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Your guide to the best accommodation around Australia for every type of traveller

Whether you’re after the perfect family holiday or after something a little more romantic, Accor has the stay for you.

Nothing sets the tone of your holiday quite like the accommodation you’ve chosen. After all, who can imagine a wellness retreat without an on-site day spa, or a sprawling family resort without a kids’ club (or babysitting service)? The truth is there are as many ways to holiday as there are types of travellers – but happily, there’s accommodation for every type of traveller.

Fun family holidays

A successful family holiday requires plenty of space – not to mention essential amenities, like a fully equipped kitchen and laundry, a central location near plenty of activities and attractions, and those all-important beaches. The following properties all fit the bill and were designed with kids in mind.

1. Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas

inside room at Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas
Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas is perfect for a family getaway.

Will it be a day of snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, horse riding along the golden sands of Cape Tribulation, or trying your hand at watersports at Four Mile Beach? For those checked in at Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas, the correct answer can only ever be ‘all of the above’ – but only if you can convince the kids to get out of the hotel’s lagoon-style swimming pool.

Featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments (some with private swim-up pool decks), the hotel is also conveniently located moments from the town centre.

2. Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

Novotel Sydney On Darling Harbour
Send the kids to Kid’s club, and head to the restaurant.

Kids’ club: the two words most parents of little ones long to hear. With Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, however, that’s only the beginning. This eco-friendly hotel (which is famous for its spacious rooms) pulls out all the stops, serving up a 10-metre outdoor pool, tennis court and a signature restaurant, The Ternary.

Located in the heart of Sydney’s vibrant Darling Harbour precinct, the hotel is steps from WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

3. Mantra on Salt Beach Kingscliff

Mantra On Salt pool
The Tweed offers the best of both worlds.

When the kids are screaming ‘Gold Coast theme parks’ but your body needs a little Byron Bay downtime, the answer arrives in the form of Mantra on Salt Beach Kingscliff, an airy resort located in The Tweed. Some of Queensland and New South Wales’s top beaches and attractions are only a short drive away.

Featuring one- and two-bedroom suites, a tennis court and a lagoon-style pool (plus a children’s wading pool), guests also have the option to rent a bike, book a treatment at the onsite day spa, or organise child-minding for date night.

Couples getaways

Remember those candlelit dinners when you first got together? Or what about those long walks along the beach and lazy sleep-ins – complete with room service?

If you’re still searching your memory, it’s time to hit reboot on romance by booking a hotel geared around good food, good times and more than a little privacy.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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1. Sofitel Melbourne On Collins

inside room at Sofitel Melbourne
Soak in the gorgeous view.

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s shopping and theatre districts, there’s every reason those checking into Sofitel Melbourne On Collins will want to head out and explore. A night in, however, can mean a champagne or signature cocktail (or two) at The Atrium Bar on 35 before an intimate feast at No35, where French gastronomy reaches new heights.

Top tip? Book the Romance Getaway Package, which includes a bottle of French champagne, breakfast in bed and a leisurely 2pm check out.

2. Mondrian Gold Coast

inside a room at The Mondrian
Enjoy classy surrounds at The Mondrian.

The Gold Coast suburb of Burleigh has all the ingredients needed for a romantic escape. And the best place to explore it all from is the stunning beachfront lifestyle precinct, Mondrian Gold Coast.

Stay in one of 208 accommodation options, including studios, suites, homes and houses. Taste your way through the levels of dining options, from authentic Italian and surf-to-plate seafood, and dive into the lively pool club. Or relax with a restorative treatment together at the spa.

City escapes

Nabbing a front-row seat to urban life (and momentarily feeling like a local) is as easy as checking into a city hotel and letting the streets around you set the pace for your next holiday.

Laidback retreats and coastal getaways will always have their place, but here you can step straight into galleries and boutique stores, roll into restaurants and tumble out of bars – all before watching the sun rise across a gleaming skyline.

A convenient location, of course, is key.

1. 25hours Hotel The Olympia

25hours Sydney Atrium
Book into Sydney’s newest boutique spot.

Hotels are all too often about retreating from the city they’re located in, but at Sydney’s newest boutique spot, 25hours Hotel Sydney The Olympia, a stay is all about immersing yourself in the area. Channelling the energy and creativity of its Oxford Street location, the hotel’s bold and playful design is a nod to the building’s arthouse beginnings as West’s Olympia Theatre. Guests can choose to stay in either a light and airy Dreamers room or the more dramatic Renegades option.

This is home to two stand-out bars (one of them on the rooftop) and a cafe serving Lune croissants, as well as The Palomar, a hot dining spot that serves as a love letter to the Mediterranean.

2. Hyde Melbourne Place

Hyde Melbourne
Be steps from Melbourne’s best attractions.

Some of Melbourne’s finest restaurants might be on Hyde Melbourne Place’s doorstep, but there’s no need for guests to venture out the front door for a bite to remember. The innovative brand’s first Australian offering is not only home to three distinctive venues (including an atmospheric rooftop restaurant), but is also the winner of a Michelin Key 2025.

Conveniently located in the east end of the city’s CBD within moments of the city’s iconic laneways, accommodation ranges from a soothing General Admission Queen to the spectacular Headliner Suite (many with balconies overlooking the city buzzing below). A high-end fitness space and Peach Pilates streamed straight to your in-room tablet are available too. Our top tip? Call ahead for a Sonna Brightening LED Face Mask and say yes to winding down with a meditative ritual designed to support skin health, clarity and calm.

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Tranquil retreats

There’s no question 2026 is going to be your year, but it would be foolish to hard-launch this new and improved you without first taking some time to relax, rejuvenate and reflect on how you can find better balance in the year to come.

It’s time to treat yourself to a wellness getaway that’s designed around peace, natural beauty and more than a few spa treatments.

1. Pullman Bunker Bay Resort

Pullman Bunker Bay pool
Relax into Pullman Bunker Bay Resort.

Kangaroos at dawn, Margaret River wineries at noon and a long evening of life-affirming massage treatment come the late afternoon; there’s a lot to love about a stay at Pullman Bunker Bay Resort. And that’s without even touching on the resort’s secluded beachfront location.

Whether you check into a studio villa or a three-bedroom, three-bathroom villa, the views stretching out over the lake or garden will help you hit reset as you ponder the important questions: should you take a drive to nearby Geographe Bay to enjoy the dive of a lifetime, settle in for a long and lazy day in the resort’s heated infinity-edge pool, or make booking after booking at Vie Spa to try its extensive range of massages, facials and treatments?

The cherry on top? The resort has a complimentary – albeit seasonal – kids’ club, too.

2. Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge

couple in spa at Peppers Cradle Mountain
Connect with yourself and nature at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge.

Welcome to the ultimate alpine wellness experience, a luxurious lodge nestled in the lush peaks of Tasmania’s World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, where ‘forest bathing’ takes on a whole new meaning.

Offering quick and easy access to some of the region’s most iconic walking trails (not to mention a window to our most striking flora and fauna), every cabin and suite at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge – some with their own fireplace – is designed to help you exhale.

Say yes to a wealth of included activities, such as an evening wildlife safari, a guided Crater Lake mountain walk or the Aboriginal Heritage & Bush Tucker tour. Unwind by retreating to the famous Waldheim Alpine Spa, where treatment rooms overlook rugged mountains and ancient forests.

Wellness has never looked – or felt – so luxurious.

Learn more and plan your next escape at All.com.

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Dilvin Yasa
Dilvin Yasa is a freelance journalist, author and TV presenter whose travels have taken her from the iceberg graveyards of Antarctica to the roaring rapids of Uganda. Always on the lookout for that next unforgettable meal, wildlife moment or 80s-themed nightclub, she is inexplicably drawn to polar destinations despite detesting the cold.
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The best new accommodation along the Great Ocean Road

    Louis Costello Louis Costello
    A new wave of retreats, hotels, glamping sites and more is encouraging visitors to savour their time spent along the Great Ocean Road.

    Long holding a place as one of Australia’s most rewarding drives, cliffs, curves and shifting coastal light continue to draw travellers to Victoria’s coastline year after year. What has evolved more quietly is the range of new accommodation along the Great Ocean Road to add new dimensions to the drive.

    Rather than competing for attention, these stays are shaped by their settings. They sit beside rivers, among vines, on the edge of lakes and close to town centres where local life unfolds at an unhurried pace. Together, they point to a way of travelling the Great Ocean Road that values time spent in place, as much as distance covered.

    1. The Monty, Anglesea

    Nina Cantina at the monty great ocean road
    Pop into Nina Cantina for tacos and views.

    Anglesea has always appealed to travellers drawn to a quieter stretch of coast, where surf culture, bushland and river scenery blend into one. The Monty complements that character with a recent rebrand and refresh with traditional beach road trip nostalgia in mind. Mid-century retro decor means rooms are contemporary and funky, without being over-styled.

    A highlight of the stay is Nina Cantina, the on-site Mexican restaurant overlooking the Anglesea River. Opening in 2026, it will undoubtedly become a popular gathering point, bringing together locals, day trippers and overnight guests. Watch the river flow while tucking into plates of tacos, before enjoying a digestion swim in The Monty’s pool.

    Mornings in Anglesea often begin quietly. Kangaroos are a familiar sight on the nearby golf course, and walking tracks wind through heathland that reflects the natural landscape of the Surf Coast. From here, the road south feels like a continuation rather than a departure, easing travellers into the next stretch of the journey.

    2. Basalt Retreats, Port Fairy

    Basalt Retreat Private Villa interior
    Discover this new adults-only retreat.

    Near Port Fairy, Basalt Retreats is an adults-only delight set among a 24-year-old vineyard at Basalt Wines. The accommodation is a mixture of luxury and linens (and ultra comfy beds), allowing the long stretches of grapes to take centre stage. As the sun sets, Basalt Retreats settles into stillness. With minimal light pollution, the night sky becomes part of the experience, and star-searchers will delight in the uninterrupted views of our vast universe.

    Poombeeyt Koontapool lookout
    See Poombeeyt Koontapool from the lookout.

    Staying along the Great Ocean Road western region gives you en route access to coastal landmarks. A visit to Poombeeyt Koontapool at Loch Ard Gorge is a must for those fascinated by natural blowholes, with enough walking trails to tucker out the most seasoned hiker.

    The Poorpa Yanyeen Meereeng Trail between Timboon and Port Campbell reveals how wetlands, farmland and coastline connect across the region, best appreciated on foot or by bike.

    3. Lake Colac Holiday Park, Colac

    Lake Colac Holiday Park along the Great Ocean Road
    Book into a cabin at Lake Colac Holiday Park.

    Lake Colac Holiday Park introduces new cabin accommodation set along the edge of a broad volcanic lake. The cabins are modern and light-filled, designed to make the most of the water views and open skies.

    Lake Colac plays an important role in local life, hosting community events and everyday rituals alike. Staying here offers insight into the agricultural heart of the Great Ocean Road region, where the pace is shaped by seasons rather than sightseeing schedules.

    Brae Restaurant great ocean road victoria
    Have a delicious lunch, then join a farm tour at Brae Restaurant. (Image: Visit Vic)

    Colac’s central location places visitors within reach of standout regional experiences. Otways Distillery’s Birregurra cellar door reflects the surrounding forest in its approach to spirits. While Brae Restaurant’s guided farm and kitchen garden tours offer a closer look at the land that underpins its acclaimed dining. Together, they highlight the strong connection between produce, place and people.

    4. Glamping tents, Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve

    Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve Glamping
    Take a breather in Apollo Bay with brand new glamping tents.

    Back on the coast, Apollo Bay has always been known to be a natural place to take a breather, sitting roughly at the Great Ocean Road’s midway point. The brand-spanking new glamping tents at the Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve offer comfortable accommodation that remains closely connected to the outdoors. With ensuite bathrooms and thoughtfully designed interiors, the cabin-tent hybrids offer enough privacy and luxuries to make the trip feel more luxurious than your standard camping affair.

    Set near the river and within walking distance of the town centre, the location allows guests to move easily between beach walks, forest drives and relaxed meals.

    A session at The Corner Sauna fits naturally into a stay here. The wood-fired sauna has become part of Apollo Bay’s way of life, offering warmth and restoration after time spent in the elements (also known as a frolic at the beach).

    Apollo Bay Fishermens Co-op
    Enjoy fresh seafood at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op.

    Apollo Bay has enough to entertain and dazzle travellers more than your average town. Graze on fresh seafood at local cafes – like Graze or Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op – before venturing to nearby waterfalls. Spend hours kayaking among real-life seals, try your hand at surf lessons taught by understanding and patient guides, or simply spend your days reading a book while the surf crashes in front of you.

    Together, these new accommodation openings highlight the Great Ocean Road’s continued evolution. With more places that invite travellers to slow down and stay a little longer, the journey becomes less about rushing between landmarks and more about engaging with the unique towns along the way.

    Start planning your next trip along the Great Ocean Road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

    Part of From seaside to city