Moss Vale is a country town in NSW’s Southern Highlands, littered with cute cafés like Highlands Merchant, The Post Office Café and Bernie’s Dinner, locally-owned boutiques, like Suzie Anderson Home and Hunter and Gatherer Collections, and elegant dining, such as Birch Restaurant and Mount Ashby Estate.
While it’s a little less than a two-hour drive south of Sydney, and can certainly be experienced on a day trip, to truly get a feel for Moss Vale, it’s worth staying overnight. Fortunately, the hotel has all types of stays, from relaxed lodges to grand, heritage hotels. Ahead is our pick for where to stay when in Moss Vale.
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Milton Park
The heart of Milton Park is a grand mansion, built at the turn of the 20th century. It also features gardens, planted by its former owner Anthony Hordern who collected many rare trees throughout his travels to plant on the lawns. The property has 44 rooms and suites, most of which overlook a courtyard fountain, rolling paddocks or beautiful gardens. All feature French Provincial and antique furnishings.
Briars Country Lodge
A stay at Briars Country Lodge can include picnics by its lake, a game of tennis or a stroll along its private walking track – and that’s only if you don’t want to leave the hotel to explore the main Southern Highlands town of Bowral. Room types are King Room, Deluxe Suite or, if you’re travelling as a group of friends or family, Three Bedroom Apartment. Dine at on-site restaurant Briar’s, open for lunch or dinner.
The JOYce Residence
The JOYce Residence has two queen-bed rooms you can rent separately or together, each with their own bathroom, as well as access to a shared dining room, covered outdoor barbecue area and a media room. After a day of hiking, fishing or cycling, relax in the home’s garden or lounge area.
The Argyle Hotel
The Argyle was built in 1868 and originally used as the local post office and general store before it was converted to the Commercial Hotel in 1873, where it’s served as one of the Southern Highland’s best-known watering holes ever since. Its 15 rooms were renovated in May 2019, and come in sizes twin, double or triple.
Hideout
Hideout comprises two cabins with kitchenettes and large decks overlooking a dam. The cabins are all about immersing yourself in nature, while still ensuring you’re pampered. Bed linen is by Inthesac, towels are by Sheridan and toiletries are by Ashely & Co – oh, and handy during the winter months, the bathroom floors are heated.
Antler and Oak Cottage
When you book a stay at Antler and Oak Cottage, you get exclusive use of a main guest house with two bedrooms and a stand-alone ‘tiny house’, which all up sleep six and so is ideal for a family or group of friends. Guests can also use a MasterChef-inspired kitchen, a wood-burning fireplace and a soaking tub in the master bedroom, set beneath a gorgeous chandelier. The cottage also has two raised deck areas so you can enjoy a meal under the stars and a fire pit, which you can tell stories from your day of adventuring around.
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