The recipe for a perfect girls trip: A stunning view, wine, and the 'best cheese of our lives'

"I've actually never felt so relaxed," were the words my friend said to me during the second day of our trip to the Hunter Valley.Usually, back in Sydney, our lives are go go go. Between work, catching up with friends, and just general life admin, there's hardly a chance to sit back and kick our feet up.And while we thought we at least knew how to relax, our whole perception of the idea was turned upside down when we got the chance to spend two nights in our own secluded cabin nestled among 15 hectares of vineyards and bushland.READ MORE: Cabin crew member reveals the $1 snack she always packs for a flightEnter the The Lane RetreatJust a short two-hour drive out of Sydney lies The Lane Retreat, a resort made of individual, luxury studio retreats - exactly what we needed for a girls weekend away.The minute we opened the door of our cabin, we knew we were in for a relaxing getaway.READ MORE: Perfect way to avoid the crowds in the Northern TerritoryWe had everything the perfect girls weekend needed, a huge bathroom with a double basin and enough room for both our makeup bags, a giant snuggly bed with plenty of pillows, a kitchenette stocked with food, snacks, wine and cocktails, but most importantly, we had a view.At the foot of our bed sat a sliding glass door that opened out onto the balcony of girls-trip-dreams. Two comfy seats, a table to hold our wine glasses, and a gorgeous view overlooking a lake, vineyard and mountains.And while we easily could have stayed at our retreat bumbling between our comfy cabin, the toasty firepit, the luxe swimming pool and the gorgeous gift store, it would have been rude not to try out some of the other fine things the Hunter Valley has to offer.Where to eat in the Hunter ValleyAnd by finer things, I mean the food and wine.So, off we went on out first night for a wine tasting and woodfired pizzas at Bimbadgen Winery.READ MORE: The best day trip you can do in the South of France - and stay in budgetOn top of the array of delicious wines (plus a surprisingly tasty shot of gin) and some perfectly crispy woodfired pizzas, we also had a beautiful sunset to top it all off.Safe to say, we settled into the Hunter Valley life quite nicely.The next day, we journeyed out to Emma's Cottage, a gorgeous little boutique winery just a short few minutes drive from our accommodation.Much to our delight, the venue happened to be hosting a wedding that day. So, as we sat inside sipping on our wine and eating probably the best cheese we had ever tasted, we got to be a part of the excitement as the team set up for what looked to be the perfect wedding.READ MORE: The best caravan park in Australia has been crowned for 2024In between our outings we took the opportunity to put on our complimentary robes and slippers, pop open a bottle of wine and take in the views.And when I say we've never felt more relaxed than in that moment, I do really mean it.As our trip came to a close, we had one more outing for our final night, dinner at Esca Bimbadgen restaurant.And what a way to top it all off. With wine pairings alongside each meal and a table with the chairs seated close enough that we could easily yap the night away, it was the perfect end to the perfect girls trip.READ MORE: Sydney wins big as the local 2024 World Travel Awards are revealedThe next day, we sadly packed our bags, said goodbye to the view and hopped in the car to head back to the hustle and bustle of Sydney.Breezy, calm and care-free, we started the journey back home, doing our best to help that post girls-weekend-glow last for as long as possible.Luckily, we'd thought ahead and bought a few bottles of wine to take back with us in hopes that maybe, we could recreate some of that relaxing Hunter Valley magic from home.The writer stayed as a guest of The Lane Retreat.