Guide to Medlow Bath New South Wales Australia

Medlow Bath is a small village on the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Blackheath, at about 1,050 metres. It has a railway station, a few streets of houses and one very large landmark: the Hydro Majestic Hotel, a line of white buildings strung for more than a kilometre along the western escarpment.

Known For

• The Hydro Majestic Hotel
• Sunset views over the Megalong Valley
• High tea in the Wintergarden

Most people stop here for the hotel and the view behind it. The cliff faces west over the Megalong Valley, so late afternoon is the time to come.

Things To Do in Medlow Bath

The Hydro Majestic

Sydney retailer Mark Foy opened the Hydro Majestic in 1904 as a health retreat, joining three existing buildings into one long hotel with a domed casino hall shipped from Chicago. The water cures did not last, but the hotel became the most fashionable in the mountains. It was restored and reopened in 2014. You do not need to be a guest to walk through: the Hydro Majestic Pavilion at the northern end has a history display, a shop of local produce and a cafe, and the Wintergarden serves high tea beside tall windows over the valley. The property was reported to be for sale in 2026, so check what is open before a special trip.

The View

A public lookout and path run along the cliff edge behind the hotel. On a clear day you look across the Megalong and Kanimbla valleys to the ranges beyond, and the sunsets are some of the best in the mountains.

Walks Below the Hotel

Mark Foy had a network of tracks cut into the slope below the Hydro for his guests, leading to rock formations, caves and lookouts. Some remain walkable, though they are rough in places. On the other side of the highway, Point Pilcher Road leads to a quiet lookout over the Grose Valley.

Where To Stay

The Hydro Majestic is the obvious choice, with rooms in several wings, most of them facing the valley.

There is little else in the village itself. Blackheath, five kilometres north, and Katoomba, six kilometres south, have the full range.

Eat & Drink

Eating in Medlow Bath means the Hydro Majestic: high tea or dinner in the Wintergarden, casual meals in the Boiler House and coffee in the Pavilion. Hours vary through the week.

History

A railway platform opened here in 1880 as Browns Siding, serving a sawmill, and was renamed Medlow in 1883. When Mark Foy bought the Belgravia Hotel and its neighbours for his hydropathic establishment he had Bath added to the name, which became official in 1903. During the Second World War the hotel was taken over as a hospital for American servicemen wounded in the Pacific.

Getting to Medlow Bath

Medlow Bath is about 110 kilometres from Sydney, a drive of an hour and three quarters. Blue Mountains Line trains stop at the station, directly across the highway from the hotel.