Your guide to the best Port Fairy accommodation

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Charming inns, bell tent glamping, stylish holiday homes, heritage pub stays and cruisy caravan parks, there’s a wealth of Port Fairy accommodation options to choose from.

Any Great Ocean Road trip needs to include a visit to Port Fairy. Home to a wealth of well-preserved heritage buildings, this historic fishing village honours its past while also welcoming the new. When choosing where to stay, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Whether you’re splashing out on a celebratory weekend to remember or planning a budget family break by the sea, there are lots of Port Fairy accommodation options to suit you.

Hotels

1. Merrijig Inn

Best for: Food and wine lovers

A little microcosm of magic, the Merrijig Inn  is one of those inviting places with a special aura of its own.

the exterior of Merrijig Inn in Port Fairy
The Merrijig Inn is said to be Victoria’s oldest inn. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Laying claim to being Victoria’s oldest inn, a stay in one of the charming suites or compact attic rooms (not recommended for tall folk) includes a smorgasbord breakfast of house-made delights.

a dining room with a fireplace at Merrijig Inn in Port Fairy
Keep warm by the fireplace. (Image: Visit Victoria)

No visit is complete without a tipple at the convivial front bar and dinner at Merrijin Kitchen – food is an important chapter of this hospitality legend’s story.

the entrance to Merrijig Inn, Port Fairy
Step into the Merrijig Kitchen next door. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 1 Campbell St, Port Fairy

2. Seacombe House

Best for: History lovers

From motor inn suites to historic cottages and rooms in a heritage-listed guesthouse, Seacombe House  has lots of different styles of accommodation to choose from.

the exterior of Seacombe House, Port Fairy
Stay in a heritage-listed guesthouse.

Like many other buildings in this storied town, Seacombe House is listed on the National Trust, so when you stay here you’ll be walking in the footsteps of the traders, sailors and merchants who earned a crust living or visiting Port Fairy in centuries gone by.

the living room interior of Seacombe House, Port Fairy
Seacombe House offers a cosy spot to unwind after a day of exploring.

Address: 22 Sackville Street, Port Fairy

3. The Victoria Apartments

Best for: Travellers who prefer self-catering holidays

If you love having all the creature comforts of home while you’re away, try Victoria Apartments . Book a 2-bedroom apartment or 3-bedroom townhouse here and you’ll enjoy access to a range of amenities that will make you feel right at home. Use the large, well-equipped kitchen to cook meals, do a load of washing in the laundry, relax in the spacious lounge room while watching movies on the flatscreen TV and park your wheels in a lock-up garage – these apartments have everything you need for a comfortable break.

Address: 48/50 Bank Street, Port Fairy

4. The Oak & Anchor Hotel

Best for: Couples and solo travellers looking to enjoy an adults-only break

Although this heritage-listed hotel  dates back to the mid-1800s, you’ll bed down in supreme comfort. Choose from seven stylish suites (most with freestanding bathtubs and Euro-style walk-in showers) ranging from the ground-floor Anchor Suite all the way up to the luxurious Bridal Suite.

a Euro-style walk-in shower with tub at The Oak & Anchor Hotel, Port Fairy
The stylish suite boasts spacious, Euro-inspired bathrooms. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you’re after an adults-only retreat, you’ll be pleased to know this boutique accommodation is just for grownups.

the bed at The Oak & Anchor Hotel, Port Fairy
Experience ultimate comfort and relaxation in the beautifully designed beds. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 9 Bank Street, Port Fairy

5. Central Motel

Best for: Visitors who value convenience and affordability.

Located right in the centre of town just 25 metres or so from some of Port Fairy’s best restaurants and cafes, you can’t beat Central Motel  for convenience. If you’re watching your pennies, this neat and tidy motel has all the basics covered at an affordable price point. Looking for accessible accommodation? There’s a ground-floor, wheelchair-friendly room perfect for travellers with special needs.

Address: 56 Sackville Street, Port Fairy

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6. YHA Port Fairy

Best for: Budget-conscious travellers who are happy sharing communal spaces

If you love meeting other people and staying in places with a more communal vibe, YHA Port Fairy  is just the place for you. This warm and welcoming heritage accommodation has shared ‘co-living’ rooms with bunk beds, family rooms and private rooms as well as shared spaces like a self-catering kitchen, communal lounge room, laundry, pool table and outdoor courtyard with a barbecue. Perhaps the best part is you’re just one block away from some of Port’s Fairy best eats, including killer cocktails and pizza at Coffin Sally on Sackville Street.

Address: 8 Cox Street, Port Fairy

Guesthouses and Airbnbs

7. Cherry Plum Cottages

Best for: People seeking a secluded break in the countryside.

This collection of cute, self-contained cottages  surrounded by greenery is the ideal spot to get away from it all.

the living room interior at Cherry Plum Cottages
This rustic abode is designed with a cosy interior.

Take a wander through the gardens (don’t forget to say hi to the alpacas), prepare dinner on the barbecue and sit on the veranda in the morning and listen to the birdlife with a cup of tea in hand – this is the perfect place to enjoy living life in the slow lane.

breakfast by the garden at Cherry Plum Cottages
Spend early mornings in quiet contemplation.

Address: 37 Albert Road, Port Fairy

8. Sweet Tide O Moyne

Best for: Groups, families and pet owners.

If you want to plan a private break with your nearest and dearest, look no further than this well-appointed holiday house .

the outdoor deck at Sweet Tide O Moyne, Port Fairy
This charming beach-style cottage is just steps from East Beach.

Sleeping up to nine guests, this comfy home right by East Beach has all the mod cons needed for an independent, self-catered break.

a painting mounted on the wall with a vase below at Sweet Tide O Moyne, Port Fairy
The walls are adorned with paintings of the beach.

Use the Nespresso machine to make your morning coffee, cook up a banging lunch in the kitchen and use the barbecue to prepare dinner each night while everyone gathers around the firepit.  Board games, books and a travel cot make this holiday house perfect for a family getaway.

a close-up shot of the bed at Sweet Tide O Moyne, Port Fairy
This chic accommodation is a holiday haven for families.

Address: 1 Moyne Court, Port Fairy

9. Clonmara Country House & Cottages

Best for: Couples and small groups looking for a quiet and cosy country retreat full of charm.

Soak up the serenity at this historic country house and cottages  located just outside the historic town centre. If you value the classic ‘cottage-core’ aesthetic and love wandering in country-style gardens, you will be in your element here. A top spot for a quiet, gentle break where you can truly relax, Clonmara Country House & Cottages is the type of place to enjoy lazy afternoons reading a paperback in the shade and cosy nights drinking wine by the warmth of the gas log fire. Bliss!

the Clonmara Country House & Cottages in Port Fairy
Settle into a cosy country retreat.

Address: 106 Princes Hwy, Port Fairy

Camping Grounds

10. Port Fairy Glamping

Best for: Couples and friends looking for a whimsical weekend away.

If you love the idea of camping but don’t want to truly rough it, enjoy the best of both worlds with Port Fairy Glamping . Forget struggling to pitch a tent, this local outfit will set up a romantic bell tent in a grassy area of one of Port Fairy’s caravan parks for you.

Inside you’ll find plush bedding, towels, lamps, rugs and cushions to ensure you’ll enjoy a comfy stay. An outdoor table setting means you’re set to enjoy sundowners and snacks after a day exploring Port Fairy’s historic buildings and windswept beaches.

a Port Fairy Glamping tent
Spend a whimsical weekend in a Port Fairy Glamping tent.

Caravan Parks

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11. Gardens Caravan Park

Best for: Visitors who value access to the river, beach and town centre.

When it comes to convenience, this caravan park’s  location can’t be beaten. Sitting on the banks of the Moyne River, it’s just 600 metres from the centre of town and also right near East Beach and the botanic gardens.

the Gardens Caravan Park at sunrise
Gardens Caravan Park is spread along the banks of the Moyne River.

Check in to a cabin to enjoy some creature comforts or roll into a powered or unpowered site if you’re travelling with a motorhome or caravan.

two women walking along the Tower Hill Reserve, Port Fairy
Be at one with nature as you walk along through the coastal landscape.

Address: 111 Griffiths St, Port Fairy

12. Southcombe Caravan Park

Best for: Beach lovers and families

If being near the beach is your number one priority this family-friendly caravan park  near Southcombe Beach is a winner.

a boat sailing at Southcombe Caravan Park
Go fishing by the river near Southcombe Beach.

Stay in a one-, two- or three-bedroom villa or set up your tent, motorhome or van on one of the powered or unpowered sites. Stroll into town for dinner or use the free barbecues or camp kitchen to whip up dinner each night – the choice is yours.

a girl lying on a blanket while reading a book
Or lie on a blanket with a book in hand.

Address: James St, Port Fairy

13. Big4 Port Fairy Holiday Park

Best for: Families and groups

Sure, there’s plenty to do in Port Fairy but this modern holiday park  has heaps of amenities to discover too. Big kids and little kids alike will love navigating the mini golf course while the indoor heated swimming pool provides an option for wet weather days.

a group of travellers gathering outside a caravan at Big4 Port Fairy Holiday Park
This modern holiday park is an ideal retreat for those travelling in groups.

There’s even a purpose-built cycling track. This holiday park’s three-bedroom cabins sleep up to eight people making it a top spot for a group getaway or intergenerational holiday.

Address: 115 Princes Hwy, Port Fairy

14. Gum Tree Caravan Park

Best for: People travelling with pets

There’s no need to leave your four-legged friends at home as they’re welcome to stay at this dog-friendly caravan park . Guests are well taken care of here with a range of items for hire, including baby chairs, cots, bikes, surfboards and wetsuits.

Address: 8 Amble Lane (off Toolong Rd) Port Fairy

15. Port Fairy Holiday Park

Best for: Visitors who love active breaks

If you like staying active during your holidays, then this holiday park ’s facilities are sure to impress.

the caravan site at Port Fairy Holiday Park
Port Fairy Holiday Park is perfect for campers and caravanners.

There’s an indoor heated swimming pool, a full-sized tennis court, a playground and a giant jumping pillow for the little ones.

a deep-soaking tub inside a safari tent at Port Fairy Holiday Park
The outdoor tub is the perfect way to end the day.

There are also lots of different accommodation styles ranging from safari tents with deep-soaking, clawfoot baths, deluxe villas and cabins, holiday units and powered and unpowered sites for campers and caravanners.

the safari tent at Port Fairy Holiday Park
Seek comfort in a safari tent.

Address: 139 Princes Hwy, Port Fairy

Discover the best things to do in Port Fairy.

Jo Stewart
Jo Stewart is a freelance features writer who pens stories about nature, pop culture, music, art, design and more from her home in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria. When not writing, you can find her trawling through vinyl records and vintage fashion at op shops, antique stores and garage sales.
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Victoria’s surprising new outdoor adventure hotspot

    Craig Tansley Craig Tansley
    A town charmingly paused in time has become a hot mountain biking destination. 

    There’s a forest reserve full of eucalyptus and pines surrounding town – when you combine all the greenery with a main street of grand old buildings still standing from the Victorian Gold Rush, Creswick looks more period movie set than a 21st-century town.  

    old gold bank Victoria
    Grand buildings from the Victorian gold rush. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    This entire region of Victoria – the Central Goldfields – is as pretty-as-a-picture, but there’s something extra-special about Creswick. I used to live 30 minutes north; I’d drive in some evenings to cruise its main street at dusk, and pretend I was travelling back in time. 

    It was sleepy back then, but that’s changed. Where I used to walk through its forest, now I’m hurtling down the state’s best new mountain bike trails. There’s a 60-kilometre network of mountain bike trails – dubbed Djuwang Baring – which make Creswick the state’s hottest new mountain biking destination.  

    Meet Victoria’s new mountain biking capital 

    Creswick bike trail
    This historic town has become a mountain biking hotspot.

    Victoria has a habit of turning quiet country towns into mountain biking hotspots. I was there in the mid-2000s when the tiny Otways village of Forrest embarked on an ambitious plan to save itself (after the death of its timber cutting industry) courtesy of some of the world’s best mountain bike trails. A screaming success it proved to be, and soon mountain bike trails began popping up all over Victoria. 

    I’m no expert, so I like that a lot of Creswick’s trails are as scenic as they are challenging. I prefer intermediate trails, such as Down Martuk, with its flowing berms and a view round every corner. Everyone from outright beginners to experts can be happy here. There’s trails that take me down technical rock sections with plenty of bumps. But there’s enough on offer to appeal to day-trippers, as much as hard-core mountain-bikers. 

    I love that the trails empty onto that grand old main street. There’s bars still standing from the Gold Rush of the 1850s I can refuel at. Like the award-winning Farmers Arms, not to be confused with the pub sharing its name in Daylesford. It’s stood since 1857. And The American Creswick built two years later, or Odessa Wine Bar, part of Leaver’s Hotel in an 1856-built former gold exchange bank.  

    The Woodlands
    The Woodlands is set on a large bushland property. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

    Creswick is also full of great cafes and restaurants, many of them set in the same old buildings that have stood for 170 years. So whether you’re here for the rush of the trails or the calm of town life, Creswick provides. 

    A traveller’s checklist 

    Staying there 

    1970s log cabin
    Inside the Woodlands, a chic 1970s log cabin. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

    RACV Goldfields Resort is a contemporary stay with a restaurant, swimming pool and golf course. The Woodlands in nearby Lal Lal comprises a chic log cabin set on a 16-hectare property abundant in native wildlife. 

    Eating there 

    Le Peche Gourmand
    Le Peche Gourmand makes for the perfect pitstop for carb and sugar-loading.

    The menu at Odessa at Leaver’s Hotel includes some Thai-inspired fare. Fuel up for your ride on baguettes and pastries from French patisserie Le Peche Gourmand . The Farmers Arms has been a much-loved local institution since 1857. 

    Playing there 

    Miss NorthcottsGarden
    Miss Northcotts Garden is a charming garden store with tea room. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Creswick State Forest has a variety of hiking trails, including a section of the 210-kilometre-long Goldfields Track. Miss Northcotts Garden is a quaint garden store with tea room.