11 Incredible Hotels That Show You The Real Australia

Savour the biggest flavours and see the country’s greatest sights – from the city to the outback. Pack more value into your hotel or holiday when you book using Qantas Points. Every stay, every time.

Stay in the clouds

Standing 322 metres above the sands of the Gold Coast, the sleek Q1 Resort and Spa building attracts plenty of daredevils tackling the exterior on its SkyPoint Climb but checking into its luxury holiday apartments offers a less windswept way to enjoy the staggering views.

In the heart of Surfers Paradise, the apartments – which range from spacious one bedroom to four-bedroom executive spa suites – deliver views of the vast Gold Coast hinterland, the glittering blue Pacific Ocean, Brisbane’s skyline in the north-west and Byron Bay, 92 kilometres to the south.

Australia’s only beachside observation deck, on floor 77, is an adventure in itself, thanks to the ear-popping 43-second journey on the express elevator. Enjoy a meal at the bistro in the sky to take in the panorama over burgers, pizza and cocktails.

Soak in the cityscape

You’ll be dazzled by the bright city lights when taking a splash at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Elevated four levels over the buzzing entertainment precinct below, the stunning infinity pool – complete with sun loungers and the Le Rivage pool bar – delivers unrivalled views of the CBD skyline. Back in the rooms and suites, deep freestanding baths perched before the twinkling horizon make a case for the most luxurious bathrooms in town.

See Uluru from a private deck

Sunsets over Uluru in Australia’s red heart are spectacular but while public viewing platforms can be busy, you’ll have nature’s nightly glow-up all to yourself from the private balcony of a Deluxe Rock View Room at the Desert Gardens Hotel, part of Ayers Rock Resort. Want to get closer? The illuminated art installation Field of Light, a sea of twinkling frosted-glass spheres, is a mesmerising way to see the day’s end at the iconic rock.

Score Melbourne’s best tables

Youthful and edgy, Crown Metropol has the restaurant to match in Mr Hive. Buffet breakfasts beneath the supersized modern chandeliers are an exercise in indecision (will it be the omelette station or the French pastries – or both?).

Later in the day, the plush leather couches are the inviting setting for cocktails with a twist – whether it’s an espresso martini with vanilla vodka and salted caramel or a “Mrs Hive” margarita with strawberry purée adding a sweet curveball.

Stepping out? “You’ll be just a few minutes on foot from all the top riverside restaurants like Rockpool, Nobu and Atlantic,” says Crown Hotels general manager Shaun D’Cruz. “Just ask the concierge to make you a booking.”

Or swim against the tide and explore the village-like ‘hood of South Melbourne, with dining hotspots such as the boldly innovative Lûmé, with its dégustation of foraged ingredients, or the classical European wine bar Bellota.

Taste the real Tasmania

A dining room with one of the most magnificent views in Tasmania, Saffire Freycinet’s Palate restaurant looks over Coles Bay to the pink granite peaks of the Hazards. It delivers an equally unforgettable taste of the east coast with dishes such as white-soy-braised abalone in a sticky pork glaze and black mussel escabeche with potato and leek mousse and chilli oil.

The perfect crescent of nearby Wineglass Bay is a must-visit but don’t miss the smorgasbord of unforgettable food experiences on offer. Extract honeycomb from the lodge’s own hives or don waders to enjoy freshly shucked oysters, plucked straight from the water at Freycinet Marine Farm, while sipping a glass of Tassie bubbly.

And if you don’t feel like leaving your luxe pavilion (we certainly can’t blame you), one of the lodge’s acclaimed chefs can cook for you right there in your private kitchen.

Take the ultimate wine escape

Welcome to the Adelaide Hills’ newest boutique lodge, Sequoia Lodge, a stunning 14-suite vision of stone and timber that’s part of the leafy Mount Lofty Estate. You can also choose to add-on deluxe gourmet experiences including a tour of the nearby wineries aboard a chopper and dinner at the estate’s lauded Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, where you’ll sip vibrant Clare Valley rieslings and juicy Henschke shiraz, straight from the superb cellar.

Bite into Brisbane’s Best

Five bars and restaurants give you little reason to leave Emporium Hotel South Bank. Zucchini and corn fritters and fluffy brioche waffles with brown sugar mascarpone kick off the day poolside at the Terrace Rooftop Bar with its views across the Brisbane River.

Belle Époque patisserie invites you to high tea, while the opulent Signature restaurant boasts a menu dripping in oysters, caviar and Wagyu. Feel like a wander? The action-packed South Bank area is on your doorstep.

Step back in time

Old meets new at The Tasman, where the sympathetic union of Georgian, Art Deco and contemporary architecture means guests can embrace the luxury of choice. Will it be the evocative colonial style of high ceilings and fireplaces in the Heritage wing, the embellished glamour of Deco’s geometric mirrors and patterned carpets or a modern suite in the glass and timber Pavilion wing? Whichever way you jump, the proudly Tasmanian artworks and sculptures decorating the public areas conjure a palpable sense of place.

Seek the sun

A Whitsundays bolthole hosting just 20 guests at a time, Elysian Retreat is the very picture of languid tropical glamour. Rustic-chic timber cabanas set the scene for lazy days by the infinity pool but drag yourself away for personalised organic spa treatments, yoga sessions on the deck and a menu based on local seafood and produce from the resort’s own gardens.

Spread out along the beachfront, the 10 thatched-roof villas make their own contribution to the captivating island vibe with whitewashed cathedral ceilings and a rope swing on each private deck.

Feel the calm

Designed by minimalist masters Bates Smart, A By Adina features two curving black towers in the centre of Canberra, taking sleek to a whole new level. The happening Constitution Place hub provides plenty of action at street level but the interiors of the studios and apartments deliver a calming palette of earth tones and timber, while the Dreamcatcher beds are conducive to a deep sleep.

Go down to funky town

The groovy excesses of the 1970s are always in style at Ovolo South Yarra. A neon faux-firepit lights up the lobby, while rooms sport Mad Men-esque wallpaper, vinyl turntables, chrome trimmings and plush fabrics. Want to party? The eclectic surroundings of Lona Misa bar and restaurant are every bit as vibrant as its mainly vegan menu and Latin-inspired cocktails, including a classic Hemingway daiquiri.

Stay in Australia’s coolest caravans

Six retro-chic Airstreams perched on a secret Melbourne rooftop make Notel unlike any other city stay. And that’s half the fun. “There’s no sign – it’s all a bit mysterious, which is very Melbourne,” says Notel’s Tara Laird. “Even finding the place is a discovery but people can call us if they get a bit stuck.”

Once ensconced in your kitsch-but-comfortable retro caravan, you’ll find a free minibar filled with local beers, wine, soda and snacks, and a private deck and chairs on which to savour them amid the bright lights of the urban jungle. There are vouchers to enjoy like-minded local businesses, such as mini-golf bar Holey Moley, while buzzing Flinders Lane (home to renowned eateries like Chin Chin) is just downstairs. “One of the main things about Notel is to get out and among the best of Melbourne,” says Laird. “Just embrace it and go with the flow.”

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