Set on extensive grounds on a secluded lane, Berenbell Vineyard Retreat offers superior self contained one bedroom Cottages and 2 bedroom Lodges. This superb location enjoys magnificent views of rolling vineyards and the rugged Brokenback range which are simply without compare. As an Adults Only retreat, Berenbell is the idyllic place in which to relax or celebrate that special occasion and explore the Pokolbin wine country. Our location is within minutes drive of 17 Cellar Doors and 10 restaurants. There is a wonderful 10 kilometre cycle / walking track on our door step. Berenbell Vineyard Retreat is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Hall of Fame by TripAdvisor. This is a Certificate of Excellence award which recognises 5 consecutive years of consistently high ratings from travellers. Your Hosts Ken and Suzie look forward to welcoming you.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Hidden Gem
Languages Spoken
English
Location
60 Mistletoe Lane, Pokolbin, Cessnock, New South Wales 2320 Australia
Berenbell Vineyard Retreat
157 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Ken and Susie have a beautifully maintained property in an enviable position within walking distance of wineries and a couple of restaurants, with a lovely outlook over rolling hills and vines. Three one bedroom cottages, plus a 2x2 bdrm duplex. The cottages are spotlessly clean, basic kitchenette facilities and electric bbq, very private with lovely outdoor terrace. You are left to yourself, but the rubbish magically disappears each day and fresh wood/kindling for the fire appears. A fire poking stick wood have been handy as would some bathroom heating to take advantage of the lovely claw foot bath. Eggs, muffins, cereal, milk, bread and condiments are provided on day one along with some lovely wine to enjoy. All in all a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the Hunter - not our first visit, nor our last. It’s just lovely, thank you once again Susie and Ken.
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Date of stay: June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Had a beautiful stay at the Berenbell Vineyard Retreat. The location is just magical, looking across a vineyard to the Brokenback Mountain range. Mistletoe lane is quiet and peaceful and just perfect for a morning and afternoon stroll. Our cottage was immaculately clean and tastefully appointed. The fridge and cupboards were stocked with breakfast items and the Nespresso coffee machine was much appreciated. Ken and Suzie are excellent hosts, friendly and on hand if needed. It was lovely to have Ginger the dog visit us and include us in her ball games. We highly recommend this venue for a stay at Pokolbin, and as we drove out of the gates we made a promise to come back. Thank you Ken, Suzie and Ginger, our stay with you was just the perfect weekend away.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Cleanliness
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our first trip to the Hunter Valley and we couldn't have chosen more perfect accommodation. Our one bed cottage had everything we needed (although some drawers in the bedroom would have been helpful), was spotlessly clean and had a fridge stocked with wine and breakfast goodies. Wood and kindling were replenished every day for the wood burner, which kept the cottage toasty in the, evenings. Ken and Suzie were on hand if needed but we were left to enjoy our stay. Thank you to you both, we will definitely be back.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Berenbell Vineyard Retreat Winterschladens, Owner at Berenbell Vineyard Retreat
Responded Aug 31, 2020
Hi Gill - thank you for your review. We are thrilled that you had an enjoyable stay with us and everything met with your satisfaction and beyond for a celebratory few days. Thank you for pointing out the lack of draw space in your Cottage. As your stay was a longer stay than normal, we understand that you may have needed an extra set of drawers. We have in fact already installed extra drawers. Stay safe and well and we hope to see you in the not too distant future. Cheers Suzie and Ken
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If you are looking for peaceful accommodation with a indoor fire place in an epic location then this is you place.
The cottages are well presented and the two story bungalows would be perfect for 2 couples. There was a nice bottle of wine on arrival and some sparkling to help us celebrate an anniversary.
Each of the cottages overlook vineyards and the mountain range. The Retreat is within walking distance of Matilda Bay Brewery and a number of other cellar doors.
Ginger the Kelpie will greet you with a ball to throw or just sit and watch you eat cheese and sip wine..
Epic place and we will be back
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Berenbell Vineyard Retreat Winterschladens, Owner at Berenbell Vineyard Retreat
Responded Sep 7, 2020
Hi Reece - thank you for posting such a lovely review. Glad to know that you had an enjoyable stay for your anniversary weekend. Thank you very much for entertaining Ginger - she just loves everyone!! Stay safe and well and we look forward to welcoming you back to Berenbell very soon. Kindest regards Suzie and Ken
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We had the most incredible stay at Berenbell. The Lodge is fantastic, spread over two spacious floors. Comfy beds and a great living room area perfect for wine and cheese after a long day at the wineries. The location is stunning and there are outdoor tables that allow you to eat your breakfast in the sun overlooking the vineyards and hills. Very close to all our favourite vineyards too, so you could walk between a fair few if you don’t have any other transport.
Most noteworthy though is the fantastic welcome we got by the lovely hosts. They went over and beyond to make us feel welcome and to tell us about the Valley. There was a complimentary bottle of wine waiting for us in the fridge on arrival and a bit of breakfast for the morning. When the hosts learned we were going to spend the second morning there for brekky they treated us to sparkling wine and more orange juice so that we could make mimosas.
Extra bonus is the cute doggo Ginger who lives on the grounds. She is super friendly but likes to keep her distance.
Can’t really see us staying anywhere else in the valley after visiting Berenbell.
We’ll be back!
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have been returning to Berenbell for 7 years now. We love it! We have stayed in all 3 cottages and they all have stunning views of the Brokenback Mountains, are peaceful and homely. When we stay we feel like we have our own home away from home in the country. The location is perfect with a couple of restaurants in walking distance or staying in for the evening watching the sunset in front of the cosy fire on a winter’s evening with some locally produced cheese and wine. In warmer weather or on a sunny winter’s day you can sit comfortably outside and enjoy the gorgeous view. We particularly love the morning kangaroos, hot air balloons, orange sunsets over the mountains or the mists. Ken and Susie are wonderful hosts who provide everything you need for a delicious breakfast and ensure the cottages are extremely comfortable. They are there if you need them yet leave their visitors to enjoy this beautiful place. Thank you Susie and Ken for always being so welcoming, kind and thoughtful and having such a fabulous place for a relaxing get away that we want to keep coming back to.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We recently had the pleasure of staying at Berenbell, which was a real highlight of our trip to the Hunter Valley. We have stayed before, (it is becoming our home away from home), only this time we were travelling with four other couples, all of which loved having the privacy of their own cottage to retire to at the end of the day.
The property, views, and outlook at Berenbell are amazing, gorgeous, quiet, tranquil, and spacious, you feel instantly relaxed as you arrive and take it all in, and yet, you are only a few minutes’ walk to cellar doors and restaurants.
Each cottage is meticulously positioned offering you complete privacy, but close enough to each other so you don’t feel isolated. They are a great size, well-appointed with a generous bathroom, pot belly fireplace, and a comfortable bed making for a sound night’s sleep. The continental breakfast provisions left in your cottage are more than enough for your stay, and enjoying them at your leisure is a bonus if you like to sleep in. To explore the region, or sit and relax outside your cottage watching the kangaroos and birds, (or playing with Ginger, their beautiful friendly dog), will be the hardest decision you will need to make during your stay.
The warm friendly welcome, local knowledge, and hospitality shared by owners Ken and Suzie is a real point of differentiation for Berenbell. Having the property owners living on-site is becoming a thing of the past, and being met at your cottage and given the key, (instead of receiving a text message and pin code), feels personal, welcoming and reassuring. Two more well suited, genuine, and lovely hosts in the Hunter Valley you could not hope to find.
We can't wait for our next trip back to Berenbell soon, where we definitely plan to linger much longer.
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We loved our very relaxing stay at Berenbell Vineyard Retreat to celebrate our 30th anniversary. Our wonderful hosts, Ken and Suzie made us feel so special even having a box of chocolates to devour along with a bottle of red.
Our cottage was immaculate with everything that we needed and we really appreciated the Nespresso machine. The fridge was stocked with muffins, pastries, fresh eggs, a range of cereal, milk and orange juice, we did not want for anything.
Beautiful views across to the Brokenback range, kangaroos and their young and variety of birdlife made our stay so special and relaxing. It was so quiet and peaceful and it was lovely to sit outside our cottage admiring the view and wildlife whilst sipping our coffee in the mornings and wine in the evenings.
Ginger the dog enjoyed a pat and a few throws of whatever stick I could find. We left Berenbell recharged and said to each other, this was the perfect getaway weekend. Huge thanks to Ken and Suzie who truly are wonderful hosts and we will recommend to others as a great place to stay.
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Date of stay: March 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Berenbell Vineyard Retreat Winterschladens, Owner at Berenbell Vineyard Retreat
Responded Mar 15, 2022
Dear Sharon - what a wonderful way to start our day reading your glowing review of your stay at Berenbell. We really appreciate your feedback from your stay and thank you very much. We love hearing our guests' experiences and your stay epitomises what we wish for all our guests. We look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future. Stay safe and well. All the best, Ken and Suzie
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With the world in disarray and the weather decidedly unfriendly, an escape to the country was a welcome relief.
We chose Berenbell Vineyard Retreat because of its location and the wonderful reviews of Ken and Suzie and their attention to their customers’ needs.
After a very pleasant 2 hour drive, we were warmly welcomed by Ken and Suzie and escorted to our gorgeous self-contained Cottage - WOW - the view was breathtaking. What a great place to relax and breath in fresh air and take in all that nature has to offer. Not to mention the Cottages have everything you could wish for.
We are already planning our return trip and can only highly recommend Berenbell for a country escape.
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Date of stay: February 2022
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Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The one bedroom cottage was brilliant. A beautiful view out to Mistletoe lane, the vineyard and brokenback mountain ranges. The cottage has everything you need - fireplace, clawfoot bath and some complimentary goodies including delicious wine! Plenty of privacy for each cottage. I think the place was full yet we felt like we were on our own.
Our hosts Susie, Ken and Ginger were very hospitable and welcoming. Ginger kept me busy and entertained playing fetch each day.
Thank you and look forward to returning.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Berenbell Vineyard Retreat Winterschladens, Owner at Berenbell Vineyard Retreat
Responded Oct 1, 2020
Hi Tom - thank you for your great review. We are so happy that you enjoyed all that Berenbell has to offer - including our cheeky little Ginger who just loves everybody!! We look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future. Stay safe and well. Best regards Suzie and Ken
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There are more places to choose from in the Pokolbin area.
PRICE RANGE
C$258 - C$269 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
AustraliaNew South WalesGreater NewcastleCessnockPokolbin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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