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While our European friends can travel to a new vineyard in a new country in a mere couple of hours, Australians—and Sydney-siders in particular—should also count themselves pretty lucky. A two-hour drive inland from the CBD, the Hunter Valley offers city-weary souls a healthy dose of pure country air and a plethora of wineries for the taking. As more and more properties pop up, we want to spotlight one that ticks all the boxes: central, affordable, and cocooned in luxury.
Welcome to The Lane Retreat, Bimbadgen. Sixty premium studio retreats are set on 15 hectares of secluded vineyard and natural bushland. Located just two hours out of Sydney and within the heart of Wine Country, the site’s backdrops include the panoramic views of the Broken Back Range and Bimbadgen’s 50-year-old vineyards.
Opened in October of 2023, each studio is brand new with modern double showers, plush king beds and private decks to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset. Indeed, the Hunter Valley is most popular in the cooler months—chalk it up to fireside nostalgia—but with a luxe swimming pool located on the property, The Lane Retreat has a “seasonality edge” over its competitors.
A prime spot for an entire extended family to book accommodation for a wedding, or for a loved-up couple looking for a spontaneous romantic getaway, ahead, we take a closer look at the curated luxury experiences you can explore at The Lane Retreat.
Visit thelaneretreat.com.au to book.
Getting There
Located at 409 Palmer’s Lane Pokolbin, it took this editor and her guest two-and-a-half hours, in traffic, to get from the Eastern suburbs of Sydney to the destination on a Friday afternoon. For the journey, we travelled in the sleek and stylish new Lexus RX 350. Modern, smooth and commanding, the vehicle’s butter soft leather seats signalled the beginning of a luxury weekend well before we even arrived, while the maps on the 14-inch touchscreen multimedia display kept us on the right road at the right time. (There’s also something about a car holding you to attention. Those who have experienced the Driver Monitor function will know what I mean.)
At last, we arrived at The Lane Retreat. A remote, albeit busy little enclave of two-person studios dotted along a winding path and set against the valley’s lush, undulating terrain. There are no door keys, check in is via a code sent via text prior to arriving. White robes, a bottle of wine and pool towels await.
Our room looked out over a small body of water. At dusk, the sun would set behind the mountain ranges, their majestic shadows reflecting off the water. Sitting on the studio’s deck with some jazz music softly playing in the background and a glass of wine in hand, it was the perfect scene to cap off the day.
The premium accommodation was actually designed to compliment the brand’s Palmer’s Lane Wedding and events venue (on site) and restaurants at Bimbadgen’s home vineyard on McDonald Road. But as the studios are so central, you can use them for any of your Hunter Valley itineraries.
Visit thelaneretreat.com.au to book.
Experiences:
Complimentary shuttles run between the studios and property’s vineyards. They will stop quite literally outside your door to take you to a tasting, lunch or dinner. The drivers then can be arranged to pick you up again. Below are the standout experiences when visiting The Lane Retreat.
Head to Esca Bimbadgen and ask for the Signature Dining Experience:
The alluring entrance to Esca Bimbadgen restaurant is a prelude to how good the dining experience is. A perfectly manicured maze of hedges—hemmed in by roses— leads guests to the front door of Bimbadgen winery. Inside, Esca’s entrance is suspended atop of the cellar door—and its view is, naturally, over the vineyards. With the menu curated by head chef Raphael Martinez, we opted for the Signature Dining Experience, a spectacular five-course menu all paired with wines from two premium vineyards; Palmer’s Lane and McDonald’s Road. The standouts? Butternut pumpkin with pinenut butter, goats feta and pistachio, paired with a 2022 Bimbadgen Palmers Lane Chardonnay; and the salmon which was served with a phenomenal chickpea salad and smoked carrot hummus and served with a 2022 Bimbadgen McDonalds Road Semillon. Note: Esca is Bimbadgen’s flagship restaurant, so you can’t go wrong.
Discover Alter Wines, the alter-ego of Bimbadgen’s winemakers:
This was a beautiful tasting experience. Housed at Emma’s Cottage is Alter Wines Cellar Door which focuses on wines from three primary Hunter Valley vineyards and is crafted by the up-and-coming winemaking team from the Bimbadgen winery crew. Book ahead for a spot at the bar or outside—and be sure to order the cheese and charcuterie board, as well. My pick for your tasting? The 2022 Rarebird Rosé. Think fresh red berries, white fruits and a delicate crunch of acidity. My Sydney-sider friends haven’t been able to get enough of it this summer season.
Enjoy an early dinner at Bimbadgen Wood Fired Pizzeria:
While Esca is more of a fine dining experience, woodfired pizzas overlooking a vineyard on a sunny afternoon is also pretty special. Enter Bimbadgen’s Pizzeria. Enjoy a wine tasting at the bar before heading outside for your booking. My pick is the pepperoni pizza with garlic bread. On Friday evenings, acoustic live music accompanies those lines of vines vista. An early dinner means you can get home to The Lane Retreat for sunset on the lake, too.
The Details
The Lane Retreat
409 Palmers Ln, Pokolbin NSW 2320
PH: (02) 4087 0907
Visit thelaneretreat.com.au to book.
