I'm going to be honest - I've never stayed in a converted train carriage before or even an overnight sleeper train. For this city-slicker, the closest I've ever come to sleeping on a train over the years would be on the work commute after a long day - and I've maybe once fallen asleep - in my seat - while catching the Eurostar . So, when I was invited to stay at The Station in the idyllic NSW Hunter Valley for 9Travel, in Pokolbin to be exact, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect - but I was excited nonetheless.
READ MORE: Five budget Aussie holiday spots you can visit and avoid the crowds READ MORE: The perfect destinations for a multi-generational family holiday The idea of it certainly piqued my interest - it features converted train carriages on land - and boy, it did not disappoint. Just over two and a half hours away, it was an easy drive north from Sydney to the Hunter Valley on one of the last weekends of winter. What I walked into with my plus-one, my partner, blew me away.
The Station is a mix of creativity, uniqueness, utter luxury and cosiness all in one. My partner and I stayed at The George, two freshly-converted vintage train carriages with a unique outdoor area connecting the two. To get to The George, we drove through the sprawling 25-acre property on a winding driveway and past a series of converted carriages.
The black and white "beware of trains'' sign on the grounds got a chuckle out of us both. They each have some great names, including The Franklin and The Queen Mary, and are renovated with their own eye-catching unique styles and placed on the land. There are different sized carriages - accommodating 2-10 people and more carriages on site that are coming soon.
The George, which we stayed in for two nights, can accommodate up to ten people - it boasts five charming beds, two bathrooms and a powder room - which featured a quirky ''all aboard" sign on the wall. There's no doubt The George would be a perfect stay for guests all year-round, but with the cooler weather of the Hunter region outside for us, it was the perfect cosy winter escape. READ MORE: Hotel review: The Calile takes its 'urban resort' status to the next level The carriages also had a spacious kitchen, dining room, and lounge room, air conditioning, and even old touches of the original trains, including wooden doors and a gold restored handbrake.
Outside, underneath the pergola and lights, was another large dining area complete with green ferns, and a BBQ. On the grass was a small fire pit, perfect to cosy up next to with a wine in hand from one of the many cellar doors in the region. While the carriages look small from the outside - and some might classify them as tiny homes - we soon learned that looks can be deceiving.
Inside, they feel incredibly spacious, no doubt thanks to the high ceilings and windows running up and down the carriages. But you certainly knew you were in a train carriage - the carriage with the bedrooms and bathrooms had a thin walkway just like they used to in the old days - but it also felt like you were staying in some seriously luxurious digs. Being right in the heart of Pokolbin, The Station is in close proximity to some of the best wineries, cellar doors and restaurants.
Local attractions include the Hunter Valley Gardens, the famous cheese shops, chocolate shops. The location also provided easy access to a nearby Highland Games festival at Saltire Estate that drew in hundreds if not thousands of spectators. All in all, I would definitely recommend a stay at The Station - as it's one of the best and unique experiences I've ever had and beats a typical hotel or accommodation any day.
It almost has an off-the-grid feel, being on an expansive property - but what you experience is sheer luxury. The writer was a guest of Booking.com.
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