Southern Highlands Guide: Where to stay

You will remember a little while ago now I put together a little Southern Highlands shopping guide. This is my second look at my gorgeous local surrounds…this time focused on where to stay. Because you know what? You NEED to stay! You do! Just one day won’t cut it…and given how beautiful things are looking down here at the moment I would suggest that you need to stay for 2 nights at least…and coming into winter NOW is the time to visit!

I’m sure that there are heaps of other places to stay when you are down here – these are just some ones that I would recommend to friends to stay in if they were here. Remember that places like stayz are great for weekends – there are a gazillion places on there just whack in Southern Highlands and you will be on your way!

{Bowral}
Biota Dining & Rooms (18 Kangaloon Road Bowral)

Biota restaurant has won many awards including having 2 hats from the Sydney Morning Herald Good food Guide as well as Regional Restaurant of the Year 2014, Regional Wine List of the Year 2014 & Sustainability Award 2013. The food here can be pretty special (it’s been hit & miss for us the last few times we have been) but the kitchen garden and tapas section of the restaurant is always worth visiting. They opened up rooms here last year (there are 12) that can be booked as part of a dinner package. While I haven’t seen them myself if they are anything in the minimalist style of the restaurant they would be good.

You can check out their website and Facebook page.

Biota

Milton Park Country House Hotel & Spa (1 Horderns Rd Bowral)

If you’ve been here for some time you would know just how much I love the old gardens in the estate of this hotel (you can see a post here and here). I’ve never stayed here but the rooms look lovely and if they just look out into these fabulous gardens then you will be very happy indeed.

You can find out more on their website here.

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Briars Country Lodge & Inn (653 Moss Vale Rd Bowral)

This is a solid option for staying with a family. The rooms are large and can also have adjoining rooms for more people. The grounds of the hotel are very pretty – overlooking the lake and beyond. There is a lovely old pub attached (a Georgian Inn from 1845) filled with cosy rooms and nooks with fireplaces roaring in the winter. There is also a playground for kids to play in while adults warm themselves by a fire pit and have a beer or glass of wine.

You can find their website and Facebook page here.

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{Berrima}
The Book Barn Cottage Bendooley Estate (3020 Old Hume Highway Berrima)

How adorable is this little self contained cottage which is part of the Bendooley Estate winery? Formally the gatekeepers residence this 2 bedroom cottage sleeps 5 people. Its family friendly (kids can collect eggs from the chooks or pat the pony), has the best restaurant and cafe JUST there not to mention a winery! This would be a perfect family getaway and a great base to explore all around the highlands.

You can find out more from their website here.

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{Sutton Forest}
Peppers Manor House (Kater Road Sutton Forest)

We stayed here for a wedding many years ago well before we moved down here and at the time I remember thinking it was VERY Southern Highlands (well in my head at least). There is a main house here which is filled with fireplaces to sit by and play grown ups. The gardens and ground are gorgeous too – as well as a golf course.

You can find out more on their website here.

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{Burrawang}
Burrawang Bakehouse (Hoddle Street Burrawang)

My friend Annie finished her masterpiece last year and is now open for visitors! This place is GORGEOUS. The most romantic place to come for a weekend not to mention be filled with superb home cooking. You could bring along a little one as there is plenty of room for a cot as well as a sofa bed and open fire place. I just adore this place!

You can find out more on the website here or her Facebook page here.

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Burrawang Village Hotel (Hoddle Street Burrawang)

There are some gorgeous spa suites at the bottom of the pub as well as some old school pub rooms that are clean and comfortable upstairs from the main pub. Enjoy a beer in the prettiest beer garden in Australia, one of the best pork roasts you could have and roll down the hill to bed…perfect!

You can find out more on their website here or Facebook page.

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Vance Hall (Dale St Burrawang)

I have had friends stay in this gorgeous 2 bedroom house with the most delicious sun soaked deck also owned by one of my best friends parents. It’s the perfect place to sit but the fire until the early hours of the morning or stay with kids for a great family base for a weekend of exploring down here.

You can contact Cathy directly about renting this place by emailing her on [email protected].

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Spring Hill (Hoddle Street Burrawang)

We stayed at this gorgeous house for my friend All Consuming’s 40th a few years back as well as for one of our annual Stitch and Bitch weekends. It’s a lovely big house with an amazing fireplace to sit by to the wee hours of the morning and views to die for from every room.

You can find out more from their website here.

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{Robertson}
Royalla Luxury Farmstay (375 Pearsons Lane Robertson)

If you had a big group of people looking to stay somewhere this could be the perfect place for you! In one of my favourite parts of the Highlands, you can book 3 dwellings on the property and sleep up to 16 people in amongst a pretty gorgeous setting. I’d book this with a big group of girlfriends or for a special family occasion.

You can find out more on their website here or Facebook page.

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So tell me, where did I miss?
Where do you like to stay in the Highlands?
And if you haven’t been yet…then where in the bloody hell are you?!

Comments

  1. Melanie Pogson says

    Thanks for the suggestions. I haven’t heard of some of those places before. Planning to get married within the fingers if all goes well, and I’d love to have our wedding down in the Souther Highlands. it’s just a matter of finding somewhere beautiful and easy that doesn’t cost the earth!! Any suggestions?
    Even someone’s backyard/paddock would suffice! 😛

  2. We stayed at Pines pastoral at Moss Vale recently- it was fabulous!

  3. mrshanksy says

    Oh man! I’m a weekend too late. Didn’t want to stay at my sisters last week when we came down for my 21st as she had a pretty full house and we were sans kids…. we stayed at… Berida Manor, it was cute and quaint and kinda like staying at Nannas house! OMG.. the wallpaper and the carpet and all of the wood.. not fantastic but nice enough with brekky included and walking distance from “The Bowral”, where I showed those 20 something-year-olds how to cut the rug … oh yeah did 😉

    • BabyMacBlogBeth says

      Berida Manor is HILARIOUS. We stayed there when we were looking to move down here – needless to say it didn’t make this list!!!

  4. Love this. One of my mates parents has a timeshare in a place at Burrawang with a private beach. It’s very basic but so gorgeous. When we lived in Canberra we’d go almost once a month! I miss that area now I live in Melbourne.

  5. Looks gorgeous. Some lovely places to relax.

  6. Love the list, will def try a few of these places out, thank you! We stayed over xmas at Little Forest – http://www.littleforest.com.au/. We stayed in Lavender Cottage with two families, including 5 young children. There was so much space in the house and it was the most well equipped house we had ever stayed in, the kitchen was amazing and there was a huge dining table you could have some fab dinner parties. There are quite a few houses there and a chapel from memory and would be a perfect venue for an event or to go away with a number of families. The kids especially loved collecting the eggs each morning, feeding the donkey, pig and alpacas and swinging on the tyre. Can highly recommend this place!

  7. Erin Cleary says

    With 5 chn under 8 getting away can be near impossible. My husband and I often escape to Milton Park or Craigeburn for a night, can do all the kids no travel time and spectacular venues. It’s so nice to experience what is in your own backyard. We are so lucky.

    • I’d love to stay at Milton Park for a night – often thought it would be strange going away locally but I think I might give it a go!

  8. Archie Lane says

    I would so move in an instant to the Southern Highlands of NSW. have been three times before and fell a little bit more in love on each occasion. So very much me and my way of living. If the stars align one day maybe…..just need to get hubby on board….any miracles being handed out today?

  9. Lisa Mckenzie says

    All those places look gorgeous Beth, thank you Xx

  10. This is fantastic thanks! We might be hitting the road in a while with 4 kids in tow looking for a new town to live in. It’s great to know there are some great family friendly places to rest our weary heads!! Cheers.

  11. Have just got home from a stay at Biota Rooms. We checked in in the afternoon and were so disappointed upon entry… HOWEVER as night fell and I arranged the lamps just so and dimmed the lights, the room became a cosy little haven! We were definitely expecting something a bit fancy but it is a small motel-style room with a queen bed, chair, table and bar-fridge. Which was absolutely adequate after a divine dinner at Biota. We stumbled back to our room without having to think about a cab, and had a great night’s sleep. Then walked the 5 mins into town for breakfast the next morning. Too easy. We would stay there again for sure if dining at Biota.

    • That’s great feedback thanks Bee – I was interested to know what the rooms were like – given the interior of the restaurant I thought that they would be nice so that’s interesting to know that they are so simple. Thanks for letting me/us know!

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  2. […] have written some Southern Highlands Guides on Where to stay, and Where to shop & Where to […]

  3. […] well as other ideas in this post I wrote a few years ago […]

  4. […] some mates and make a weekend of it – there are so many great places to stay, eat and SHOP down […]

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