The Best Airbnbs Within Two Hours of Every Capital City

Few holiday homes could rival this stunner set within bushland near the Central Coast hamlet of Patonga, a 1.5-hour drive north of Sydney. Peering down over the Hawkesbury River and ensconced next to a national park, this stylish stay’s water views are best enjoyed from the circular magnesium-infused plunge pool or panoramic deck-top sauna, complete with open-air shower. Spend a morning sipping coffee on the balcony or an evening snoozing amid latte-coloured linen on your cloud-like bed (one of four queens).

Is a fireplace a prerequisite for a stay in the Blue Mountains, a favoured cool-weather holiday spot 1.5 hours’ drive west of Sydney? Sequoia Retreat, in the heart of Blackheath, ticks that box and more: the chic all-black retreat also includes an outdoor fire pit and a charming fire-powered Esse stove in the kitchen to keep its four guests warm no matter the temperature. It makes for a great summer retreat, too – the 100-year-old cottage boasts a deck for relaxed breakfasts, plus a barbecue for alfresco evenings.

Elevated over the Huon Valley and its meandering river, Upper Woodstock’s Skyfarm Retreat is a truly tranquil corner of Tassie, just 40 minutes south of Hobart. Two lucky guests can bounce from the Adirondack-chair-adorned terrace (with an outdoor bath, of course) to the lounge room – where the A-frame’s floor-to-ceiling windows dramatically frame the surrounding bushland – or use the pad as a base for all the culinary delights the state’s capital has to offer.

The plentiful windows of this Ewingsdale stay allow the full beauty of the surrounding foliage to filter into this Queenslander-style property, less than a two-hour drive south of Brisbane. On the wraparound deck, three guests can bask in the dappled light of towering Bangalow palms and a twisted ancient fig tree, knowing that the Northern Rivers’ hotspots are within easy reach.

Litchfield National Park is a beloved weekender spot for Darwinians seeking tranquil swimming holes, remote camping experiences and immersion in the heritage and history of the area’s Traditional Custodians: the Koongurrukun, Mak Mak Marranunggu, Werat and Warray Aboriginal people. Just over an hour’s drive south of the city, you’ll find this bush-shrouded, treehouse-style stay, where a deck perfect for morning coffee opens out onto the rugged landscape. 

Perched on a ridge in the Otway Ranges, this sleek rectangular retreat for six directs your attention to its most enticing feature: the sweeping outlook over this iconic corner of Victoria. Some of the area’s most scenic adventures – from a treetop walk to a cluster of beautiful waterfalls – are all within driving distance, as is the Great Ocean Road (Apollo Bay, home of the famed Twelve Apostles, is less than an hour away by car). Back at home, there’s a wood fireplace as well as hydronic heating panels to ensure cosy wintertime trips. On warmer days, you’ll want to be out on the deck, which has 180-degree views of the valleys rolling down to Johanna Beach, a mere 18-minute drive away.

Grab three friends and hightail it to McLaren Vale, about an hour’s drive south of the Adelaide CBD for the ultimate weekend away. Overlooking the vines of this renowned wine region, Wildhill is surrounded by four hectares of land earmarked for rewilding and guests will be able to enjoy the spoils of the owner’s efforts to create a new wildlife corridor with Indigenous flora on the grounds: kangaroos, yellow-tailed black cockatoos and even koalas have been known to visit.

At the intersection of bush and beach, Venus Bay (just over two hours’ drive south of Melbourne sans traffic) has the best of both worlds on its doorstep. For lazy summer days, the seemingly endless No. 3 Beach, part of Cape Liptrap Coastal Park – only a few minutes away by car – is perfect for a stroll or picnic. For a peaceful swim, there’s also Waratah Bay, 40 minutes south-east. Or, for a longer hike, Wilsons Promontory – an additional hour down the peninsula – offers plenty of day walks, from accessible wanders along the sand to more challenging summit tracks. Back at “home”, the place to be is the peaceful garden, where an outdoor tub in the shade of an olive tree awaits.

Shoalhaven’s leafy Bundewallah is the setting for this chic country retreat, a two-hour drive south of Sydney. This four-person stay is positioned at the edge of a private creek in the shade of atmospheric willow trees, ensuring true tranquillity and privacy. Evenings can unfold in front of one of two fire pits, in the claw-foot bath stationed on the deck or on the grass for a starlit picnic.

Designed by architect Shane Thompson, this multi-award-winning house is a symphony of natural finishes and utilitarian yet bold gestures conceived to make the most of its ocean-facing position overlooking Home Beach on North Stradbroke Island bang on two hours' drive from Brisbane (with no traffic). Spotted Gum timber screens on the mid and upper level windows protect the interior spaces from the intense Queensland sun, while the hoop pine cladding on the interior summons a relaxed, beachy vibe.

Few cottages are more charming than The Songbird, an impossibly quaint home for two on the water’s edge. Although situated on Tasmania’s remote Bruny Island, it’s an achievable weekend-away location from Hobart: 30 minutes by car to Kettering for the ferry crossing (which takes 20 minutes), followed by a 35-minute drive to Alonnah. Once you’ve arrived, you won’t want to leave – whether you’re warming yourself near the fire pit on the waterfront deck, soaking in the outdoor bathtub or nestled in front of the fireplace in the lounge room with a vino in hand.

Cosy, intimate and private, this adults-only retreat in the heart of Daylesford (a 1.5-hour drive from Melbourne) is primed for a romantic weekend getaway. Take a stroll to Lake Daylesford, relax in the bathtub or enjoy an aperitif in the lavender-scented courtyard, warmed by a chimenea.

An elegant rural guesthouse on the banks of the Brockman River, Wild Whispers seems almost too generous to house just two. Inside, five-metre-high cathedral ceilings soar, while outside there’s an abundance of space, with rolling farmland that stretches across the northern hills of the Darling Range. You’ll feel a million miles from the city reclining in the claw-foot bath. In reality you’re less than an hour from the capital, Perth.

From two-person Cleves Hut in Nannup, the undulating hills are blanketed emerald as far as the eye can see. Set on almost 800 hectares of lush farmland, this off-grid “hut”, with bespoke timber furnishings and linen-sheathed bed, conjures a country dream in which guests can watch cattle graze, marshmallows melt, sunlight dip and stars illuminate as the day melds into night.

The Adelaide Hills town of Hahndorf is known for its heritage buildings. At Under the Oaks, a 30-minute drive from Adelaide, you’ll get to sleep in one. Dating back to 1858, the converted church retains its old-world charm (hello, claw-foot bath) but features more than a few modern comforts, including a king-sized four-poster bed, a pod coffee machine and Netflix-enabled smart TV.

Groups will find ample space to spread out at this Barossa pad an hour north of Adelaide. Despite the huge outdoor entertaining area complete with fire pit, it’s likely that you and your fellow seven guests will be crowded into the cedar hot tub, overlooking the vines of the Tanunda and Nuriootpa valleys.

Located on a private eight hectares only 20 minutes from Canberra, this Australian-designed off-grid tiny house offers seclusion and privacy – with no Wi-Fi. Two lofts – one a dedicated reading nook and the other a bed-only sleeping space – sit above the main living area of this compact stay, which also features a large timber deck (ideal for watching the sun filter through gums and wildflowers). Lark Hill Winery and Sapling Yard Wines are a short drive away, so stock up and then return to base for a star-kissed night by the outdoor fire. 

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