Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa

The transition from civilization to wilderness is perhaps more abrupt in Australia than most anywhere else. Just three hours’ drive from Sydney, from city traffic to rough-and-tumble dirt roads, the Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is about as close to the outback as most of us will ever need to get.

It’s not exactly the hardscrabble ranch life, however; Wolgan Valley is part of Emirates’ new hospitality project, and the Dubai-based air carrier typically tends towards the more luxurious end of things. The resort centers around an extensively renovated 19th-century farmhouse, while the 40 villas are sparkling new, and as comfortable and luxe as any accommodations in Australia.

Of course state-of-the-art living quarters are only part of the story. You don’t drive three hours for a nice hotel room, you do it for the Wolgan Valley itself, and for the nearby Blue Mountains. The unspoiled landscape is just stark enough to cross over to sublime from merely beautiful. And there’s no guilt involved. You might not expect to hear it from a Dubai-based airline, of all things, but the Wolgan Valley Resort is a thoroughly green operation.

The end result is perhaps less a spiritually charged walkabout than a bit of high-luxury unplugging. Ownership aside, Wolgan Valley is quintessentially Australian — and as accessible as it is, this feels about as far “away from it all” as you can get without stranding yourself on a desert island. Just do yourself a favor and choose something rugged at the airport rental desk.

• 40 Rooms
• Style: Contemporary Classic
• Atmosphere: Secluded

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