Hunter Valley Motel

Ground-floor motel on Allandale Road in Cessnock, with self-contained rooms in Queen, Twin, Triple and Family layouts that run from about 27 to 33 square metres. Every room has an ensuite, air conditioning, a fridge, a microwave and tea and coffee making gear. Outside there's a pool and a BBQ area, and each unit comes with its own parking space. No restaurant on site, but a cluster of casual eateries is roughly a five-minute walk away.

The motel sits about 10 km from Hunter Valley Gardens and the Pokolbin cellar doors, so it's a budget base in town rather than out among the vines. Rooms are priced from around $190 to $300 a night, which puts it at the affordable end for the area. Reception keeps weekday hours and closes at the weekend, so arrange your arrival ahead of time if you're checking in on a Saturday or Sunday.