English Romance Book Retreat
Dearest reader, it has reached this author that lovers of Bridgerton and Austen will gather in the Hunter Valley this 12 to 14 March 2027, for a Regency romance retreat like no other. Spaces are strictly limited, so do not tarry.
Picture a weekend where the corsets are optional but the romance is not.
It begins the way the best stories do, with strangers. Over a glass of rosé or homemade lemonade in the Hunter Valley sun you’ll find your people: the women who swoon over the same chapter, trade book recommendations like secrets, and by Sunday feel like friends you’ve had for years. This is a weekend made for the fast, fierce friendships that spark when romance lovers finally find each other, somewhere between Austen’s drawing rooms and the ballrooms of Bridgerton.
There’s wine, of course, or something softer, books, and a high tea with the pots poured just so. Add dining by candlelight, a little mischief, and, at the heart of it all, the ball of the season, where you’ll dance the way your favourite heroines always have. The rest, we’ll keep as a surprise.
The English Romance Book Retreat comes to the Hunter Valley from 12 to 14 March 2027, and with only a handful of seats at the table, they won’t last long. Secure yours below before the guest list closes.
Your season awaits, dearest reader.
This Season’s Programme
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THE ARRIVAL | Friday 12 March 2027
Step down into the season, a glass in hand and the lawn at your feet.
- Welcome drinks on arrival.
- Pall Mall on the lawn, the croquet the ton plays to win.
- Hunter Valley wine tasting, led by our sommelier.
- Gourmet buffet dinner of the valley’s finest local produce.
- Reading by candlelight in the drawing room.
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THE SEASON IN FULL | Saturday 13 March 2027
The grand day, from a gentle morning to the ball at night.
- Morning movement.
- Sacred Reading Time, your book, your cozy nook, no apologies.
- English country dance class, so you have the moves like Hyacinth and Daphne
- Pursuits of an Accomplished Lady: book bedazzling, cross stitch, fan painting and watercolours with a local artist.
- Portraits at golden hour.
- The Ball of the Season.
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THE FOND FAREWELL | Sunday 14 March 2027
A softer, slower goodbye.
- Morning movement.
- A restorative sound bath to ease the night before.
- High tea brunch to send you off, pots poured just so and your blind-date book to take home.
Where You'll Stay
Thistle Hill, Pokolbin
Every love story needs its grand estate, and yours is Thistle Hill, tucked among the vines on Pokolbin’s Hermitage Road in the heart of the Hunter Valley.
Our home for the weekend is its charming boutique hotel, elegant, intimate, and made for a gathering like ours. Take your turn at Pall Mall on the lawn, linger over rosé in the sunshine, and slip away to a quiet corner with your book between chapters. When golden hour fades, we’ll come together in the pavilion for the ball, and the season reaches its glittering close.
With the vineyards of the Hunter at the door and a glass never far from hand, it’s the country-house escape your favourite heroines always dreamed of.
Choose Your Package
Pay just a 25% deposit to secure your overnight spot. Final payment is required 30 days prior to the retreat.
FAQS are below but call Mercedes anytime to discuss on 0401 576 365.
Joining from Interstate?
Travelling to the Season?
Let your story begin the moment you land. Touch down in Newcastle and hand the rest to us. Your carriage will be waiting, your bags spirited ahead to Thistle Hill, and you set down at the Hunter Valley Gardens, where the morning is yours and yours alone. Take a turn about the gardens, linger over coffee and lunch in the cafes, or seek out a small treasure to carry home, a few unhurried hours before a single soul asks anything of you. When check-in calls, we return for you and deliver you to the door.
No rental car, no wrong turns, no suitcase in your lap. Only the first slow hours of a weekend that already feels like yours.
Arriving Friday 12 March 2027, fly into Newcastle on:
- Melbourne to Newcastle: JQ472 or VA1589
- Adelaide to Newcastle: VA401 or QF730
- Brisbane to Newcastle: JQ483
Departing Sunday 14 March 2027, fly home from Newcastle on:
- Newcastle to Adelaide: VA434 or QF741
- Newcastle to Melbourne: QF1998
- Newcastle to Brisbane: JQ484
Transfers are $150pp return. Select ‘Interstate Transfers’ when booking.
Hosted by People Who've Done This a Thousand Times
For nearly a decade, Stay n' Sip has created the Hunter Valley's most-loved wine experiences, over 1,000 five-star reviews from guests who came for a tasting and left with a story. This retreat brings everything we know about hosting plus Mercedes' love of romance novels to the escape we always wished existed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have read a specific series?
Not at all, but you’ll feel right at home if you’ve ever fallen a little in love alongside Daphne, Eloise, Emma or Elizabeth Bennet. This retreat leans into the worlds of Austen and Quinn, played for fun rather than studied. No formal readings, no literature exam at the door. Just a judgement-free weekend to swoon, debate your favourite love stories and share the books you adore with people who get it. Bring your current read and an open heart, that’s the only entry requirement.
Can I come alone?
Absolutely, and many of our guests do. The weekend is built for friendships to find you: a turn at Pall Mall on the lawn, a shared table at high tea, an afternoon of watercolours and gentle mischief, and a whole company of people who swoon over the very same books. By the time the ball begins, you’ll have found your people. No stranger stays a stranger for long at the English Romance Book Retreat.
What's included?
Everything but the book in your bag. Your ticket covers two nights’ accommodation, every meal across the weekend, wine and drinks at every gathering including the sommelier-led tasting and the Ball of the Season, and every activity and class from Pall Mall to watercolours. A welcome gift will be waiting when you arrive.
Do I need to be a wine drinker?
Not in the slightest. Wine is part of the fun if it’s your thing, but it’s never the point, and it’s absolutely not required. You’ll find a lovely range of non-alcoholic options throughout the weekend, from sparkling and mocktails to teas and good coffee, so there’s always something special in your glass. Come for the books and the company; raise whatever you like to toast them.
What should I bring?
Your current read, of course, and a book you’d like to bedazzle. Pack activewear for the morning movement, your hand for a little cross stitch and watercolours, and above all something to dazzle in at the Ball of the Season. A full packing note will follow with your booking, so nothing’s left to chance.
I have dietary requirements.
Easily done, we cater for all requirements, and you'll complete a preferences form after booking.
What if I can't make it after booking?
Deposits are transferable to another guest any time, so your bestie can take your place. Full terms come with your booking pack.
Do you offer airport transfers?
Yes! Airport transfers are available from Newcastle Airport from $150pp round trip as per the details above.
