A country escape in NSW that's food for the soul

Hotel Review: Rest at BoxGrove

Where: 119 Duramana Road, Eglinton, NSW

How much: $1100 for a two-night weekend stay. A 15 per cent discount is on offer to Explore readers, enter EXPLORE15 when booking online

Rest at BoxGrove has long been a dream for husband and wife duo Ben and Kayla Fry. The Bathurst locals are no stranger to looking after guests on their 70-hectare cattle and sheep farm just outside Bathurst, where they've run a wedding venue with accompanying accommodation since 2016. Their latest addition, Rest at BoxGrove, opened in December 2023 as a premium offering for the eco-conscious traveller.

Have you ever had anyone tell you how "big" the sky is in Bathurst? They're right. Australia's first inland European settlement, just 2.5 hours from Sydney, might be well known for its annual V8 Supercar race, but Bathurst is so much more.

There are retail boutique treasures, wineries and unforgettable dining experiences, and it's steeped in history - European and Indigenous. Rest at BoxGrove is an easy 10 minute drive north-west of Bathurst, and the view from the six new eco-studios across Wiradjuri Country is huge.

The solar-passive studios at Rest are off-grid and the perfect blend of opulence and sustainability. There are modern furnishings, a sleek kitchenette, dual outdoor bathtubs, barbecue, fire pit and every luxury you could hope for while keeping the environment happy at the same time.

Because the studios are new and were created in what was once a cattle paddock, the plantings sowed in raised garden beds are yet to provide total privacy from the studio next door. A thoughtful note left in the room explains that, in time, plants will grow and guests will then get total privacy.

My studio is filled with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. The bed is placed in the perfect spot so guests can wake up and gaze out to cattle, rolling hills and the big, blue sky. The king bed has organic linen sheets and a doona so thick and warm I wanted to take it home with me.

There's a huge shower or if you're after a slower pace, fill the free-standing stone bath and take a dip as you gaze out the bathroom's floor-to-ceiling window towards the paddocks. While Rest is designed to help guests disconnect, for anyone keen to check in with the outside world there's a TV and 5G coverage. There's no Wi-Fi, but I was eaily able to hot-spot my laptop for a quick email check.

Supporting locals is the ethos of Ben and Kayla Fry, and the kitchenette was stocked with locally sourced bacon, eggs, sourdough and tomatoes.

The studios are west-facing and perfectly positioned to take in the sunset, so I opened the complimentary 375ml bottle of Rose Garden Gin from Bathurst Grange Distiller, topped it up with tonic and ice from the fridge and went to watch the golds, pinks and reds form across the horizon.

If gin is not your thing, there's also a complimentary bottle of Shizangio di Renzo made just up the road at Renzaglia Wines.

Guests are encouraged to explore the farm, take a wander to the vineyard, collect fresh eggs from the barn or say hello to the cattle and sheep.

If you're looking for action a little further afield, Rest has produced a guide to Bathurst to help guests explore the best the region has to offer.

In a world where it's hard to find quiet and switch off, Rest at BoxGrove is a must-do. This luxurious stay filled my soul with joy.

Explore more: rest.boxgrove.com.au

The writer was a guest of Rest at BoxGrove.