When it comes to finding amazing accommodation, NSW has so much to offer that it can be hard to keep up. With our state's abundance of incredible campsites, hotels and amazingly unique accommodation, it's hard to narrow down the best place to book for your next getaway.
But, fret no further. The NSW Tourism Awards Winners have recently been announced, and with it, the confidence that your next NSW holiday itinerary won't be a miss.
Why should we listen to the overlords at the NSW Tourism Awards anyway? Well, after 30 years, they’re the state’s longest-running tourism honours – and the only way operators can land a spot in the Australian Tourism Awards. With 30 categories that span accomodation, experiences and sustainability, 2025's awards saw 78 winners selected from 125 finalists, making this a very competitive round.
After a lot of careful consideration, 55 independent judges gave these finalists gold, silver and bronze awards for their efforts in the NSW tourism space. Accomodation was a big proponent of this, with the awards featuring 5-star accomodation to caravan parks.
Here's who took home gold for each category.
1. 5 star accommodation gold went to dreamy Berry mountain-top escape, Mt Hay Retreat. Reviewed by us in 2023, we can attest that Mt Hay Retreat is worthy of its crown.
2. 4 to 4.5 star accommodation gold was awarded to Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific, which our Time Out editors also loved.
3. Best caravan park title was given to Tathra Beach Eco Park on the South Coast.
4. Hosted accommodation was awarded to the amazing Belfry Guesthouse in Bellingen, whose magic has remained palpable for years.
5. Unique accommodation gold went to Sierra Escape, an adults-only glamping spot that our Sydney editor said was one of the most "incredible experiences" she's had in 30 years.
6. Contained accommodation gold went to award-winning eco cabins, Contained in Nimbin, up on the far north coast.
With the NSW Tourism Awards also handing out prizes to the best tours, restaurants, wineries, shops and sustainability efforts across the state, a huge variety of amazing local businesses got their well-deserved recognition on a truly respected stage. You can check out the full list of the winners here.
Holiday, anyone? Go on, you deserve it.