Forget Bondi Beach, Sydney Opera House and Darling Harbour, the city of Sydney is going to be well behind you. That is, once you set out on the road and hop around the state in search of New South Wales’ best Airbnb cabins. Whether it’s some tiny homes perfect for a couple’s getaway or a lavish holiday rental ideal for larger groups, we’ve rounded up the best Airbnb properties near Sydney for your next trip.
We’re big fans of traditional hotels but sometimes nothing can compete with the self-reliance of good Airbnb. Not only does it encourage you to get out and explore more regions around Australia, but the home rental platform is packed with these kinds of unique properties that make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon something few people get to experience.
How Boss Hunting Chose The Best Airbnb Sydney & NSW Properties
We’ve stayed at some of them, we’ve researched the others and we pay close attention to online reviews from real customers. That’s usually our process when we’re picking Airbnb properties throughout the world. Boss Hunting is constantly on the lookout for cool, unique or just downright comfortable tiny homes, cabins and larger houses to guide our readers toward the best places to stay around the world.
As such, these are some of the best Airbnb cabins near Sydney that we could find, from the Blue Mountains to Grose Vale and beyond. We also considered the distance from Sydney. If it’s more than a three-hour drive from the city then it ain’t on this list, so places like Byron Bay and Hunter Valley didn’t qualify.
Aside from that, we pay close attention to photos both from the official Airbnb website, the property’s website (if there is one) and guest photos from sites like TripAdvisor and reputable travel blogs.
We’re confident that we’ve found the best Airbnbs outside of Sydney so hopefully this list helps you with your planning, whether you’re looking for a date idea or you’re in charge of planning the next boys’ trip.
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Best Airbnbs Near Sydney – Table Of Contents
- Logan Brae Retreats, Blue Mountains
- Hideout, Moss Vale
- Gumtree Lodge, Grose Vale
- 6Sixteen The Banks, Hawkesbury
- Arabella, Kangaroo Valley
- River Treehouse, Berowra Waters
- Banjara Retreat, Bilpin
- Piccolino, Wolgan Valley
- The Little Black Shack, Great Mackerel Beach
- The Salty Dog, Newport
- Peppertree Passive House, Unanderra
- Frequently Asked Questions
Best Airbnbs Near Sydney
Logan Brae Retreats, Blue Mountains
Distance From Sydney CBD: 2 hr 9 minutes (153 km)
Average Price Per Night: $850
Guests: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Let’s start with one of the most popular Airbnbs near Sydney on this list. The Apple Orchard Farm Stay at Logan Brae Retreats is amongst the most wish-listed Airbnb properties in the entire country. And it’s not hard to see why international visitors are eyeing this property, which sits on the oldest remaining apple orchard in Shipley Plateau.
The tastefully restored machinery shed has both an indoor and outdoor tub, as well as immaculate views across the Kanimbla Valley, a bedroom with a canopy with fairy lights and a generous living area with a fireplace. It’s an easy sell for a quick romantic getaway in any season, given it’s only over a two-hour drive outside of Sydney.
Hideout, Moss Vale
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 40 minutes (127 km)
Average Price Per Night: $449
Guests: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Hideout Cabin only opened doors a few years ago in the Southern Highlands with stunning views looking over a postcard-worthy dam on a 140-acre working property in Moss Vale.
Five-star comforts have been included to give this rural property a modern luxury feel with a deluxe queen bed overlooking ample deck space. Most of the property pushes guests outdoors, making the deck an entertainer’s dream where guests can relax, sink a few bottles of red under the stars and cook up a storm with the outdoor fire pit.
Gumtree Lodge, Grose Vale
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 12 minutes (80 km)
Average Price Per Night: $361 (2-night minimum)
Guests: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Framed by forests and perfect landscaping, Gumtree Tree Lodge in Grose Vale is a luxury safari tent sitting on a 30-acre property. There are few accommodations as romantic as a private ranch stay in rural New South Wales, powered by those immaculate sunsets and sunrises with every design feature worked to maximise the views.
You’ll only need to travel just over an hour North West of Sydney for this one, which opens you up to some great hiking trails, rivers and waterholes, markets and even a few nearby waterfalls. You can end a busy day by the outdoor firepit to cap off what should feel like a truly off-the-grid experience.
6Sixteen The Banks, Hawkesbury
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 2 minutes (67 km)
Average Price Per Night: $324 (2-night minimum)
Guests: 4
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
You’ll find 6Sixteen on the banks of the Hawkesbury River with the Blue Mountains soaring in the background. It’s immediately obvious that here is a place where time kind of doesn’t really exist, which is perfect for a quick family getaway away given this property has enough space for 4 guests (two adults and two children).
There’s plenty to do on this rural playground, where this beautifully designed tiny house is framed by highlight features like a woodfire bathtub and the perfect viewing spot looking over the 126-acre Godolphin stud farm where you can spot horses doing their early morning track work.
Arabella, Kangaroo Valley
Distance From Sydney CBD: 2 hr 14 minutes (157 km)
Average Price Per Night: $370
Guests: 3
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1.5
Although it’s mostly known for its award-winning glass bathroom, there is no shortage of show-stopping design features out at Arabella. You’ll find this Kangaroo Valley tiny home just a two-hour drive from Sydney, presenting a luxe little timber cabin that’s entirely solar-powered.
There’s plenty of privacy on this 140-acre property on the edge of the Cambewarra Ranges with Arabella hidden amongst tall dense bushland. You’ve got just enough space for three guests total and that award-winning outhouse, which is virtually a capsule with one-way mirrors so you can see out but not in, helps make this a very unique accommodation.
River Treehouse, Berowra Waters
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 2 minutes (60 km)
Average Price Per Night: $550 (2-night minimum)
Guests: 8
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2.5
A total of eight guests can fit into the lush River Treehouse on the banks of Berowra Waters. It doesn’t get more idyllic than this, just an hour outside of Sydney (plus a 10-minute boat ride) bringing you to pure riverside paradise.
You’ll get a tinny with a full tank of fuel so you can explore the local area but it’d be hard to peel yourself away from the comfortable home, which feels like a treehouse with plenty of natural light and a wood burner fireplace. Although, a group lunch at nearby Berowra Waters is never a bad idea.
Banjara Retreat, Bilpin
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 30 minutes (91.4 km)
Average Price Per Night: $280 (2-night minimum)
Guests: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Banjara Retreat is made up of two luxury suites located on the knife’s edge of Wollemi National Park in Bilpin. Wide views over the Blue Mountains play in the background while these well-appointed cabins provide plenty of modern comfort from the generous living spaces to large glass doors that open to outdoor decks.
The stunning cabins, which sleep two guests each, really push you to explore the area. Make no mistake about it, this is going to be a weekend fit with both relaxation and the great outdoors, with direct access to walking, biking and horse riding trails as well as open gardens, orchards, cellar doors and local restaurants. Don’t forget the beautiful beaches of upper Colo River and you’re set for the weekend. It’s the best location in Bilpin.
Piccolino, Wolgan Valley
Distance From Sydney CBD: 2 hr 14 minutes (172 km)
Average Price Per Night: $432 (2-night minimum)
Guests: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
When you hear of someone heading out to Wolgan Valley for a romantic couples stay, chances are they’re bunkering up at the One&Only. But that is far from the only great accommodation option out in the region.
Piccolino is a tiny home with a seriously large offering, fashioned as the ultimate rest-and-recharge getaway with a completely off-the-grid experience stuffed with crisp mountain air and the serene sounds of nature. The completely self-sufficient tiny home is as remote as they come, meaning you’ll be the only two people for miles.
The Little Black Shack, Great Mackerel Beach
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 3 minutes (61 km)
Average Price Per Night: $1,050 (2-night minimum)
Guests: 4
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
One of the most popular New South Wales Airbnbs on the platform is the hard-to-book Little Black Shack out at Great Mackerel Beach, which is pretty much opposite Palm Beach. The original timber and sandstone fisherman’s cottage is the perfect couple’s retreat around Pittwater, tempered by the cool sea breeze and presenting rustic-chic design.
From the soft cowhide rugs to a hand-built sandstone open fireplace, the interior of The Little Black Shack looks like it was ripped from a Hollywood set, presenting both an idyllic summer getaway and a cosy winter cabin with two bedrooms and one bathroom.
The Salty Dog, Newport
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 3 minutes (38.7 km)
Average Price Per Night:
Guests: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
The Salty Dog has been featured on numerous television programs and is easily one of the most prolific Airbnbs located just outside of Sydney. The aesthetic is irresistible enough – a tiny wooden boathouse floating on the calm waters of Pittwater.
Inside the tiny home you’ll find a one loft bedroom with a queen bed up top and a downstairs that blends a living and dining area with a small kitchen. All bookings come with a continental breakfast hamper best enjoyed on the back deck while the sun rises over the water.
Peppertree Passive House, Unanderra
Distance From Sydney CBD: 1 hr 43 minutes (89.6 km)
Average Price Per Night:
Guests: 4
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Four guests can pack into just the one bedroom and the unique Peppertree Passive House out at Unanderra. The serene getaway, walking distance from some epic national park trails, won the Sustainable Architecture Award for 2022 and was designed by Alexander Symes to maximise the dramatic landscape.
With Mount Kembla in the background, the scene at Peppertree Passive House is not easy to forget. The treehouse itself has a 50-year-old Pepper tree in the middle of it, ascending through comfortable interiors for the perfect contrast between nature and modern comforts.
Best Airbnb Cabins Near Sydney – Frequently Asked Questions
Is New South Wales popular on Airbnb?
New South Wales is one of the most popular searches on Airbnb and has some of the platform’s most wish-listed properties in the country.
What are some unique Airbnb properties in New South Wales?
Some really memorable Airbnb properties just outside of Sydney include The Little Black Shack at Great Mackerel Beach and the award-winning Peppertree Passive House in Unanderra.
