Best Central Coast accommodation for lovers of surf, sand and sun

Overlooking the golden sands of Terrigal Beach is the Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific. One of the larger hotels on this stretch of turquoise coast, you’ll find peace and privacy in spacious rooms laid out in contemporary green décor.

For absolute luxury, check into the grandiose Presidential Suite where you can cosy up in two sumptuous bedrooms and soak away your cares in an opulent spa bath. For further relaxation, you’ll have complimentary access to the hotel’s sauna whether you’ve booked a standard room or a specialty suite. Trading your shoes for slippers, you can let your stresses melt away in the fragrant heat before indulging in a soothing stones massage at the on-site Endota Spa.

Food lovers will be spoiled for choice with three ocean-facing bars and restaurants to meet your every gastronomic and tipple-related whim. The belly-busting buffet breakfast from Seasalt Restaurant will set you up for the day, while a decadent high tea in the lavish Lord Ashley Lounge should quell any hunger pangs until cocktail hour. Sip on a lovingly made Mai Tai as the sun sets, then watch the stars come out from the comfort of your own private balcony.

When you arrive at the tranquil Avoca Valley Bed and Breakfast, you might think you’ve been transported to a different world. Nestled in the beguiling hinterland, this 4-star Avoca Beach accommodation option is designed to let you unwind the instant you set down your bags.

Hunker down in one of three spacious bespoke suites where opulent damask linens, elegant French provincial furnishings and a private balcony evoke the atmosphere of a sophisticated European hideaway. You can take a wander through the property’s lush gardens and breathe in sweeping Central Coast vistas before enjoying an in-room massage.

For those long and lazy lunches, the bustling cafés of Terrigal Beach are just a short drive away. After a breezy meal of signature salt-and-pepper calamari and a freshly blended green lemonade at Aromas on Sea beachfront café, you can wander to the famous Skillion lookout point for frame-worthy photos in front of the sweeping ocean. Though if you’ve booked an accommodation package like the Mind and Body Escape – which features treats like specialty leaf teas, espresso and plunger coffees, gourmet chocolates and a personal yoga session – you may not want to leave the hotel at all.

If tranquillity is what you’re after, look no further than The Willows. This affordably charming Gosford hotel is fringed by tropical gardens and is close to the natural beauty of Brisbane Water.

To really relax, wear your PJs down to breakfast where buffet-style dining is on offer in the on-site restaurant. Alternatively, you can wander to nearby Carawah Reserve for a morning picnic among sojourning mangroves (though this will require putting on pants). Beer lovers might be tempted by a morning tour of local hops haven Six String Brewing Company. When you return to the hotel, a cooling dip in the pool can help refresh the mind and body.

Under the brilliant Central Coast sunshine, you can spend lazy afternoons wandering the grassy verges of Adcock Park, less than a 10-minute drive from the hotel. Afterwards, cook up a meaty feast in The Willows’ laidback BBQ area. By the time you’re settling in on your soft bed for an evening of Foxtel, you’ll have achieved a level of relaxation worth much more than the modest nightly room fee.

The Mercure Kooindah Waters Central Coast has won a string of prestigious awards – and it really isn’t hard to see why. From your exquisite rooms at this golf and spa resort, you can drink in showstopping views across the wetlands from your private balcony. Jump under the sheets of your plush bed swathed in contemporary fabrics, and the stresses of the week will soon drift from your mind.

Why not start the day with breakfast in bed to fuel you before testing out your swing on the golf course? Or, perhaps an afternoon in the luxurious Endota Spa is more up your alley. As you indulge in the signature ‘drenched’ treatment, you’ll start to wonder how you ever went without a honey exfoliant-laced Billabong footbath or moisturising yoghurt cocoon.

If fabulous food is your biggest pleasure, then the on-site Karinya’s Restaurant and Wine Bar will have you swooning over succulent sirloin and truffle mashed potatoes. We recommend washing it all down with a silky Shiraz, then grabbing an early night so you’re fresh for the fairway in the morning.

You might feel like you’ve been transported to a secluded sanctuary when you check into Bells at Killcare, even though Sydney’s practically around the corner. Each of the boutique cottages, suites and villas come bedecked with designer Ralph Lauren furnishings, and the décor – think driftwood walls, sea-grass matting and a pleasing palette of beachy blues – pulls from the surrounding seaside.

Those with a penchant for quality food and drink will be blown away by the on-site restaurant, where herb-crusted blue eye cod and spaghetti with diamond clams can be enjoyed with a glass of Tornatore Etna Bianco Carricante. For an hour or two of blissful relaxation, slip into Bells Day Spa and sign up for a Kodo rhythmic body massage. The famed ‘Jina of the Earth’ foot treatment will soothe sore insteps after a day exploring the glories of Bouddi National Park.

If you prefer to stay closer to home, hotel reception can provide you with detailed bushwalking maps and house-packed picnic hampers so you can enjoy the area’s spectacular wooded trails. For a truly showstopping activity, ask reception to book a personal seaplane flight over the glittering ocean seascape or a helicopter day-trip to romantic wineries in the Hunter Valley.

Nothing says relaxation quite like the five-star wonderland that is the Pullman Magenta Shores Retreat. The hotel’s sweeping 52 acres are flanked by Tuggerah Lake and the sparkling expanse of the Pacific Ocean, so views from this exquisite stop are nothing short of jaw-dropping.

All rooms are apartment-style, featuring expansive living areas and fully equipped kitchens for preparing your own meals. If you’re more keen to be catered to, you’ll find a host of on-site dining options. Pop into Barretts Restaurant for instagrammable seared king trout paired with a chilled glass of chardonnay. Or, if you’re feeling casual, sample a satisfying wood-fired pizza at the social Shallows Bar.

The hotel’s own Vie Spa can free you of lingering stresses, with experiences like the ‘White Flannel Flower Ritual’ to leave you floating on a floral-scented cloud. For those who prefer pools for splashing away their cares, there are three different swimming areas around the hotel. At the popular Lagoon Pool, you’ll find a swim-up bar that will keep you supplied with cold bevvies until the sun sets.

A hop, skip and a jump from the bustling gateway hubs of Gosford and Wyong is Kims Beachside Retreat, a homely four-star haven right by the ocean. Each of the 34 stylishly-appointed bungalows and villas have been purpose-built for relaxation. Comfort-inducing touches like deluxe pillow-top king beds, Japanese-style Yukata gowns for boujee reclining and polished hardwood timber floors draped in oriental rugs lend a touch of Far East cosiness. Splash out on a Hideaway Deluxe Terrace Spa Villa and you’ll have the luxury of your own private, heated swimming pool and a large Jacuzzi for soaking away daily cares.

This deluxe and contemporary hotel is a nine-minute walk to Toowoon Bay Beach, where you can bask in cerulean waters for as long as the sun lasts. If you’re after something a little more active, you can head off to explore the captivating terrain of nearby Wyrrabalong National Park. The hotel’s on-site restaurant will tempt you back in time for a decadent dinner of Spring Bay black mussels and papaya salsa. We recommend ending the day with a classic Caprioska from the retreat’s classically quaint cocktail bar.