29 August 2024
8 mins Read
Bed and breakfasts are cosy but for serious extravagance in NSW’s beautiful Hunter Valley, a resort with all the bells and whistles reigns supreme. It’s why we return to Rydges Resort Hunter Valley, a colossal 418-room resort that caters for googly-eyed couples, rowdy families and every type of get-together in between.
From an 18-hole golf course and extravagant day spa to an on-site brewery and kid-friendly water park, there are memory-making activities for every member of your tribe.
Let’s sort our bearings. The wine-soaked Hunter Valley is located about two hours north of Sydney and an hour west of Newcastle, and Rydges Hunter Valley is an ideal base to launch into everything it’s famed for. Situated at the gateway to wine country and around the corner from De Bortoli Wines, Hungerford Hill and Peterson House, some of the region’s finest cellar door pit stops, the resort lies at the foot of Broke Road, which will take you right into central wine country.
Rydges Hunter Valley is at the gateway to wine country.
You’re also a five-minute drive to the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park and a ten-minute drive from the township of Cessnock where you’ll find supermarkets, speciality stores and loads of eateries.
Rydges Hunter Valley offers a great base to explore the wine country.
The former Crown Plaza Hunter Valley was relaunched as Rydges Hunter Valley in 2023 and the property underwent significant renovations to mark a new era. The vibe is contemporary splashed with country-chic, with exposed brick, plush carpets and soft leather seating warming up communal areas. The grounds are impeccable as glossy gardens and state-of-the-art facilities (the complete list is extraordinary and explored in full below) are well maintained.
While the property is massive, the vibe is surprisingly intimate thanks to that considered styling and a team of always-attentive staff.
The hotel ambience evokes contemporary and country-chic.
There are hundreds of Hunter Valley wineries to explore outside, but really, you could spend an entire weekend leaning into everything Rydges Hunter Valley has to offer.
Take a refreshing dip at the spacious pool.
Take advantage of two swimming pools (including one that’s adults only), a spa, a 24/7 gym, electric vehicle charging stations, tennis and basketball courts, kangaroo tours, electric train rides and a water park for the kids (more on family-friendly attractions further below), a golf course, a day spa, and the Sydney Brewery Hunter Valley, the hotel’s on-site brewery. Then there’s the half a dozen dining options to explore (more info on those further below, too) so rest assured you’re totally catered for from the moment you drop your bags.
Luxuriate with a massage and facial at Ubika Day Spa.
Securing a hotel with an on-site day spa is always a treat but at Rydges Hunter Valley, guests are especially spoilt. Ubika Day Spa is one of the region’s most lavish self-care destinations, offering a treatment menu inspired by the seasons and utterly heavenly any way you slice it.
Get yourself pampered at Ubika Day Spa.
You’ll struggle to choose from a range of massages, facials, foot therapies, body treatments and beauty treatments, plus there are Vichy shower experiences, couples’ packages and infrared sauna dabbling to consider. The day spa’s most recent addition is their floatation tank which blends sensory deprivation and a calming float session to help you reach peak Zen.
Treat yourself to a soothing stone massage.
Prefer to unwind on the green? The Hunter Valley Golf Club is conveniently located on the grounds of Rydges Hunter Valley, open seven days a week. It’s a meticulously manicured golfing destination dotted with lakes and views of the Broken Back Ranges, so if it’s your first time behind a club, you’ll appreciate the sheer beauty of it right away.
There’s also a Pro Shop that’s stocked with clothes, clubs and accessories to get you looking the part, and an online course guide is also on hand to help you score an edge over your competitors well in advance.
The Hunter Valley Golf Club is dotted with lakes and views of the Broken Back Ranges.
Eliminating the stress of finding group accommodation in a well-trodden tourist hot spot, Rydges Hunter Valley houses a diverse collection of rooms.
Bed down in one of the contemporary rooms with pool access.
Whether it’s the Standard Room, with either one King bed or two double beds, or the Three Bedroom 3 Bath Villa, a 144 square metres d home away from home, every choice comes with complimentary Wi-Fi, sleek bathrooms, a private balcony or terrace, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, a seating area, 24-hour room service and tea and coffee facilities. Clean, contemporary and endlessly comfortable, they’re a dream space to retreat to after a day of adventuring.
Retreat into a standalone jet bath for ultimate relaxation.
The villas also feature kitchen facilities and bedrooms, while the Pool Access rooms provide exactly what they’re telling you and there’s a suite with a jet bath for those seeking the ultimate relaxation.
Cool off at the pool right outside your room.
Whether you’re feeling fancy or craving a low-key feed, Rydges Hunter Valley has something for you. Start the day right by booking a table at the Redsalt Buffet Breakfast from 6:30am where a DIY pancake maker and chef station (omelette or made-to-order Eggs Benny sound good?) go beyond what you’d usually find at a hotel buffet.
The menu at Rydges is a sophisticated ode to local produce.
Redsalt Restaurant is also the hotel’s signature fine dining spot so if you return for dinner one evening, you’ll find it completely transformed into a sophisticated ode to local produce and exceptional seasonal flavours.
Dine something fancy at Redsalt Restaurant.
There’s also Lovedale Bar + Grill, a great vibe no matter when you visit as drink specials and live sports streamed on TVs are guaranteed to get the party started. It’s also situated right by the main swimming pool so it’s a great spot to feast on post-dip pizzas, burgers and other pub classics. If you’re there on a Friday or Saturday, you’ll also score a side of live music.
Have a tipple at Lovedale Bar + Grill.
Meanwhile, Vista Lounge is the perfect place for pre-dinner drinks and an afternoon cheese board (they offer great cheese and wine deals), or if you’re there in the morning, it’s your coffee pit-stop. And if it’s just too hard to leave the cosy confines of your room, around-the-clock in-room dining is always a good idea with a late-night menu that includes ham and cheese toasties, nachos and pizzas.
Pop by Vista Lounge for pre-dinner drinks.
Smooth and roomy pathways help those with accessibility needs get comfortable at Rydges Hunter Valley, and better still, there are six Accessible King Rooms with extensive wheelchair accessibility. Wide hallways and increased space around the King bed, lower cupboards, purpose-built bathrooms with grab rails, shower chairs and lowered sinks, and the option of interconnecting rooms to accommodation for caregivers, ensure they’re just as plush as the resort’s regular rooms.
Meanwhile, there are wheelchair ramps right around the property, plus two lifts at either end of the main building to help guests locate their indulgences with ease. And while we’re talking indulgences, Ubika Day Spa caters to guests with accessibility needs and the Hunter Valley Golf Club offers tailored experiences for specific needs.
Rydges Hunter Valley is in fact one of the most inclusive stays in the state, taking out the NSW Accommodation Award for Excellence in Disability Inclusion and Access in 2023.
Rydges Hunter Valley has wide hallways that cater to guests with accessibility needs.
Is it ever. As one of the region’s best kid-friendly stays, Rydges Hunter Valley is a pure haven for little ones.
There’s a water park quite literally spilling over with slides, a grape-shaped splash bucket that dumps 600 litres of heated water at a time, cannons and jets to keep them busy.
Keep your kids entertained at the water park.
Plus, there’s a Ferris wheel, carousel, electric train rides (which are accessible to wheelchairs, too), kangaroo tours, the ‘Water Dragons’ kids club, a games room, school holiday programs, kids-eat-free dinner deals and more.
The water park comes with colourful slides for little ones.
Address: 430 Wine Country Drive, Lovedale
Cost: From $229 per night.
Best for: Family-friendly accommodation near loads of attractions.
Rydges Hunter Valley is a family-friendly stay equipped with modern facilities.
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