The best Kiama accommodation for every holiday style

Kristie Lau-Adams Kristie Lau-Adams
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A sleepy seaside town with jaw-dropping coastal vistas, Kiama in the NSW South Coast is renowned for good quality slow living. From its 20-kilometre coastal walk and nature-centred activities to a stellar coffee and dining scene, the laidback spot offers visitors the best of every world. Making life even sweeter is the array of Kiama accommodation up for grabs, running the spectrum from simple camping and facility loaded holiday parks to luxury lodgings with state-of-the-art tech and world-class views. Here, our favourites of the bunch to get you on your way sooner.

Hotels

1. THE SEBEL KIAMA

The Sebel Kiama from above
This contemporary accommodation is nestled in the heart of Kiama.

Best for: families and couples, equally

Blending heritage and modern architecture, The Sebel Kiama knocks together an unparalleled Kiama stay right by the water. Even better, it’s angled to both families (with packages that throw in tickets to Jamberoo Action Park) and loved-up duos (think complimentary sparkling wine and a cheese platter) so you can imagine how vast the room types prove. Eight individual hotel and apartment styles cover the lot, all decorated tasteful-coastal with stocked mini bars and, if you’re staying in a Deluxe Balcony room, harbour views. Elsewhere, Yves is the Kiama accommodation’s on-site restaurant, plating up local flavours and ingredients via internationally inspired dishes, plus signature cocktails including six unique martinis. Other inclusions span undercover parking, 24/7 reception assistance and a buffet breakfast.

Address: 2 Minnamurra St, Kiama

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2. NOVA KIAMA

an ocean-view room at Nova Kiama
Nova Kiama features modern family rooms.

Best for: families and corporates

Nova Kiama exudes that coveted coastal feel via warm service, hipster facilities and a swish design. We love the Kiama accommodation’s heated outdoor swimming pool and the “Nova Kombi" converted vehicle that offers coffee, drinks and snacks from 7am daily. There’s also a tight edit of gym equipment that’s available for use daily and Wi-Fi flows freely throughout the 32-room property. Ready to hit the hay? Choose from the Queen, Ocean View, Family (with bunk beds) or one-bedroom Executive suites, the latter of the bunch featuring a kitchenette for totally comfortable work-from-anywhere conditions.

Address: 31 Bong Bong St, Kiama

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3. BELLEVUE BOUTIQUE HOTEL

the Bellevue Boutique Hotel window shot
The charming boutique hotel exudes idyllic countryside vibes. (Image: Supplied)

Best for: bed-and-breakfast vibes

A restored 1890s boarding house is now home to the delightful Bellevue Boutique Hotel. With six unique suites – four premium and two deluxe – the Kiama accommodation provides fully self-contained lodgings with their own access to a wraparound veranda if you’re staying upstairs (otherwise there’s a lovely terrace). If you’re needing ample space, go for the Deluxe option due to its larger floor plans and separate bath and showers; however, all include air-conditioning, a smart TV, Wi-Fi, separate dining and living areas and fully operational kitchens and laundries.

Address: 21 Minnamurra St, Kiama

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4. PARK RIDGE RETREAT

a hotel room with a bed, chair and wine on the table at Park Ridge Retreat, Gerringong
Settle into a 4-star Gerringong hotel with your own private balcony. (Image: Park Ridge Retreat)

Best for: budget-conscious stays

Located just over a 10-minute drive from the centre of town, Park Ridge Retreat is a Gerringong hotel with an extremely attractive price tag. Offering 32 rooms from $169 per night, plus the capacity to bring your pet along with you, the hotel features various room styles including interconnecting stays making it all too tempting for other families to get on board. Decor-wise, muted colour palettes and simple furniture create calm spaces, plus there are private balconies, Wi-Fi, undercover car parking and a BBQ to lean into.

Address: 139 Belinda St, Gerringong

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5. MERCURE GERRINGONG RESORT

the standard king single room at Mercure Gerringong Resort
The award-winning Mercure Gerringong Resort boasts 52 spacious rooms.

Best for: couples

Another Gerringong hot spot that’s worth stepping a little outside of town for, Mercure Gerringong Resort is home to 52 rooms including Spa Suites so slick they were once used in episodes of Married at First Sight. Offering views of the region’s wetlands and lush hinterland, the accommodation also houses the seasonally led Bella Char Restaurant & Wine Bar, a homely space for a quality meal, plus there’s two swimming pools and a tennis court to enjoy.

Address: 1 Fern St, Gerringong

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Airbnbs and holiday homes

6. KIAMA BEACH HOUSE AIRBNB

dining with scenic views at Kiama Beach House
Take in spectacular views from your own private deck at Kiama Beach House.

Best for: serene views

Kiama Beach House is a classic Kiama holiday home that’s perfect for families thanks to a multitude of sleeping combinations. Housing up to eight guests, three bedrooms feature double beds and two of them also throw in a bunk bed, so you can twist and turn who’s sleeping where any which way. Walk from the backyard directly through to Easts Beach or enjoy Pacific Ocean views from the balcony. Even better, the Kiama accommodation garners consistent reviews from happy guests who adore its beachside location, fully equipped kitchen and entertaining areas.

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7. BLUEWATER APARTMENTS

the interior of Bluewater Apartments, Kiama accommodation
This picturesque boutique apartment is close to the main beach.

Best for: large groups who need separate rooms

Offering terrific beachside accommodation in Kiama, Bluewater Apartments is filled with 22 individual stays spanning studios, two-bedroom configurations and three-bedroom blow-outs. It’s close to the beach town’s much-adored attractions, like Kiama Blowhole, plus it’s an easy flat walk to some of the most acclaimed cafes and restaurants in town.

Address: 9 Bong Bong St, Kiama

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8. THE WERRI SHACK

a living room with a fireplace at The Werri Shack, Kiama accommodation
Make yourself at home next to the fireplace.

Best for: fur parents

The Werri Shack is a superb beach house located smack bang between the mountains and the sea. The two-level, pet-friendly Kiama accommodation (the yard is fully fenced, and there’s a nearby off-leash zone at Werri Beach) offers generous living areas and cool furnishings across three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Plus, there’s unlimited Wi-Fi, a PlayStation, table tennis and a rack to store your surfboard, proving they’ve really thought of everything.

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9. AMAROO

Best for: living the rich and famous lifestyle you deserve

Ready to step the decadence up a notch? Amaroo is a grand five-bedroom holiday home with all the bells and whistles. The Kiama accommodation, located just 10 minutes’ stroll from Easts Beach, sleeps up to eight guests with three bathrooms, a swimming pool with sun lounges and an adjacent games room filled with a lounge, pool table, dining table and barbecue. The cherry on top is how remote you’ll feel lounging in this place with water views stretching out to the horizon and green grass flowing right from the property to the water’s edge.

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10. BUNKER HOUSE

coastal views from the Bunker House, Kiama accommodation
Take in jaw-dropping coastal vistas at the oceanfront Bunker House.

Best for: Architecture nuts

While we’re going crazy, consider splashing out on Bunker House. An architecturally led marvel on a quiet, water-facing corner in Gerringong, the property is staggering from the outset. But wait until you step inside. Serving as a popular photo shoot location, the home features seven bedrooms, smart technology, three kitchens, three individual living areas, a mammoth deck with a barbecue, a heated pool, a steam room, a gym, a fireplace, four car spaces, indoor and outdoor fire pits and, unbelievably, it’s wheelchair accessible if you let the owners know in advance to make a few tweaks.

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Caravan parks and camping

11. KENDALLS ON THE BEACH HOLIDAY PARK

Best for: absolute beach frontage bragging rights

Kendalls on the Beach Holiday Park offers everything from a two-level, four-bedroom spa bath cabin to equally picturesque three-bedroom varieties and far simpler tent and caravan sites. If you’re sleeping outside of four walls, take advantage of the amenities block, a camp kitchen and free Wi-Fi, while visitors of all descriptions will appreciate the laundry, barbecue facilities and children’s playground.

Address: Bonaira St, Kiama

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12. SURF BEACH HOLIDAY PARK

Best for: families and budget-friendly bookings

Talk about prime position. Surf Beach Holiday Park peers directly over Kiama’s Main Beach, offering plenty of activities and spotless facilities including a camp kitchen, swimming pool, games room and kids’ playground. It’s a quiet location, about a 10-minute walk from the centre of town, plus it’s pet-friendly, so nobody’s left at home. Accommodation spans villas, bungalows and powered campsites. The Kiama accommodation is ideal for families looking to save a bit of coin for temptations outside of their digs.

Address: Bourroul St, Kiama

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13. CICADA

a look inside the safari-style tent at Cicada, Kiama accommodation
The safari-style tents at Cicada are a luxe lover’s dream. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best for: romance-chasing glamping addicts

Cicada is the region’s most-loved glamping option, located about five minutes from the centre of town and featuring those incredible dome-shaped stays typically reserved for Instagram. If you’re a sucker for newness, go for the Silver Knight or Tiger Prince Domes, launched in the first half of 2025, which feature breathtaking views across the bush, air-conditioning, private undercover decks, kitchens with gas barbecues, firepits and woodfired tubs to soak under the stars in. Other beautiful options within Cicada’s suite come in the way of safari tents (still with kitchenettes and outdoor baths, mind you) and bell tents.

Address: 127 Jerrara Rd, Jerrara

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Discover the best things to do in Kiama

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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Art, wine & fireplaces: 8 reasons Bowral is the ultimate winter getaway

(Credit: Destination NSW)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

    Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

    The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

    Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

    1. Check in

    aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter
    Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

    After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

    2. Hunt for treasure

    couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral
    Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

    Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

    3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery

    kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum
    Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

    Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

    4. A taste of France

    table spread at Lucette bowral
    Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

    For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

    Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

    5. Indulge in a tipple

    Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter
    Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

    This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

    6. Blend your own gin

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar
    Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

    7. Go for a walk at dawn

    Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

    8. Cosy up by the fireplace

    Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel
    Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.

    A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

    At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

    Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.