10 of the best holiday homes in Australia
Forget fibro beach shacks and log cabins. These super-luxe rental homes captivate with exceptional design, winning locales and plenty of amenities.
Selecting the perfect holiday rental home, the indisputable crowd-pleaser, can make or break a getaway. No matter if you’re seeking a bucolic cabin pour deux, a lavish party pad for rambunctious celebrations, or a rambling beachside abode for your extended family, the choice of digs must be, above all, memorable. While each of the retreats here has its own personality, they share considered style, deep comfort and an impressive location, while spanning coastal, bush and urban settings. With spiral staircases, kitted-out kitchens and infinity-edge pools, these are rarefied homes for design fans. Pack your bags and take the plunge.
Corvers Rest, Kilcunda, VIC
Just outside the town of Kilcunda, best known for its annual lobster festival, is this minimalist timber cabin overlooking the rugged headlands of the Bass Coast. Inside, the simplicity continues, with neutral tones, natural materials and textural rugs coming together to form a Japandi-like haven. This might be the beach, but don’t file away this accommodation option for the summer months only. With a wood-burning stove in the living area, a fire pit in the courtyard and infinite ocean views, this is also the ideal spot to get cosy after nailing the seven-kilometre George Bass Coastal Walk in the cooler months. Reaching from Kilcunda to San Remo, the hike follows the explorer’s voyage along the Anderson Peninsula more than 200 years ago. For surfers, Kilcunda has three southwest-facing beaches with reliable swells. From $375 a night, minimum two nights. airbnb.com
Camp Island, QLD
Those who have dreamt of Robinson Crusoe levels of seclusion – not shipwrecked but happily ensconced with every provision at their fingertips – will swoon at this island escape in the Whitsundays. Four beachfront villas, built in classic Queenslander style, are available as an exclusive hire. They’re stylish and private, but connected by walkways to the main lodge, with its communal kitchen and lounge area, making it easy to bring friends and family together. Choose to cool off in the infinity pool or the ocean, where you can kayak, paddleboard or snorkel on the reef. Nature walks, oyster harvesting and whale watching (from June to September) are among the other activities, while diving trips and fishing charters can be organised by the island manager. From $2,800 a night, minimum three nights. luxico.com
Banks at Byron, Byron Bay, NSW
Upcoming milestone birthday or anniversary? Invite 18 of your nearest and dearest for a soirée at this abode five minutes’ walk from town and moments from Main Beach. Elements of the airy design, including timber decking, weatherboard cladding and tropical landscaping, nod to the traditional Aussie beach house vernacular. But the interiors – note the sculptural staircase, limed timber floors and zinging hues of cream, sand and faded peach – are the epitome of contemporary coastal style. As well as seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, there’s a heated pool, infrared sauna and yoga studio. From $2,015 a night, minimum three nights. bunkerbyron.com.au
Mona Vista, Sydney, NSW
Unpacking at this residence might feel like filming an episode of Luxe Listings Sydney. The lavish three-bedroom dwelling, complete with a separate self-contained apartment for two, is enviably positioned above Sydney Harbour with tropical gardens offering maximum privacy. Lounge by the pool with views of yachts bobbing on the water and the city skyline in the distance, soak in the heated spa or enjoy the outlook from the verandah, spiked with lush greenery. Inside, the bedrooms have an orchidaceous glamour, with floral-themed wallpapers, while the living spaces convey a more sensual vision, with dark-hued walls, vintage furniture and eclectic art in gallery hangings. This home is located in one of Sydney’s swellest suburbs, with easy access to Bondi Beach and the city – if you can manage to drag yourself away. From $5,000 a night, minimum seven nights. contemporaryhotels.com.au
The Tunnel, Bruny Island, TAS
While making your morning coffee in the kitchen of this next-level “shack”, it’s not unusual to spy seals playing in the bay. They’re the closest locals at this inspired home cantilevered over bushland. The cavernous name of the place says it all: open the series of heavy steel doors for a linear view to the water through the bedroom, courtyard, kitchen and living space. Everything here is considered, with purple, orange and green glass ceiling panels casting the only colour onto the rooms as the sun passes overhead. With its outdoor tub, yoga platform and separate studio, it’s a hideaway designed for a solo traveller or couple. $970 a night. tunneltasmania.com
Merrilla, Goulburn, NSW
There is history in the walls of this homestead, set on the banks of the Wondilly River. Its former residents, Jane and William Chisholm, who lived here in the second half of the 19th century, had a hankering for horticulture and took gardening advice from botanist Sir William Macarthur, who introduced the camellia to Australia. Their gardens – some of them precisely manicured, others left to tangle – include one placed within stone walls and now home to the property’s pool. The interior of the residence has been meticulously updated but maintains its heritage charm, with a spacious farmhouse kitchen, cosy living space with fireplace, and four double bedrooms, each with ensuite. From $1,800 a night, minimum two nights. contemporaryhotels.com.au
Sanctuary Penthouse, Melbourne, VIC
At this swanky apartment, the only Melburnians with a better cityscape will be your neighbours, the Collins Street falcons. From your 56th-floor eyrie, the ebb and flow of the CBD unfolds below. Floor-to-ceiling windows in shared spaces and the bedrooms gaze out to the Yarra River, MCG and beyond. Every appurtenance, from walk-in wine cellar to separate study, is included. Downstairs, the design is all moody marble and polished concrete but head up the curvaceous staircase to find a relaxed retreat adjoining the outdoor space, complete with private pool. From $3,500 a night. luxico.com
Cooinda, Margaret River, WA
Imagine waking up to hypnotic views of the Indian Ocean. That’s the aspiration fulfilled at this architect-designed property at Yallingup. Split across three levels, it makes the most of its perch. While some may be tempted to grab a board and head straight for Margaret River’s waves, for those who prefer to stay close to home, there’s ample opportunity to indulge in seaside living. There’s a balcony with plunge pool and a sun-baked terrace and outdoor kitchen with vistas of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. After you’ve watched the sun set over the ocean, fire up the pizza oven and play a game of pool. From $1,832 a night, minimum three nights. privateproperties.com.au
Willunga Ridge, SA
Set on 10 hectares of bushland, Willunga Ridge is an off-grid escape with access to both the McLaren Vale wine region and picturesque beaches. The timber-panelled Home Pod has picture windows framing valley and coastal views to the front and bush at the back. It’s where you’ll find the living room, kitchen, main bedroom and bathroom – even the shower takes in the vista. Include friends or family by booking the smaller Plus Two Pod. Although this option is completely sustainable – there’s solar power, filtered rainwater, food scraps are composted, while wastewater is treated and returned to the landscape – it is also equipped with every amenity you could desire. From $812 a night, minimum two nights. airbnb.com
Robinsons Run, Kangaroo Valley, NSW
The owners of this sleek property, positioned on 30 hectares at the edge of Morton National Park, were ahead of the multigenerational family holiday trend when they built this expansive retreat. As well as six bedrooms, each with ensuite – one of them is in a separate “shed” about 200 metres from the main house – there’s a pool, spa and entertaining area outside, as well as a media room with video arcade indoors. You’ll have no trouble dragging children outdoors, though, because there’s also a BMX track on the grounds. Adults might prefer the walking trails weaving through natural bushland, where the residents include wallabies, potoroos and wombats. From $2,287 a night, minimum two nights. stayz.com.au
This story is from the latest issue of Travel + Luxury Magazine out on Friday June 20.
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