Visitors can thank Sydneysiders for making it difficult to get hold of good Hunter Valley accommodation. The problem is that Australia's wine country is just two hours away from the unofficial capital of Australia. All year around, visitors come here for a weekend getaway or a day trip, or just for the winery and vineyard tours.
This part of New South Wales is spectacularly beautiful and lush green, with over 80 wineries. The cuisine at restaurants here is just as intoxicating as everything on the wine list. But one problem with having so much choice spread over an area that covers 12,000 sq km is that visitors find it hard to decide where to go and what kind of accommodations to choose for the stay.
Making travel plans for a trip here can be a difficult task for travellers not familiar with the local towns and lodging providers. Let's make it easier with a listing of the popular choices. The Hunter region's main gateway town is Cessnock. But Pokolbin, between Cessnock & Branxton, is the town that's at the centre of the wine country and all the tourist activity.
There are plenty of other towns which consistently attract a lot of tourists but it would seem to many to list here. The most preferred form of Hunter Valley accommodation for all these towns mentioned above is either a hotel or resort. There are also plenty of secondary choices like motels & backpacker hostels, B&Bs and guest houses, apartment rentals, and even campsites & caravan parks.
The single most popular town amongst visitors is the area around Pokolbin. As a result, the visitor facilities here are very well developed here. This includes an abundance of restaurants and cafes in town, along with hotels, resorts and guesthouses in and around the town.
For those who need cheap lodging, there are backpacker hostels in Cessnock and the Rothbury & Pokolbin regions. These are not the kind of backpackers found in cities and are much more impressive, with kitchens and free breakfasts, plus facilities like swimming pools, saunas and bbq's. For those who prefer a motor inn or a motel, there are many dotted throughout the district.
Moving a bit upscale means opting for one of the fine country guest houses or cosy B&Bs. These high-grade establishments offer guests absolute privacy, with spacious quarters, fancy dining rooms and libraries packed with books. They're spread around most every town in the Hunter region, but again, tourists seem to prefer the ones around Rothbury/Pokolbin along with a few that are in Lovedale and Wollombi Valley.
For those who prefer to be at one with nature and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, there are many choices in terms of campsites and caravan parks. One option is along the Williams River, near Dungog. Another choice would be the Big4 holiday park in Cessnock, on Mount View Road.
It must be pretty obvious by now to anyone reading that it's a hard job to pick one town or Hunter Valley accommodation type and label it as the best choice. It depends entirely on the travel budget, along with factors like the kind of activities desired, size of the group/family and duration of stay. But as long as travellers opt for one of the choices mentioned above, the holiday is bound to be memorable and comfortable.
This part of New South Wales is spectacularly beautiful and lush green, with over 80 wineries. The cuisine at restaurants here is just as intoxicating as everything on the wine list. But one problem with having so much choice spread over an area that covers 12,000 sq km is that visitors find it hard to decide where to go and what kind of accommodations to choose for the stay.
Making travel plans for a trip here can be a difficult task for travellers not familiar with the local towns and lodging providers. Let's make it easier with a listing of the popular choices. The Hunter region's main gateway town is Cessnock. But Pokolbin, between Cessnock & Branxton, is the town that's at the centre of the wine country and all the tourist activity.
There are plenty of other towns which consistently attract a lot of tourists but it would seem to many to list here. The most preferred form of Hunter Valley accommodation for all these towns mentioned above is either a hotel or resort. There are also plenty of secondary choices like motels & backpacker hostels, B&Bs and guest houses, apartment rentals, and even campsites & caravan parks.
The single most popular town amongst visitors is the area around Pokolbin. As a result, the visitor facilities here are very well developed here. This includes an abundance of restaurants and cafes in town, along with hotels, resorts and guesthouses in and around the town.
For those who need cheap lodging, there are backpacker hostels in Cessnock and the Rothbury & Pokolbin regions. These are not the kind of backpackers found in cities and are much more impressive, with kitchens and free breakfasts, plus facilities like swimming pools, saunas and bbq's. For those who prefer a motor inn or a motel, there are many dotted throughout the district.
Moving a bit upscale means opting for one of the fine country guest houses or cosy B&Bs. These high-grade establishments offer guests absolute privacy, with spacious quarters, fancy dining rooms and libraries packed with books. They're spread around most every town in the Hunter region, but again, tourists seem to prefer the ones around Rothbury/Pokolbin along with a few that are in Lovedale and Wollombi Valley.
For those who prefer to be at one with nature and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, there are many choices in terms of campsites and caravan parks. One option is along the Williams River, near Dungog. Another choice would be the Big4 holiday park in Cessnock, on Mount View Road.
It must be pretty obvious by now to anyone reading that it's a hard job to pick one town or Hunter Valley accommodation type and label it as the best choice. It depends entirely on the travel budget, along with factors like the kind of activities desired, size of the group/family and duration of stay. But as long as travellers opt for one of the choices mentioned above, the holiday is bound to be memorable and comfortable.
About the Author:
John Bryce-Thornton visited the region with a passion for article writing about wine and superb foods. He soon enough made the decision he had unearthed his place in life and set about establishing his own Hunter Valley accommodation which he now runs for those tourists to the district.
