The Hunter Valley retreat everyone's talking about right now

Where: 409 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin, NSW

How much: Until August 31, Bimbadgen has a Cosy Escape Package from $243 a night for minimum two nights in premium studio retreat, including breakfast provisions, pizza at Bimbadgen Pizzeria for two and late 12pm check out

The new Lane Retreat at Bimbadgen winery comprises 60 one-bedroom studios on a gently sloping 15-hectare plot of land in Pokolbin, in the heart of the Hunter Valley vineyards. Property and hospitality group Mulpha Australia has designed the retreat to complement the Bimbadgen Palmers Lane wedding and events venue and the winery's nearby cellar door on McDonald Road.

The Lane Retreat is tucked away in a quiet corner of Pokolbin, about one hour's drive from Newcastle and two-and-a-quarter hours from the Sydney CBD. The studios are surrounded by Bimbadgen's 50-year-old vines and include excellent views of the area's signature Broken Back mountain range. The hilltop Bimbadgen Palmer's Lane wedding venue is 100 metres away from the new accommodation, and the Lane also has a separate building with an interesting gift shop which serves coffee. The Bimbadgen cellar door and classy Esca Restaurant are three kilometres away.

The studios are hued in a contemporary grey and ochre palette with a focus on comfort and convenience. From the outside, the modular buildings are in dark chocolate with mirrored windows for privacy. The theme is very much modern with hints of art deco and industrial chic, offering a contrast to the Hunter Valley's traditional cottage-oriented aesthetic.

The 60 drive-in studios are clustered in groups of three surrounding a large outdoor pool. The rooms are arranged in rows facing a water reservoir and vines with the Broken Back Range in the background. Our tip would be to ask for one of the studios in the front row as these offer extra privacy. The air-conditioned studios are spacious, especially the bathrooms, and have fabulously comfortable king beds. Each studio has a deck for grazing on finger food, drinking wine and gazing at the evening views. The decks are very slightly compromised for privacy with the neighbours, but the studios feel private and soundproof inside. Check-in is contact-free. You'll be sent a door code before you arrive.

We dined at Bimbadgen's Esca feature restaurant, which included a set menu of five wine-matched courses for $160. Highlights were wood-fired peaches with a creamy blend of mascarpone and gorgonzola from the nearby Binnorie Dairy paired with a 2023 Bimbadgen vermentino and grilled salmon gravlax with the winery's 2023 Palmers Lane chardonnay. The service and vineyard setting were excellent. The Lane Retreat provides guests with a tasty continental breakfast.

It's all about the food and wine in the Hunter. All the region's cellar doors and restaurants are a short drive away, or you can stay even closer to home and visit Esca or Bimbadgen's al fresco pizzeria. The Bimbadgen cellar door is a classy affair, and the winery has started making its own range of Night Merchant gin and vodka in a still imported from Germany.

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The resort feels embedded in the vineyards, which is a big part of the charm. Sunsets on the balcony with a glass or two of vino and a local cheese platter make a great end to the day (and start to the night).

Explore more: thelaneretreat.com.au

The writer was a guest of the Lane Retreat.