New hotels mean pristine surroundings that few before you have touched. They also mean the novelty of getting to experience something before everyone else, and the thrill of then getting to share about it with friends and family (or the Internet) and offer your expert tips.
Fortunately, Australia’s got plenty of those new spots to enjoy. From a boutique hotel with a Tokyo-inspired rooftop bar, to a restored property in the mountains with cosy cabins, these are the best accommodation across Australia that opened this year.
Laneways By Ovolo, Melbourne
This November, Ovolo Laneways will rebrand as Laneways By Ovolo, this time, with a design heavily influenced by Memphis in the 1980s and a new restaurant and bar called Amphlett House. Catering to both weekenders and business travellers, the hotel also has guest laundry facilities available on-site, and is a three-minute walk from Parliament and a five-minute walk from Treasury Gardens.
The Porter House — MGallery, Sydney
Open this September, The Porter House — MGallery is steeped in history. It was created around a building on Castlereagh Street commissioned in 1876, but is now surrounded by a new-build modern tower. It includes 122 rooms and suites, a fitness centre and heated pool and design touches that allow for a seamless blend with the original property.
Camelia House, Sydney
Open since August this year, Camelia House consists of three apartments in Alexandria, each with a lounge space and available to book separately or all-in-one. Best of all, you can order homemade pizza and pasta from the Italian restaurant below, direct to your room.
QT Newcastle, Newcastle
Housed in a 113-year-old building, QT Newcastle is a visual feast. Art is everywhere, and each of the 104 rooms and suites (some are even pet-friendly!) are rich in textures and designer furnishings. For a truly special stay, book the Clock Suite, which has uninterrupted views of the harbour. Downstairs is restaurant Jana, while the top level opens to Tokyo-inspired bar Rooftop at QT.
The Langham, Gold Coast
You’ll find The Langham, Gold Coast tucked between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. Each of its 169 rooms and suites has either a view of the Pacific Ocean or the Hinterland. Conveniently, the hotel also has on-site spa, Chuan Spa, that’s all about a holistic approach. The hotel is also home to bars and restaurants including Palm Court, which serves afternoon tea, and T’ang Court, a Michelin-starred restaurant.
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Kimpton Margot, Sydney
One of Sydney’s most exquisite Art Deco buildings welcomed Kimpton Margot Sydney in February this year. The 172-room hotel features a rooftop pool, lobby-adjacent restaurant Luke’s Kitchen, helmed by Chef Luke Mangan, and a daily Social Hour with complimentary drinks for guests, themed differently every evening. Bringing a pooch? It’s dog-friendly, too.
Ace Hotel, Sydney
A historic brick factory in Surry Hills plays home to Ace Hotel Sydney. While the hotel brand has properties in cities including LA, New York, Kyoto and Toronto, this is its first in the southern hemisphere. Rooms range from Small to Ace Suite, and they’ve got accessible facilities, too. Loam is its eatery next to the lobby and Kiln is its wood-fired restaurant on its 18th floor.
Osborn House, Southern Highlands
Stay in your choice of seven cabins with their own fireplace and balcony bath or 15 luxury suites at Osborn House in the NSW Southern Highlands, between Morton National Park and Bundanoon village. Built in the 1890s, the country retreat was lovingly restored and made into a boutique hotel that opened in February this year. Dine at your choice of the two on-site restaurants – casual George’s or the more formal Dinah’s.
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Lyf Collingwood, Melbourne
Free bikes, serviced studio apartments and a shared lounge, terrace and kitchen are what to expect at Lyf Collingwood, located steps from bars, galleries and some of the city’s best foodie spots. Conveniently, the hotel even has clothes washing facilities so, if you stay a few days or more, you can pack light. The hotel is accessible and pet-friendly, too.
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Chalets at Blackheath, Blue Mountains
Chalets at Blackheath is a re-imagined Jemby-Rinjah Eco Lodge, which burnt in the bushfires in 2019. The new owners worked with local experts, ecologists and bush regenerators to restore the property and create a new property with a ‘biophilic design’ — an architectural approach that aims to connect building occupants to nature. Book an in-room massage or private meditation or yoga session. Or simply soak in the room’s tub, curl up by its fireplace or relax on a daybed on its private sundeck.
Maldhi, Eyre Peninsula
Following the success of its first tiny home Yambara, also in a remote South Australia location, Eyre.Way launched its second property, Maldhi, in July. From the cabin’s floor-to-ceiling windows, look out onto the rugged waters of Sleaford Bay and Port Lincoln National Park beyond. The property features a solar and battery system and uses captured rainwater for its faucet and shower.
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