9 New Hotels in Australia We Can’t Wait to Visit

Australia’s hotel pipeline has been on a tear in recent years, with the country welcoming visitors with a slew of shiny lodging options. Historic buildings like an 1840s hospital in Hobart and a 1910s government building in Sydney have been transformed into luxury hotels, while new towers have sprouted everywhere from Melbourne to Adelaide to the Gold Coast.

The push for bigger, better, newer hotels has extended to all corners of the country, with properties in world-class wine regions, ancient rainforests and country villages upping their game as well. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or simply planning your next trip, here are nine exciting new places to stay across Australia. (Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne.)

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The Langham, Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise)
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Queensland’s laid-back beach paradise welcomed a new level of grandeur with the 2022 opening of The Langham, Gold Coast, which occupies one in a trio of towers that rise dramatically from the sand like jagged crystals. In a nod to Langham’s Hong Kong HQ, Asian influences abound everywhere from the Chuan Spa (inspired by traditional Chinese medicine) to T’ang Court, a Cantonese fine-dining spot with an award-winning location in Hong Kong. Order afternoon tea in the sun-drenched Palm Court, which looks out on the outdoor pool with its swim-up bar and sandy, lagoon-style entrance.

Kimpton Margot Sydney (Sydney)

Opened in 2022, Kimpton’s first property in Australia occupies a 1930s landmark in Sydney’s CBD that used to house the water department. The building still exudes an air of Art Deco cool, thanks to its soaring red scagliola columns, curvy modern furnishings and skylight that fills the space with sunshine. The rooftop pool deck is the place to mingle, with a pink-tiled bar and abundant potted plants, while Luke’s Kitchen, in the lobby, serves a menu heavy on local seafood, like Sydney rock oysters and hiramasa kingfish.

Capella Sydney (Sydney)

Get schooled in modern magnificence at this new Sydney hotel, which occupies the 1912 Department of Education building. Architects restored the Edwardian Baroque facade, made of golden sandstone that practically glows, and designers filled the interiors with an elegant mix of polished walnut, leather and marble accents. There’s a pool, where natural light floods through skylights overhead, and a spa offering treatments that incorporate stones gathered from around the continent with permission from Indigenous elders. The all-day restaurant, Aperture, is especially lovely. It includes a 23-foot-high living wall and kinetic sculptures that look like dancing flowers.

Osborn House (Bundanoon) 

It’s only appropriate that this 27-room getaway in the bucolic Southern Highlands of New South Wales has “house” in its name: There’s a distinctly residential feel to the cozy digs, which were curated by the former design director of Soho House. Expect vintage furniture and country-chic touches that nod to the Cotswolds. For something a bit more rustic, the hotel’s Forest Lodges feature timber-paneled walls, wood-burning stoves and views of Morton National Park. Best of all, they offer access to the Forest Bathing Deck, where you’ll find an ice bath, firepit, hot tub and barrel sauna.

Sofitel Adelaide (Adelaide)

When it opened in 2021, the Sofitel was the first new-build, international hotel to hit South Australia’s capital in three decades. The property celebrates its location in several ways: Gothic-style carpet patterns and stained-glass-inspired shower mosaics reference Adelaide’s “City of Churches” moniker, while a lobby chandelier that looks like flowing red wine nods to the surrounding wine regions. There’s also Déjà Vu Champagne Bar, which pours sparkling wine from the Adelaide Hills and France, and Garçon Bleu, where Southern Australian ingredients feature in French dishes like lamb shoulder with Provençal-style cassoulet and Smoky Bay oysters topped with pinot noir granita.

The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne (Melbourne)

Occupying the top 17 floors of a new 80-story tower, The Ritz-Carlton is Australia’s tallest hotel. Despite its dizzying heights—you’ll check in on the top floor—the hotel has its feet firmly planted in Australian culture, with design influences drawn from Indigenous motifs (including paintings and sculptures by an Aboriginal graffiti artist) and the history of the Victorian gold rush. Enjoy incredible skyline views at every turn, including from the infinity pool, the gym, the spa treatment rooms and especially the restaurant, Atria, where you can try local dishes like mud crab, venison tartare and black-lip abalone.

The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart (Hobart)

A game changer for Hobart, The Tasman is an architecture lover’s dream: An old-meets-new scheme combines an 1840s Georgian hospital, a 1940s Art Deco property and a sleek new wing, with each of the 152 rooms responding to the design era of its respective building (think: sandstone walls and fireplaces). Expect thoughtful local touches like Beauty and the Bees soaps made with Ashgrove cream, Tasmanian olive oil and wild-leatherwood honey, and cocktails that lean heavily on Hobart’s terroir in the speakeasy-style bar, Mary Mary.

The Louise (Marananga)

The Barossa Valley’s winemaking heritage takes center stage at this Mediterranean-esque hotel. There are just 15 villa-style suites, with patios that overlook vineyards and lavender bushes that will make you feel like you’re in Provence. Plus, there’s an on-site restaurant where you can order local wine pairings to go with your tasting menu. Just be sure to leave the property from time to time: The staff can set you up with excursions like vintage-car tours, hot-air-balloon rides and “Breakfast with the Roos,” an early-morning picnic in nearby Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park.

Silky Oaks Lodge (Mossman)

One of the plushest stays in Queensland’s UNESCO-designated Daintree Rainforest, the Silky Oaks Lodge recently underwent a multimillion-dollar revamp that put the focus on the surrounding landscape. Inspired by breezy Queenslander architecture, the 40 tree-house-style suites have spacious verandas with hammocks, and some even include outdoor showers and egg-shaped bathtubs that are so close to the jungle you can reach out and touch the foliage. A stay here might include a cruise to search for enormous estuarine crocodiles, an Aboriginal art workshop or even an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef.

Booking With Chase Travel

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