Life in Adelaide moves fast, with commutes, tight deadlines, and back-to-back calls. It’s no surprise that nearly half of South Australians now prefer nature-based escapes over city breaks, according to Austrade.
Most travellers and vacationers today are choosing luxury retreats in South Australia that offer a balance of quiet, fresh air, nature, and wildlife that don’t feel caged or staged.
They want the sweeping views without the big price. A place where you can roll out of bed, put on the Weber Q, get into the outdoor bath, and hear kookaburras in the distance instead of construction noise.
We’ve seen this shift firsthand, year-on-year, with travellers booking stays at CABN. Guests are swapping the city for the serenity of places like McLaren Vale, Kangaroo Island, and Kuitpo Forest.
That’s why nature-based getaways here in South Australia are filling up fast.
Best Spots for Luxury Retreats in South Australia
We’re not talking about stiff resorts or copy-paste lodges. These are thoughtfully designed cabins that feel like they were dropped straight into paradise..
McLaren Vale
Vineyards and Open-Air Baths
If you like your Shiraz local and your views wide, McLaren Vale should be top of your list. These off-grid cabins come tucked behind vineyards or overlooking national park scrub. McLaren Vale has over 80 cellar doors, rolling vineyards, and the Onkaparinga River National Park at its edge.
CABN has eight cabins that sleep two to four guests, built to blend into the landscape, surrounded by gum trees and vineyard lines.
Located within the Kuitpo Forest precinct and 15 minutes from Willunga, these off-grid cabins in McLaren Vale place you right between bushland trails and boutique vineyards.
Distance from Adelaide: 45 minutes (49km)
Luxury Features:
• Outdoor bath with vineyard views
• Queen bed with premium linen
• Indoor fireplace, fan, and climate-controlled interiors
• Mini-fridge, stovetop, plunger coffee, and kettle
• Weber Q for outdoor BBQs
• Outdoor fireplace and shaded timber deck
• Shower, eco-toilet, and refillable toiletries
• Powered entirely by solar power with low-impact lighting
Nearby:
• Over 80 cellar doors, including d’Arenberg Cube and Alpha Box & Dice
• Beaches at Port Willunga (20 mins)
• Shiraz Trail (walk or cycle it right from Willunga to McLaren Flat).
Kangaroo Island
Nature + luxury at full volume
You haven’t seen wild until you’ve been to KI. Here, you wake up to wallabies out front, spot sea lions at Seal Bay, and hike coastal trails that feel untouched. Here, off-grid doesn’t mean off-comfort or luxury.
Expect full kitchen setups, property features like solar power, and heated outdoor bathtubs facing the cliffs. It’s a luxury lodge in disguise, with all the peace you’ve been craving.
CABN X Oceanview at Kangaroo Island, for instance, sits cliffside in Cape St Albans, with 270° views of the Southern Ocean. Located on a 150-acre conservation estate, this is one of CABN’s most luxurious and secluded stays.
• Distance from Penneshaw ferry terminal: 25 minutes (22km)
• Total travel from Adelaide: ~1.5 hours (including ferry)
What to expect:
• Cabins with uninterrupted coastal views
• Fire pits, with no TV or Wi-Fi (on purpose)
• Outdoor stone bath with clifftop views
• Infrared sauna, indoor fireplace, and air conditioning
• Full kitchen with stovetop, oven, dishwasher, Weber Q, and pantry essentials
• Mini-fridge, plunger coffee, toiletries, and kettle
• Stargazing that makes you forget time exists
Best for: Anyone who needs to fully unplug. Also top-notch for couples wanting a weekend that feels romantic and wild.
Adelaide Hills
Close to town, but not too close
Tucked away behind the historic village of Hahndorf, CABN’s Adelaide Hills retreat sits on 40+ private acres of stringybark forest. Perfect for a last-minute weekend reset, you’re there in under an hour from the city. There are four couple cabins, cabins that sleep two to four persons for those planning a family retreat, and one off-grid luxury CABN-X, all here in Handhorf.
You could leave the Adelaide CBD after lunch and be tucked into your off-grid cabin before the arvo sun dips. With lush forests, fresh bakeries in Hahndorf, and cellar doors around every bend, the Adelaide Hills is the no-fuss weekend escape.
Distance from Adelaide CBD: 30–35 minutes (28km)
What to expect:
• Timber cabin with queen bed, timber floors, and full-height windows
• Indoor fireplace, gas heater, fan, and thermal insulation
• Rainwater-fed shower, eco-toilet, and eco-certified toiletries
• Mini-fridge, stovetop, plunger coffee, and kettle
• Private Weber Q BBQ on your deck
• Outdoor fireplace for cool nights
• Optional outdoor bath upgrade available
• Pet-friendly with safe access to walking trails
Hot tip: During your stay, you can consider swinging by Beerenberg Farm to bring back jam and strawberries for breakfast.
Book Your Adelaide Hills Stays
Seppeltsfield
Design-forward, nature-backed, and made for real rest
Seppeltsfield is one for the design lovers. Home to four luxury CABN X stays, this is the kind of place where clean timber walls, soft lighting, and slow silence can do the heavy lifting. You won’t find kettles or pod coffee machines here, and honestly, you won’t miss them.
These cabins are tucked in the bushland just a short walk from Seppeltsfield’s famous cellar doors and art studios. Inside, it’s quiet, considered, and completely your own. No shared walls. No tech noise. Just expansive decks, fresh air, and a private sauna nestled in the trees.
You may be here for the bells and whistles. But you’re also here to breathe out.
Distance from the CBD: Approximately 90 km and a one-hour and 15-minute drive.
What you’ll get:
• Cleverly designed timber cabin made for grown-up rest
• Private outdoor sauna under the gums
• Easy bush trails and vineyard strolls nearby
• Queen bed with quality linen
• Solar-powered but with no Wi-Fi
• Ten-minute walk to wine, food and galleries
Barossa Valley
Vines, stars, and not a single notification
This is what happens when someone builds a cabin where peace comes first. No screen time. No rush. No mini shampoo bottles lined up like trophies.
Instead, you’ll find yourself soaking in an outdoor tub under tall gum trees, wine in hand. There’s a rooftop stargazing deck (yes, with a built-in wine shelf), hammocks for lazing, and plenty of space to do absolutely nothing.
You won’t get a microwave, pod coffee or air con here, too, but you will get plunger coffee, firewood, and a proper sleep with the windows open to birdsong.
What’s waiting for you:
• Outdoor tub made for long soaks
• Rooftop deck for wine and stars
• Weber Q, stovetop, and fridge for simple meals
• Solar-powered, totally off-grid
• Rainwater shower with the basics
• Plunger coffee, not pods
• A real book collection, not an eBook
• Cosy double bed (no queen, no bunk)
• No Wi-Fi. On purpose.
Clare Valley
Quiet cabins for people who want less noise
If you need a pause button with luxury on offer, this is it. These cabins in Clare Valley don’t try to impress. They just give you room to stop and exhale.
There’s a king-sized loft bed tucked under a timber ceiling, a daybed below for reading or naps, and a view that turns golden at sunset. Outside, you’ll find a Weber Q, a seasonal fire pit, and a deck that makes dinner feel like an event.
You won’t find extras like pod machines or smart TVs, but you’ll have a warm shower, a glass of something local, and the kind of quiet that sticks with you.
Here’s what it comes with:
• Loft-style king bed + single daybed
• Outdoor fire pit (seasonal), Weber Q and seating with a view
• Stovetop, mini-fridge, toaster, with no microwave, or kettle
• Rainwater-fed shower, solar-powered lighting
• Total privacy, no noise, no distractions
• Near the Riesling Trail for bike rides or long walks
• Honest, cosy, and made for doing nothing
Not All Luxury Has To Be Loud
Sometimes the finest luxury retreats Australia offers aren’t loud about it: no infinity pools or seven-course meals. Instead, you get birdsong, bushwalks, bush baths, and a complete reset.
If that sounds like your kind of break…
Book your luxury CABN retreat now and make space for stillness.
