Villa Leone Estate - take in the neighbouring giraffes, lions, and zebras!

Hunter Valley Stays is proud to present Villa Leone Estate (Lion Estate in Italian).

This one-of-a-kind, self-contained property is perfect for large group stays of up to 22 guests seeking a memorable experience like no other. Located in the NSW premier Wine Region of the Hunter Valley and uniquely, located next door to the renowned animal sanctuary, the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park. You and your guests will feel like you have landed in the Italian countryside, with the added privilege of experiencing time slow down as you take in the neighbouring giraffes, lions and zebras as they roam!

Villa Leone Estate is the ideal solution for family milestones and reunions, small professional conference and creative groups, fitness and golf retreat and wedding guests. Villa Leone Estate is a “must-stay” experience for those wishing to create a memorable stay as well as being located close to the finest restaurants, iconic cellar doors, venues, events and family attractions the Hunter is famous for. All within 2 hours’ drive from Sydney and 50 mins from Newcastle Airport and only 3.6km from Cessnock Airport and village of Pokolbin, Lovedale and Cessnock on the doorstep.

From the moment you drive through the Estate’s sandstone gates, Villa Leone Estate will impress. The entire property has been designed to maximise your stay experience both indoor and outdoor, so you can take in the beauty of this estate and its unique atmosphere of staying neighbouring a wildlife park.

Comprising of two private accommodation offerings, the first being the Zookeepers Cottage which sleeps up to 10 guests and the second, the stunning main residence, Villa Leone which sleeps up to 12 guests. Both accommodation offerings are immaculately presented, catering to every guest need of luxury bedding, air-conditioning and WiFi whilst offering the choice of a fresh and charming, family style cottage or, the grandeur of the main Villa. Whichever you choose to stay overnight in, the main Villa has been thoughtfully designed to cater to all 22 guests with ease and provides many truly beautiful spaces where you can gather for brunches, long lunches on the sundrenched terrace, easy BBQ’s, movie nights or entertainment fireside or, when needed, retreat to a peaceful spot on the grounds or, grab a book, a glass of wine and take a snooze in one of the deep leather chairs.

The Zookeeper’s Cottage is a fresh and crisply styled 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom residence with air-conditioning throughout and Wi-Fi available. The Cottage has a beautiful new kitchen, open plan dining and living rooms as well as a family games room with an air hockey table and foosball table. An outdoor timber pavilion with lounges and BBQ floats above on the grassland and serves as an ideal location to take in the day and night sights and sounds of the neighbouring wildlife, mountain range and feel the joy that only this special location can bring.

Villa Leone, the main and larger of the two accommodation offerings is the true heart of this property. This magnificent Italian inspired, three storey villa is generous in all its proportions and has 6 luxurious bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms, all beautifully decorated with luxurious, warm and eclectic mix of interiors, with your choice of lounging areas to rest, sleep and play. All 12 guests will feel they have the perfect places to gather as well as retreat to rest. Grand in both scale and beauty, the Villa has been designed with two huge living rooms, a fireplace, a semi commercial kitchen perfect for the home cook or private chef, BBQ garden, an internal dining room to seat 22, and external dining table to seat 22, and terrace, multiple balconies with outdoor lounges, and a stunning games room with Billiard table. By opening the custom-made barn doors of the games room, this takes you out to a true highlight of the Villa; you will step out onto an epic, sandstone amphitheatre with firepit and mountain views for amazing winter nights.

We know you will feel like you are in the European countryside whilst still enjoining all the local attractions and mod cons of the property including Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and multiple entertainment areas with multiple TV viewing areas

During your stay, venture next door to the Wildlife Park to get up close and personal with a personal meet and feed the animals experience, or celebrate a birthday, grab a coffee or enjoy a BBQ or picnic. It’s a terrific day out for the family and groups of friends of all ages.

The combination of fabulous accommodation, visual encounters with animals and something for everyone of your family, friends or colleagues makes Villa Leone Estate a place you will never forget. Villa Leone Estate is undoubtably, a unique and very special Hunter Valley Stay experience that will be highly memorable for every guest.

PLEASE NOTE: Villa Leone is available for Accommodation Bookings Only and although we do understand how perfect it would be for special events, this property is not an event venue due to its proximity to the animals and therefore has strict sound and event restrictions. Being a rural property, has three unfenced dams so children will need to be supervised at tall times and these waterways are strictly for agricultural use only.

As respectful neighbours of a Wildlife Park who have the animals’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing at heart, all guests are kindly asked to follow the guest instructions and enjoy the property at a safe distance from all fence lines, please obey all signage as the park’s border fence is electric. Please kindly keep noise levels to a minimum and to never attempt to feed or pat animals under any circumstances.

ACCOMMODATION
Maximum 22 guests or 21 guests in individual beds

Villa Leone
Bedroom One - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2) + ability bathroom suitable for wheelchairs
Bedroom Two - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2) with en-suite
Bedroom Three - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2) with en-suite
Bedroom Four - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2) with en-suite
Bedroom Five - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2)
Bedroom Six - 1 x King Bed (Only) (2) with en-suite

Zookeeper's Cottage
Bedroom One - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2)
Bedroom Two - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2)
Bedroom Three - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2)
Bedroom Four - 1 x King Bed or 2 x Single Beds (2)
Bedroom Five - 2 x Single Beds (Only) (2)

TARIFF
Weekend - minimum 2 nights, 22 guests from $3,302 per night (Thu-Fri, Fri-Sat or Sat-Sun)
Midweek - minimum 2 nights, 22 guests from $2,642 per night (Monday-Thursday)
Infants under 2 years free of charge

Please note that a $40.00 booking fee is applicable for all bookings made.

Please note if Sunday check in then an additional $739 weekend cleaning charge will be applied to your booking.

SECURITY DEPOSIT
A security deposit/bond of $2,500 is required for your stay and is payable as a credit card pre-authorisation. This will be processed approximately 24 - 48 hours before your arrival, so please ensure the funds are available at this time.

CATERING AND IN-HOUSE CHEFS
For all Catering and In-House Chef recommendations please reach out to Hunter Valley Stays and we would be happy to send through a list of recommended suppliers.

NOTES 

A 1-night stay may be accepted at discretion of Management within 14 days of the prospective arrival date. A surcharge is applicable on the 1-night stay, this will be calculated by our staff and quoted to you before the booking is confirmed.

Weekend Public Holiday, Easter, Christmas, and New Year periods require a minimum 3 night stay full weekend rate.

Concert and special event weekends in the Hunter Valley will have a set minimum night requirement to stay and may attract a surcharge.

Please let us know if one of your guests requires wheelchair access so we can provide full details of what is available onsite prior to booking.

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