7 Hilton hotel bars around Australia worth travelling for

Whether it’s a pre-game tipple, night cap, settling in for long conversations or getting social, there’s something sophisticated about these stylish hotel bars.

From James Bond’s Casino Royale to the colourful Grand Budapest Hotel, there’s a reason so many classic films feature scenes set in hotel bars. With sleek designs, intimate ambience and sophisticated undertones, a hotel can be the highlight of a night out, or indeed an entire holiday. Whether you’re sipping on a whisky neat or a virgin martini, these hotel bars are the perfect places to linger in.

1. Together & Co Bar, Albany

Together & Co, one of the standout Hilton Hotel Bars during the day. — Raise a glass to local flavours and harbour views.

Overlooking Princess Royal Harbour, Together & Co in Albany is a hotel bar the locals love. Bright and airy, with sweeping water views framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, the interior is fitted out in warm timber and leather with muted green and blue accents. This popular hotel bar is part of the acclaimed open-plan Together & Co. restaurant on the ground floor of the Hilton Garden Inn Albany and its design reflects the colours of Western Australia’s Great Southern region.

The extensive drinks menu includes regional highlights, such as Western Australian craft beers, local Great Southern wines (try the regional Riesling), and Margaret River Giniversity gins, alongside seasonal cocktails. Pair your choice of liquid with the deep-fried brie with poached pear, cream cheese brittle and balsamic glaze – and sit back and enjoy the view.

2. The Deck Bar, Alice Springs

The woody interiors of The Deck Bar, Alice Springs, one of Hilton Hotel Bars. — Relax with local flavours as the desert comes alive at sunset.

There are few places in Australia that carry the cultural weight and natural awe of the Red Centre. A visit here will stay with you for a long time, so it’s worth staying somewhere as memorable. Surrounded by the burnt-orange MacDonnell Ranges, DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs offers a sharp contrast to its desert setting with lush gardens and inviting open-air pool.

The hotel’s Deck Bar not only brings desert views into its design, but the interior’s earthy tones and timber and stone-coloured upholstery allows the desert sunset to take centre stage. Grab a crisp local beer or Australian wine and a seasonal grazing board (or loaded fries) and relax, Northern Territory-style.

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3. Together & Co Bar, Busselton

Warm lighting creates an inviting atmosphere at Together & Co Bar in Busselton, one of Hilton Hotel Bars. — Sip local wines with views of Busselton Jetty.

Whether you’re looking for a post-swim snack, a long languid lunch or an evening cocktail, the relaxed, casual atmosphere of the Together & Co Bar in Busselton will deliver. Not only will you be just steps from the shores of Geographe Bay, but you’ll also be able to see the iconic Busselton Jetty from this popular hotel bar. As part of the Hilton Garden Inn Busselton, Together & Co Bar is dedicated to local produce and local beers, wines and spirits. For a quick pre-dinner drink, grab one of the seats at the bar and order a chilled Margaret River chardonnay and Native Salt & Pepperberry Squid to start the evening off in style.

4. Edge Terrace, Cairns

The open-air terrace at Edge in Cairns, one of Hilton Hotel Bars. — Grab a drink and linger by the Cairns waterfront.

As Far North Queensland’s tropical humidity drops and the heat gives way to gentle sea breezes, the alfresco terrace at Edge Terrace in Cairns is the place to be. Why? Well, it might have something to do with incredible views of Trinity Bay, with the Lamb Range in the distance. Perhaps it’s the location, right in the heart of the Cairns foreshore, where you can watch Great Barrier Reef vessels return to the marina at sunset. Or the fact there are resident DJs on Friday and Saturday nights.

Whatever it is, the Hilton Cairns’ hotel bar is a local hot spot with a great selection of Australian wines and beers, and bar bites that will leave you wanting more.

5. Vine Room Bar, Cairns

A handcrafted cocktail from The Vine Room, one of Hilton Hotel Bars. — Order a signature cocktail.

A little further up on the Esplanade, closer to the famous Cairns Aquarium, the inviting hotel bar at DoubleTree by Hilton Cairns is the latest addition to Cairns’ nightlife. The Vine Room Bar brings a Mediterranean-inspired menu to this poolside location with fresh seafood, wood-fired pizzas and fresh bread with home-made dips are among the standouts.

The coastal design includes comfy cane and woven dining chairs, natural timber, soft beige tones and large windows opening onto the waterfront terrace. If you visit on the weekend, be sure to book a table to enjoy the live acoustic music sessions on Friday and Saturday evenings as the sun dips into Trinity Harbour.

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6. Palm Court Bar & Lounge, Darwin

The classic lounge interiors of Palm Court Bar & Lounge at Hilton Darwin. — Escape the heat with cocktails and classic elegance.

If you’re after an expertly made cocktail in a classic hotel lounge and bar setting, then the Hilton Darwin has you covered. The Palm Court Bar & Lounge is the perfect place for an intimate pre-dinner drink or late-night cocktail. With ambient lighting, plush seating and sleek design, this is a hotel bar with unbridled sophistication and excellent air-conditioning to escape Darwin’s heat.

Of course, you could order a champagne or something from the highly curated wine list, but why not try one of their signature piña coladas or a reimagined classic like their Ginger Lily’s Negroni instead? Add a light bite to it, or order from the hotel’s PepperBerry restaurant and settle in for the night.

7. Ms Margot’s Bar & Eats, Gold Coast

The interior design of Ms Margot’s Bar & Eats at the Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences is the epitome of coastal glamour. There are the white marble and stone finishes, woven textures, light timber tables, a luxurious marble cocktail bar and even floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the famous Orchid Avenue.

While the bar serves up steaming barista coffee in the morning, come midday you can sink into a craft beer or cider, then order from the impressive cocktail menu. No matter when you arrive, choose from the all-day menu which includes share plates, tapas, cheeseboards and pizzas. Don’t miss the popular Signature High Tea with duck bao buns, green pea croquettes, freshly baked eclairs and scones and gelato bon bons – with bottomless bubbles, of course.

Plan the perfect tipple at hilton.com

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat, now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate, whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor, who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will, who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods. “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield, embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House.

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument, which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds.

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens, hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

7 hotel bars around Australia worth travelling for

1. Together & Co Bar, Albany

2. The Deck Bar, Alice Springs

3. Together & Co Bar, Busselton

4. Edge Terrace, Cairns

5. Vine Room Bar, Cairns

6. Palm Court Bar & Lounge, Darwin

7. Ms Margot’s Bar & Eats, Gold Coast

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The Macedon Ranges is Victoria’s best-kept food and wine secret

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

Come for the wine, stay for the food