’s highest vineyards and home to fruit orchards, a trufferie, a great cellar door experience and a must-visit restaurant, Sister’s Rock. It’s also home to vineyard accommodation including two three-bedroom cottages, Chardonnay and Truffles, and The Cider Suites – designed as the ultimate romantic retreat for couples.
These split-level, sustainable and modern studio spaces have king-sized bedrooms, cosy fireplaces, heated concrete floors, spa baths and floor-to-ceiling windows that take in views across the valley. Celebrating an extra special occasion? Enhance the Borrodell experience with a Pamper Package to guarantee all the epicurean delights you could wish for plus an in-house masseuse.
Cosy up by the fire inside the Cider Suites, Borrodell Estate.
Rowlee Wines in Nashdale is another vineyard making the most of its idyllic setting by offering superlative on-site accommodation. The Rowlee Vineyard Villa is a private, luxury guesthouse surrounded by established vines and gardens and overlooking a croquet court, no less. Sleek but cosy, it has a master bedroom with a large and indulgent en suite complete with underfloor heating and a freestanding stone bathtub.
The Rowlee Vineyard Villa is a private, luxury guesthouse.
There are further designer touches throughout – from the Ralph Lauren couch made for sinking straight into, to 1200 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and feather pillows. A larder is packed full of food and beverages including a bottle of Rowlee wine – enjoy it on the verandah on a sunny afternoon.
Sink into the designer Ralph Lauren couch.
Ten minutes from Orange in the rural locale of Borenore, these two bold and contemporary cottages sit lightly on the landscape surrounded by twisted gums on the grounds of a working farm. Views of vineyards and Mt Canobolas in the distance make for spectacular sunsets.
Dragonfly Cottages sit lightly on the grounds of a working farm.
You’ll find a bottle of wine and a selection of local produce waiting for you on arrival and breakfast supplies in the morning. The cottages boast king beds, thoughtful, artistic touches throughout and private decks.
The cottages boast king beds, thoughtful, artistic touches throughout and private decks.
Guests are invited to explore swathes of the property including its bubbling creek and cider apple orchard, with the region’s wineries an easy drive away. This is a truly peaceful place where your only neighbours are sheep and Zohan the alpaca.
Be sure to meet the resident alpacas at Dragonfly Cottages.
Check into a cottage on the historic estate at Mayfield Vineyard, located just 10 kilometres from Orange and offering the ultimate in rural tranquility. Based in a variety of interesting buildings, its cottages come in all shapes and sizes but The School House is best suited to two people. At over a century old, it was once used to teach the children living on the estate and is these days newly renovated – retaining its heritage bones (think lofty rafters) but elegantly appointed with creamy, natural tones and a rustic twist.
Check into a cottage on the historic estate at Mayfield Vineyard.
It has one king bedroom dressed with sun-dried luxury linen, an en suite bathroom and extra toilet, a cellar stocked with the property’s wines and a verandah overlooking a lake, gardens and rows of vines – which you can later stroll through when you’ve managed to peel yourself away from this beautiful space.
Enjoy the picturesque views of the lake from the verandah.
Strawhouse is a small, sustainable and family-run vineyard in the Orange region with boutique accommodation on site. This one-bedroom, self-contained retreat is architect-designed and contemporary but blends into its setting among a stand of mature eucalypts. It has a bedroom with queen bed and two armchairs and a spacious bathroom, plus books and games.
The adjacent cellar door space has a kitchen, dining/tasting table, window seats and chairs to curl up in in front of the wood fire. There’s no television or wi-fi here, encouraging you to really switch off and reconnect, but 180-degree of the Strawhouse vineyard, Mt Canobolas and the Boree Creek Valley will hold your attention instead. Order a picnic hamper of local produce to enjoy on the deck and book a private wine tasting or dinner with the winemaker to make the most of the experience.
The architect-designed Strawhouse is a one-bedroom, self-contained retreat on a family-run vineyard.
Purpose-built as a couples’ retreat, Lakeview Luxury Retreat is all about providing guests with the space to relax and reconnect, and the means to pamper and indulge themselves. It features three award-winning, secluded and eco-friendly penthouse suites spread across a tranquil bush setting in the Canobolas Valley, slightly south-west of Orange.
Lakeview Luxury Retreat was purpose-built as a couples’ retreat.
Each suite is supplied with a generous gourmet food hamper packed with local fare, large picture windows for taking in the scenery (and kangaroo-spotting), a deep tub for soaking in and underfloor bathroom heating. Stay in the Green Villa for utmost seclusion and privacy or the Red Villa to keep cosy in front of a gas log fire; the two-bedroom villa, meanwhile, is ideal for two couples and each bedroom has its own bathroom.
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