One&Only Wolgan Valley

My favorite hotel in Australia was One&Only Wolgan Valley — it's basically a kangaroo sanctuary where luxury actually works.

I've used local agents in Australia before and when a hotel wasn't up to standard, they got us out without charging us. But Wolgan Valley was different — we wouldn't have found it ourselves and it became my absolute favorite. The property sits in this incredible valley where kangaroos just roam freely around your villa. I'm horse-crazy so the riding was perfect, but honestly everyone in our group was mesmerized by the wildlife experience.

One&Only never fails to impress, but Wolgan Valley is truly unique — I loved watching kangaroos and wombats from our pool.

Wolgan Valley is in the most incredible location with impeccable service, incredible food and relaxed atmosphere throughout. The valley is truly magical with breathtaking views and wildlife, making it ideal for unwinding and disconnecting. The villas are simply impeccable and the staff are exceptional and genuinely kind. Watching kangaroos and wombats from our pool was absolutely magical — we will definitely be back.

We had two magnificent days — the staff were super attentive, the food sublime, and cycling with kangaroos in early morning was unforgettable.

The staff were super attentive and friendly, the food was sublime and the villa phenomenal. Our favorite thing was definitely the valley environment itself. Cycling around in early morning and watching numerous kangaroos and wombats go about their morning routine was an absolutely unforgettable highlight that made the whole experience magical.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley stands out as one of the best family hotels in New South Wales.

This luxury retreat in the Blue Mountains has reopened with renewed purpose after the devastating 2020 bushfires. The property combines exceptional family amenities with genuine wildlife conservation, creating an experience where children can safely encounter native Australian animals while parents enjoy world-class spa treatments and dining. The comprehensive family program includes guided nature walks, horse riding, and educational conservation activities.

One&Only sets such a high bar for service and experience that it costs too much to operate — hotels can't price high enough to make it profitable.

I personally love One&Only, but it's a very niche brand with extremely high service expectations. The bar they set costs serious money to maintain. Even though they charge premium rates, they can't price high enough to account for the operational costs, so properties usually don't run as profitably as other management companies. It's the price of true luxury — you get incredible experiences but the economics are challenging.

I was horse-mad and this place was like a unicorn resort — exceptional food, the best bed I've ever had, plus a heated pool in your room.

Wolgan Valley hit every note for me. The room had a heated pool right inside and a glass ceiling over the shower — I've never seen anything like it. But the horse riding sealed it since I'm absolutely horse-crazy. The food was exceptional and that bed was honestly the most comfortable I've had on any holiday. I was devastated when it closed due to road damage because this place has to be experienced to be believed.

We used to go often but the service dropped from five-star to three, and pricing got out of control once we had a third child.

The location remains absolutely amazing, but we watched the service decline noticeably over our visits. What really killed it for us was the family pricing — once we had a third child, we could only book a two-bedroom apartment which cost five times what we used to pay. The property became too expensive for what it delivered, especially with the service slip. It's a shame because we genuinely loved it for years.

I traveled with a friend and two little girls — we all felt completely welcomed and spoiled from arrival to departure.

This was a mystique getaway in an absolutely stunning location. The accommodation was perfect and traveling with children, we felt incredibly welcome throughout our stay. The food was divine and there was so much to explore and wonder about. Every staff member greeted us with smiles and spoiled us at every turn. Special thanks to Kali from guest services who accommodated our every request — your assistance made this a One&Only experience that far exceeded all expectations.

I took my wife for our anniversary — the service from start to finish was exemplary, from freshly lit fires to constantly topped minibar.

Everything was perfect from the freshly lit fire warming the villa upon arrival to regular turndown service. The constantly topped minibar and fantastic restaurant food and wine made this special. We loved our attached pool though the water could be better heated. Our only other complaint was that provider activities could offer better value for money, but otherwise it was absolutely fabulous.

We stayed for our honeymoon and it was everything we hoped for — the private heated pool and evening turndown service made it extra special.

The location is absolutely stunning with breathtaking mountains, wildlife and valley seclusion. Our room was beautiful with a private heated pool, big bath and comfortable bed. We loved walking and cycling around the property. The food menu was incredible, especially dinner, and the arrival drinks celebrating our wedding were a lovely touch. Every staff member was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, creating such a warm environment.

Our honeymoon was mediocre for the extraordinary price point — not really worth the effort and money for the luxury we expected.

The view was astonishing and the lobby areas were well-designed with top-notch ambience. The food was remarkable and the signature horse riding was phenomenal. But the hardware wasn't well-maintained — missing pool tiles, broken bicycles, worn umbrellas, broken windows and gas fireplace issues. Housekeeping was below average to the point I worried about hygiene. We found spider webs, a fake nail on the sofa, and rubbish not removed during turndown.

We enjoyed our honeymoon here and the experience went above and beyond expectations — the location, animals and views are stunning.

The accommodation, location and service exceeded our expectations completely. The room was spacious with everything we needed, and each villa was far enough apart for real privacy. Our tour guide Ben was very knowledgeable and friendly. The location, animals and views are by far the best thing about the place. The only odd thing was being expected to tip staff when the price is already quite expensive for a renowned five-star resort.

The natural beauty of Wolgan Valley is what sets it apart — I wish I could describe the breathtaking beauty to you.

Once you arrive, you know you've reached somewhere special. The natural beauty is absolutely stunning and puts on a show unlike other five-star accommodations. The food and service are impeccable — they serve two of the best steaks I've ever eaten. The villas anticipate every single need and achieve total relaxation. At this price it's for special occasions, but if you're on the fence, just do it and stay for two or more nights.

We had an incredible week for our honeymoon and wished we could have stayed longer — the guides were qualified and made experiences highly enjoyable.

This absolutely stunning property has beautiful rooms and amazing staff. The food was excellent and they easily accommodated dietary requirements. It was lovely chatting with the same staff every day, hearing interesting facts about the resort and getting activity tips. We saw heaps of wildlife and felt privileged to stay in such a beautiful location. All the guides were very qualified and the tours organized by the hotel were phenomenal.

I stayed for two nights and the service was fantastic with impressive inclusive wine, though the food was fairly limited and average.

The service and ambience are fantastic with lots of wildlife to keep me amused. The inclusive wine list is very impressive which is a nice touch. But the food was the downside — fairly limited selection and rather average quality. However, breakfast was absolutely amazing and made up for dinner disappointments. Despite the food issues, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this lovely resort.

This is my second visit after six years and the standard levels are still great — the experience of the staff makes a big difference.

I came to escape the noise of the city for peace and harmony with nature, just three hours from Sydney. The staff experience truly makes this place special — the GM, Simon and Loren were excellent and made everything more enjoyable. Horse riding is absolutely a must if you're there, and the night wildlife experience is fantastic. The kids were cycling around the resort having a blast. It's a place where you truly disconnect and unwind.

I had an absolutely fabulous time — the food addressed menu concerns and staff were incredibly accommodating with our baby under two.

This place is truly amazing. They've improved the food significantly with an alternating daily menu, though our experimental toddler preferred our dishes over the kids menu. The staff took genuine interest in our baby, giving him activity books during dinner and sending complimentary dessert to our room. We had a resident wombat outside our villa the entire stay which was adorable. The spa was one of the best I've experienced with luxurious treatment rooms.