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Written by Emily Jacobs
The best hotels in Australia hotels share one quality: they give you a reason to stay in as much as a reason to go out. Whether that’s a rooftop bar in Melbourne’s laneways, a beachfront apartment in Palm Cove, or 28-guest lodge in the Queensland Outback with a campfire and a sky full of stars, what follows is a state-by-state guide to the properties that earn their place on this list.
The best 5-star hotels in New South Wales
The Star Grand Hotel – Pyrmont, Sydney
Sydney has no shortage of big hotels, but few justify staying put quite like The Star Grand. Positioned in Pyrmont with city and water views, the complex pulls off the rare trick of being genuinely self-contained – Sokyo’s omakase-style Japanese is reason enough to book, and the Hello, Darling pool is one of the better-kept secrets in the CBD. Rooms are large, dark-toned and properly quiet. The casino is optional; the neighbourhood walk to Barangaroo is not.
Manly Pacific Hotel – MGallery – Manly, Sydney
Front-row position on Manly Beach, a magnesium rooftop pool, and Bistro Manly’s French-coastal menu – Manly Pacific is the rare Sydney hotel where the location isn’t the whole story. The MGallery renovation has given it real personality: light oak timbers, ocean-view rooms with private balconies, and a pace that adjusts the moment you arrive. A 30-minute ferry from Circular Quay delivers you here feeling like you’ve already left the city behind.
Ace Hotel Sydney – Surry Hills, Sydney
The Ace arrived in Surry Hills in 2022 and immediately recalibrated what a Sydney hotel could look and feel like. Built into a former brick factory on Oxford Street, the 18-storey property wears its industrial bones well – high ceilings, local art, guitars in the rooms. Kiln on the 18th floor draws its own crowd, now under chef Beau Clugston – ex-Noma, ex-Iluka Copenhagen – whose menus pair Australian produce with a Scandinavian precision that the city’s hotel dining scene has rarely seen. It’s the kind of hotel locals go to, which is generally the best sign.
Amora Hotel Jamison – CBD, Sydney
The 31st-floor Club Lounge alone makes a case for Amora Jamison – unobstructed views across the Sydney CBD from one of the quietest perches in the city. Below it, rooms are spacious and well-configured, with a full spa, heated pool and sauna that run deeper than the standard hotel fitness offering. A short walk from Circular Quay and the Opera House, it’s a solid base for those who want the harbour within reach without paying waterfront rates.
Ovolo Woolloomooloo – Woolloomooloo, Sydney
The wharf setting alone – heritage finger pier, boat shed bones, Woolloomooloo Bay out the window – would justify a stay. That the rooms also come loaded with Alexa speakers, Apple TV and Malin + Goetz amenities is almost beside the point. Chef Shannon Martinez’s Alibi Bar & Dining is 100% plant-based and draws a crowd with no particular interest in hotel restaurants. Walk to the Domain and the Art Gallery of NSW in under ten minutes.
Capella Sydney – The Rocks, Sydney
The golden sandstone exterior is a Rocks landmark; what’s inside is the real story. Capella’s two restaurants, gallery-quality corridors and wellness centre occupy an impeccably restored heritage corner of the city. Rooms are light-filled and considered, with a contemporary fit-out that doesn’t fight the building’s original character. McRae Bar does a good glass of bubbles at the end of the day. The Opera House is an eight-minute walk; most guests forget to leave.
Château Élan at the Vintage – Hunter Valley
Greg Norman’s 18-hole at The Vintage is the main event for some and the afterthought for others – Château Élan works both ways. The resort covers 100 acres of wine country, and the spa’s 17 treatment rooms make a strong case for staying in rather than cellar-door hopping. Rooms are resort-scale comfortable. The Hunter’s best producers are within a short drive; the welcome sparkling is usually good enough to keep you from leaving.
The best 5-star hotels in Victoria
QT Melbourne – CBD, Melbourne
QT Melbourne was a cinema before it was a hotel, and that restless DNA still runs through it – Nic Graham and Shelley Indyk’s interiors are theatrical without tipping into theme park. Rooms on the Bourke and Little Collins corner are spacious, with parquetry floors and restrained pops of colour. Pascale Bar & Grill does proper bistro cooking; the Rooftop at QT is one of the better city perches in the CBD. Chinatown is a three-minute walk.
Next Hotel Melbourne – CBD, Melbourne
Collins Street’s Paris end is an easy address to waste. Next Hotel doesn’t. Its barrel-ageing program for spirits, cocktails and herbal liqueurs – showcased at La Madonna, the in-house restaurant and bar – is the kind of considered touch that separates a hotel with a concept from one with a conceit. Rooms are understated and precisely finished: Bose sound, Hunter Lab amenities, Dyson dryers. A genuinely handsome Melbourne hotel that earns its location rather than trading on it.
The Windsor – CBD, Melbourne
Built in 1883 and heritage-listed ever since, The Windsor has been serving afternoon tea on Spring Street longer than most Melbourne institutions have existed. Rooms in the grand Victorian building have been restored without ironing out their character – the dining room remains one of the more civilised ways to spend a Melbourne afternoon. State Parliament, the MCG and the CBD’s best theatres are within walking distance. Some hotels age into icons. This one already was one.
The Langham – Southbank, Melbourne
Southbank’s most convincing answer to where to stay when you want the city without the noise. The Langham’s 388 rooms look out over the Yarra and the skyline; Chuan Spa’s Chinese medicine-inspired treatments are a genuine draw; and the 15-metre indoor pool gets the afternoon light just right. The Wedgwood afternoon tea at Melba – free-flow bubbles included – is worth planning around. Close to the NGV, the arts precinct and every concert venue worth visiting.
RACV Torquay Resort (Surf Coast) & RACV Cape Schanck Resort (Mornington Peninsula)
Two of Victoria’s best coastal retreats anchor opposite ends of the state’s most scenic coastline. RACV Torquay sits at the Great Ocean Road’s start, with championship golf, a spa and the Surf Coast on its doorstep. Cape Schanck occupies the Mornington Peninsula’s southern tip – rugged, quieter, closer to the region’s best wineries. Both do the RACV formula well: serious facilities, unhurried service, and the kind of scenery that makes leaving harder than it should be.
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins – CBD, Melbourne
Thirty-six floors above Collins Street, Sofitel Melbourne delivers French-inflected luxury in a city that quietly suits it. Newly refurbished rooms blend contemporary furniture with the brand’s characteristic softness; the sky-high restaurant draws its own crowd. A Hotel for the Arts designation means rotating exhibitions come with the room rate. For days spent eating, drinking and gallery-going through one of Australia’s great walking cities, it’s a hard address to argue with.
InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula – Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula
An hour from Melbourne, InterContinental Sorrento occupies a heritage building in the middle of the Peninsula’s best winery country. Ember, the live-fire restaurant led by chef Jake Furst, anchors the dining with a menu built around coastal produce and local growers. Aurora Spa & Bathhouse and the pool deck handle the wellness end well. Seven bars and restaurants across the property mean there’s no obligation to leave, though the cellar doors and beaches within easy reach make a compelling case.
The best 5-star hotels in Queensland
InterContinental Brisbane – CBD, Brisbane
Australia’s only hotel designed by modernist architect Harry Seidler, InterContinental Brisbane is a CBD landmark – its curvilinear atrium remains one of the more arresting hotel lobbies in the country. Latitude 27 Kitchen & Bar does all-day dining; the rooftop pool handles the warm Brisbane afternoons well. Queen Street Mall is a three-minute walk; the Eagle Street dining precinct and Howard Smith Wharves are close enough for evenings out.
The Star Gold Coast – Broadbeach, Gold Coast
Two distinct hotels under one roof – the recently renovated Star Grand and the suite-only Darling – give The Star Gold Coast a flexibility most resorts can’t match. Eight dining options, a day spa and 24-hour casino keep things moving at any hour. The Darling suites, with their finer finishes and quieter atmosphere, are worth it for those after something more considered. The Broadbeach location puts the beach, Pacific Fair and the best of the Gold Coast within easy reach.
QT Gold Coast – Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast
QT’s Gold Coast outpost brings the brand’s familiar irreverence to a beachside setting – bold interiors, a Miami-inspired pool area and a dining scene that draws locals as much as guests. Rooms have the QT signature: personality-forward design, proper amenities and beds worth staying in. Surfers Paradise is walkable; the beach is closer. For travellers who find the typical Gold Coast resort formula a little beige, QT is the obvious correction.
RACV Noosa Resor – Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast
Six hectares of conservation sanctuary, three minutes from Hastings Street, with a free shuttle to Noosa Main Beach running every 30 minutes – RACV Noosa sits in one of the country’s best-located resort positions. Self-contained apartments and private villas (some with rooftop spas, some with plunge pools) give it a residential quality that most Noosa properties can’t match. The pool complex and day spa do their jobs; Acuri’s alfresco terrace handles the evenings.
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove – Hope Island, Gold Coast
Australia’s first InterContinental resort still earns its reputation. The grand Queensland estate architecture – stained glass, a sweeping staircase, 4.2 hectares of tropical gardens – sets a tone that holds throughout the stay. The one-acre saltwater lagoon pool is among the best in the country; resident kangaroos graze the grounds at dusk. Halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, it works as a destination rather than a stopover. The Palms Golf Course is on-site for those who need it.
Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore – Palm Cove, Cairns Region
The only resort on Palm Cove with direct, unrestricted beach access – and it uses that advantage well. Apartments start at 85 square metres, which means even the entry-level rooms feel like proper accommodation. Chef Nick Holloway’s Nu Nu restaurant is reason enough to visit even if you’re not staying. Three pools, a spa, and the Coral Sea at your feet; the Daintree is an hour north for when stillness isn’t enough.
Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort – Port Douglas, Far North Queensland
Four Mile Beach on one side, the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest within easy reach – the Sheraton Grand Mirage has always been about where it sits as much as what it offers. Twelve saltwater pools wind through tropical landscaping; Harrisons Restaurant does the fresh seafood justice. Marina Mirage is a two-minute walk for watersports and boat charters. Port Douglas moves at its own pace, and this resort – spread-out, unhurried – matches it well.
Mt Mulligan Lodge – Mount Mulligan, Far North Queensland
Space for just 28 guests in the middle of the Queensland outback – Mt Mulligan operates as a fully all-inclusive property, which means expert guides, regional dining and a silence that’s hard to find elsewhere. Eighty per cent of produce is sourced locally; wattle seed, kangaroo and native ingredients anchor the menus. The Ah Bowers waterhole at sunset, the campfire, the unassisted night sky – this is the kind of stay that recalibrates expectations.
The best 5-star hotels in South Australia
The Playford – MGallery by Sofitel – CBD, Adelaide
On North Terrace, steps from the Festival Centre and the city’s best cultural institutions, The Playford has been doing refined Art Nouveau city hospitality for long enough that it no longer needs to try hard. Rooms fold old-world character into modern comfort; the Playford Restaurant produces European-leaning fare from high-quality South Australian ingredients. For anyone who finds Adelaide‘s newer hotels a little too eager to announce themselves, this is the measured alternative.
Southern Ocean Lodge – Hanson Bay, Kangaroo Island
Rebuilt after fire and returned to the cliffside perch that made it famous, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island is back to doing what it does best – framing the Southern Ocean in a way that makes the world seem properly large. All-inclusive from the artisan pastries at breakfast to the regional degustation at dinner, paired with South Australian wines throughout. The island-inspired spa and the Ocean Pavilion, with its four bedrooms and two plunge pools, sit at the serious end of Australian luxury travel.
Mount Lofty House – Summit Road, Adelaide Hills
Fifteen minutes from Adelaide and considerably further in feeling, Mount Lofty House occupies a ridge above Piccadilly Valley with views that earn the early alarm. Chef-hatted Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant does the produce justice; the fire pits do the rest. Rooms are elegant without being stiff, and the welcome drink and gourmet cookies on arrival set the right tone early. One of those properties where the morning – valley mist, birds, silence – is the real reason to book.
The best 5-star hotels in Western Australia
Alex Hotel – Northbridge, Perth
Northbridge’s best boutique base, Alex Hotel puts you steps from Perth‘s galleries, theatres and the city’s most interesting eating and drinking. Rooms are compact and well-designed; the shared communal spaces encourage the kind of lingering that corporate hotels actively discourage. The neighbourhood does most of the heavy lifting – this is a hotel for people who actually want to be in a city, not just adjacent to one.
COMO The Treasury – CBD, Perth
Housed in a 19th-century State Buildings complex, COMO The Treasury is the best argument for Perth as a serious luxury destination. Wildflower restaurant, on the rooftop, does produce-driven fine dining with views across the city; the Shambhala spa handles the wellness end with characteristic COMO precision. Rooms and suites feature bespoke beds and generous bathrooms. The heritage bones and the contemporary fit-out coexist without friction – which is harder to pull off than it looks.
Pullman Bunker Bay Resort – Bunker Bay, Margaret River Region
Thirty-five acres of native bushland at the edge of the Margaret River Region, with Bunker Bay’s white sand directly below and some of Australia’s best wineries within a short drive. Other Side of the Moon Restaurant & Bar introduces native and Indigenous flavours; the heated infinity pool is a reliable afternoon destination. Tennis courts, yoga classes and a day spa fill out the offering. For a Western Australian stay that goes beyond a city hotel, this is where to start.
Berkeley River Lodge – Berkeley River, East Kimberley
There are no roads in or out. Access is by light plane from Kununurra or Darwin, which is the first indication that Berkeley River Lodge operates by different rules. Clifftop villas sit above the Timor Sea on one side and the Berkeley River gorge on the other; the open-air bathrooms face the wilderness rather than a wall. Maximum 36 guests, all-inclusive, with days spent on river cruises through ancient gorges, 4WD safaris along the coastline, hikes past Aboriginal rock art and barramundi fishing. The Dunes Restaurant and the new Kimberley Spa handle the indulgent end. This is the Kimberley at its most uncompromised.
Sal Salis – Cape Range National Park, Ningaloo Coast
Sixteen safari tents hidden in the dunes of Cape Range National Park, 50 metres from the water’s edge of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef – the largest fringing reef in the southern hemisphere, accessed directly from the beach. All-inclusive, off-grid and solar-powered, with days structured around the reef’s rhythm: snorkelling over 500 species of fish and 250 coral types, swimming with whale sharks (April to October), humpback whales (August to September) and turtles year-round. Meals are chef-prepared with locally sourced seafood and Western Australian wines. The night sky, undiluted by light pollution, is reason enough on its own.
El Questro Homestead – Chamberlain Gorge, East Kimberley
Ten suites cantilevered above the Chamberlain Gorge on 700,000 acres of East Kimberley wilderness, catering for a maximum of 20 guests at any one time. All-inclusive from breakfast on the veranda to communal dinners under the stars, with menus built around Ord River Valley produce and a daily-changing wine list. The Chamberlain Suite’s outdoor bathtub – positioned directly over the gorge – is the kind of detail that makes the trip make sense. Saltwater crocodiles drift below; helicopter flights over the Bungle Bungles depart from the property. Open April to October. Non-negotiably one of Australia’s great lodge stays.
The best 5-star hotels in the ACT
QT Canberra
QT Canberra occupies a mid-century Brutalist building on London Circuit in the NewActon precinct, and wears its political setting with exactly the right amount of cheek – prime ministers past make cameo appearances on the walls, and Lucky’s Speakeasy is a better end to a Canberra evening than most of the city can offer. Capitol Bar & Grill does Italian-leaning steaks and an above-average breakfast. Rooms have balconies, Kevin Murphy amenities and lake or city views. The National Gallery, Questacon and Lake Burley Griffin are all within easy reach.
The best 5-star hotels in Tasmania
The Tasman
Among Hobart’s Georgian sandstone warehouses, The Tasman holds its own as a waterfront property that blends Art Deco bones with contemporary design without forcing the combination. Panoramic harbour rooms are worth the upgrade; the Presidential Suite’s outdoor terrace is one of the better private outdoor spaces in Tasmanian accommodation. Peppina does Italian with a local twist; Mary Mary handles the cocktails. Salamanca Market is on the doorstep on Saturday mornings.
MACq 01 Hotel
Hobart‘s waterfront has a strong hand, and MACq 01 plays it well. Designer rooms tell Tasmanian stories through specifically chosen art, furniture and objects – each space is a different edit of the state’s history. Master Storytellers are on hand for guests who want the context spelled out, though the Evolve Spirits Bar and Old Wharf Restaurant are compelling enough reasons to stay put regardless. One of the more distinctive hotel concepts in Australian hospitality.
Freycinet Resort
Sequestered in the wilderness of Tasmania’s East Coast, Freycinet Resort sits at the edge of one of Australia’s finest national parks – the pink granite peaks of the Hazards are visible from the property. Private cabins give direct access to the landscape; the Marine Farm nearby does fresh seafood at the source. Devil’s Corner Cellar Door is a short drive for East Coast wines. The kind of stay where the natural setting does the work, and the hotel is wise enough to let it.eep.
The best 5-star hotels in the Northern Territory
Sails in the Desert, Uluṟu
An oasis in the Red Centre with 228 rooms, a pool shaded by ghost gums and dining options that include Walpa Lobby Bar’s Indigenous-inspired menu. The Mulgara Gallery offers a considered introduction to local art; the Red Ochre Spa provides recovery after days in the desert heat. Ilkari Restaurant handles dinner with care. Base yourself here for sunrise at Uluṟu, the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuṯa, and the kind of sky at night that reminds you why people make the trip.
