Australia’s cities are vibrant, clean, safe, enticing. There are many luxury, five star and boutique hotels to suit all tastes and luxury brand allegiances. Here are a few of the urban favourites for luxury travellers.
Glittering, seductive Sydney – one of the world’s great harbour cities. When staying in Sydney, is it hard to beat the ‘rooms with a view’ of sparkling Sydney Harbour and the Opera House at the Park Hyatt located right on the waterfront, or beautifully restored The Langham, centrally located on a hill near the Observatory in one of the historic parts of the city. The mainstay luxury brands all have presence in the champagne city including Four Seasons, Intercontinental, Westin, Sofitel, Swissôtel and Pullman. There is also the funky QT in the city centre, The Old Clare in Chippendale and bridging heritage and luxury, the stylish Ovolo at Woolloomooloo Wharf.
Melbourne. One of the great cities of the world for dining, arts, events and a major gateway for Australia. Melbourne’s Crown Towers offers 484 opulent guest rooms and suites with spectacular views over Melbourne and easy access to the vibrant Southbank arts, food and entertainment precinct. There is also the Park Hyatt and The Langhamfor luxury and style seekers, Quay West for family apartments. On the boutique side, in leafy South Yarra is The Lyall Hotel & Spa, a small hotel with just 40 suites that has the feel of a private club.
Brisbane city has seen enormous change in recent years and a vibrant arts and food scene has evolved. Part of that change has been the development of The Emporium Hotel and Spicers Balfour. Both boutique, The Emporium has 102 guest suites and has a contemporary cosmopolitan savvy –chic style. Spicers Balfour has just 17 rooms in a beautifully redesigned classic Queenslander house and an adjoining heritage listed retro building ‘Simla’.
South Australia’s Adelaide is gateway to six of the premier wine regions of Australia; the wondrous wildlife of Kangaroo Island and the drama of the outback. The very centrally located Mayfair Hotel comprises 170 new rooms and suites within a heritage listed ‘romanesque’ building from the 1930’s.
Visitors to Perth have welcomed the opening of the Kerry Hill designed Como Treasuryin 2015 with open arms, and it has not disappointed. Forty-eight beautifully appointed suites up to 120msq, two restaurants, bar, private dining rooms and lounges have brought to life with enormous style and contemporary elegance the historic precinct and heart of the city. The Terrace in the west end of the city is another completely different, more traditional interpretation of a historic restoration, with just 15 rooms and much complimented hotel restaurant. And, opening late in 2016, the much anticipated Crown Towers Perth gives guests another luxe option.
The Islington is an aboslute gem of a boutqiue hotel in one of Hobart’s oldest established suburbs just outside the city. Eleven distinctive rooms, salon lounge and library house an extraordinary and diverse private art collection. The open kitchen and expansive dining room are housed in a central conservatory with views up to Mount Wellington. The exclusive Lenna Waterfront Penthouses on Salamanca Place have extraordnary views over Sullivan’s Cove and are a great self-contained, luxe accommodation option. The Henry Jones Art Hotel and Avalon City Retreat are great city bases and just out of the city Mona Pavilions, located next to the famed and infamous MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) on the Derwent River on the outskirts of Hobart. Eight contemporary stand alone pavilions combine with avant-garde art, The Source Restaurant, micro-brewery and winery onsite to make a complete destination.
Last but not least, the nation’s capital Canberra, home to our parliament, and some of our best galleries and museums. The cool place to stay is Hotel Hotel, with 68 rooms – they call them Cosy, Original, Creative and Meandering. Each one is unique and reflects love for the well made, the curious and the comfortable. Guests preferring a more traditional setting and art deco design may look at the Park Hyatt, just down the road from Parliament House.
Sydney
Park Hyatt Sydney
The Langham Sydney
Four Seasons Sydney
Intercontinental Sydney
The Westin Sydney
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Swissotel Hotel Sydney
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
QT Sydney
The Old Clare Hotel
Ovolo Woolloomooloo
Melbourne
Crown Towers Melbourne
Park Hyatt Melbourne
The Langham Melbourne
Quay West Suites Melbourne
The Lyall Hotel & Spa
Brisbane
The Emporium Hotel
Spicers Balfour Hotel
Inchcolm Hotel & Suites
Gambaro Hotel
Adelaide
Mayfair Hotel
Perth
Como The Treasury
The Terrace Hotel
Crown Towers Perth
Hobart
The Islington
Lenna Waterfront
MONA - The Pavilions
Henry Jones Art Hotel
Avalon City Retreat
Canberra
Hotel Hotel
Park Hyatt Canberra