Travel: Hunter Valley, NSW; Stay: Block Eight Villa

1/2heart and I spent the Easter long weekend (Happy Easter everyone :D) in the Hunter Valley. The purpose of the trip was to avoid people (ha!) and relax as much as possible. We could have gone to Blue Mountains for bushwalking or the coastal areas for beaches and water activities, but that means effort! I simply wanted to do nothing, eat good food, and just enjoyed each other company.

Why not stay at home, you asked? Because then we would not have seen this:



Uninterrupted sky with wine in hand? yes, please!

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We stayed at Block Eight Villa, a privately owned vineyard with a few quaint cabins to stay at. It is as quiet as we could ever wished for, and with beautiful backdrop of their small lake/dams, and the owners' vineyard. The rates are very reasonable considering it was public holiday long weekend when everywhere is dramatically much more expensive (I paid A$366 per night), and they also include two bottles of their own wine in the tariff (Beautiful locally produced wine :)).



The cabin - rustically styled - is big for two people and very comfortable. Every little touches have been well-thought of, from the aromatic candles, the toiletries (even styling iron for the ladies), the pictures and drawings of their pigs and chooks. Everything is delightful



The cabin faced towards 2 decently sized dam, where ducks & water birds constantly roam. They also contain silver perch (so if you wanted to stay here and wish to fish, you can!)

dam just in front of the cabins

There are several animals on the property. The hens provide the eggs that is included in the breakfast pack (also included in the tariff). While we were there, the female peacock was tending to her baby chicks inside gated enclosure (and the male peacock just roamed freely outside).

And of course, the non-gated free-to-roam kangaroos & wallabies are everywhere!







We had clear sky on our last night of stay, so star watching it was!



The hosts have several other cabins. Definitely worth checking out and a much more better alternative than your standard hotel stay.

Block Eight Villa

65 Squire Close

Belford, NSW 2335

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On our 2nd day of stay, I made a dire mistake: I thought of checking out the nearby Pokolbin (a Hunter Valley township about 15 minutes drive away) and to visit the Hunter Valley Gardens (A$28 per adult)

Throngs of people (T_T) Well I should have expected it, it was public holiday after all. 

Nevertheless, Hunter Valley Gardens provided some lovely backdrop for photos. 

The most crowded garden of all is probably the storybook section. Containing some figures/statues depicted from children stories/fairy tales, this section is a delight for children (and adults with young hearts alike).

Personally, I love the oriental garden. Beautiful koi fish in the lake, ducks, and stone lanterns amongst the velvet grass (if you're as interested as I am, the name is 'Korean velvet grass' / Zoysia Tenuifolia).

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I want those grass!