Emirates Wolgan Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Lodge

Emirates Wolgan Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Lodge, is the debut of an entirely new Ritz-Carlton format: the Lodge, conceived as a purpose-built sanctuary in nature designed around its setting and a light environmental footprint. The property sits on a roughly 7,000-acre private conservation reserve in the Wolgan Valley, hemmed by sandstone escarpments between the Wollemi and Gardens of Stone national parks in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, about three hours from Sydney. Forty free-standing villas are spread across the valley floor, each with its own private pool and verandas framing the cliffs, with only a small fraction of the estate built on and the balance managed for native habitat and reintroduced wildlife. The experience is built around conservation and country pursuits, from guided nature walks and horseback riding to mountain biking, wildlife spotting and stargazing, alongside a spa and dining drawing on the produce of the Central Tablelands.