15 of the Best New Hotels in Australia

It’s been two years since most of the world started reopening borders following the peak of the pandemic.  Down Under, the welcome mat rolled out a bit later — and perhaps more quietly.  Although Australia officially reopened in early 2022, the destination has been hindered by a shortage of long-haul flights — correspondingly, airfares spiked.

The upcoming Australian summer should offer a different story.

According to Tourism Australia, by the end of this year, flight capacity from North America will be at 88% of what was available in 2019.  What’s more, the Australian Hotels Association reports that almost 200 new hotels have opened the country since January 2020, offering about 19,000 rooms.  Following are some of the most noteworthy new properties for travel advisors and their clients.

Best New Hotels in Sydney and New South Wales

Capella Sydney
Opened in March 2023, the 192-room Capella Sydney is Capella Hotels and Resorts’ first foray outside Asia, occupying the city’s former Department of Education building, designated as a heritage site and part of the central business district’s “Sandstone Precinct.” 

Following a meticulous, seven-year restoration, the hotel’s high-style lobby greets guests with acquired and commissioned art, along with the quickly acclaimed restaurant, Brasserie 1930. Guestrooms average 600 square feet and feature standalone tubs and Frette linens.  The popular Circular Quay area and the Sydney Opera House are a short walk away.

RELATED: Four Seasons GM Weighs in on Post-Pandemic Travel to Sydney

Ace Hotel Sydney
The Ace Hotel brand has been trendy since it appeared on the scene in downtown L.A., and Ace Hotel Sydney — its first flag in the southern hemisphere — is located in the smart, diverse Surry Hills neighborhood.  The 257 guestrooms each have a turntable and vinyl collection, while the 18th-floor rooftop restaurant offers woodfired cooking.  Nearby Oxford Street is a shopper’s dream.

Kimpton Margot Sydney
Australia’s first-ever Kimpton Hotel takes the former Sydney Water Board building and amplifies its 1939-era Art Deco curves and geometric patterns with plenty of brass fixtures, velvet furnishings and red-and-white subway tiles for bathrooms.  The 172-room Kimpton Margot Sydney is in tune with today’s traveler desires, offering yoga sessions, in-room workouts and a rooftop lap pool. The location is not far from ICC Sydney, the city’s convention center.

W Sydney
Occupying a voluptuously shaped building at the head of Darling Harbour, the long-awaited W Sydney will finally open its doors in October 2023.  The eclectic design continues inside — a “future noir” inspired by Fritz Lang’s film, “Metropolis” — and the 585 rooms are stocked with playful, bespoke elements.  The two-story rooftop bar features an infinity pool and harbor views.

Osborn House
Located in Bundanoon, 95 miles southwest of Sydney, Osborn House (https://osbornhouse.com.au/) is a 15-room boutique hotel built around an 1892 country mansion.  Posh design honors the property’s bones using vintage furniture paired with modern accents.  The small town is gateway to Morton National Park, a flat plateau carved with deep gullies and waterfalls.

Best New Hotels in Melbourne

The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
In March, Australia’s tallest hotel arrived with the debut of the 257-room Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, adjacent to the city’s Southern Cross rail station.  The lobby is found on the 80th floor, which is also home to a snazzy restaurant, Atria, featuring a 295-foot-long bar made from Victorian ash. A day spa and infinity pool round out the amenities.

The Interlude
Melbourne’s 170-year-old Pentridge Prison has been transformed into a billion-dollar retail, dining and entertainment precinct that opened in May 2023.  Inside the converted prison, The Interlude, offering 19 opulent rooms that have been carved from four or five former cells, each with vaulted brick ceilings and bluestone walls.  A wine bar and underground candlelit swimming pool offer diversions.

Best New Hotels in Queensland

Langham Gold Coast
Gold Coast, the beachfront city 50 miles south of Brisbane, has experienced a boom in development, and the new 339-room Langham Gold Coast has opened in a trio of faceted towers sitting just behind the boardwalk and gentle dunes leading to the beach. 

A swim-up pool bar, a refined Cantonese restaurant and a spa guided by traditional Chinese medicine are on offer.

RELATED: Hotel Review: Silky Oaks Lodge in Queensland, Australia

ReefSuites
ReefSuites gives “sleep with the fishes” a whole new meaning, offering guests aquarium views between their toes at Australia’s first underwater accommodation.  Built on a floating pontoon near Hardy Reef in the Whitsunday Islands, the two undersea rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows at the foot of the bed, while up top, sleeping under the stars on comfy beds is another option. 

The Best New Hotels in Tasmania

The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart
Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, saw curtains up for The Tasman in December 2021 and, as the first member of Marriott’s Luxury Collection down under, the hotel quickly became established as the city’s go-to. 

By uniting three side-by-side downtown buildings, the hotel also encompasses three eras of swell design: Georgian, Art Deco and Contemporary.  Another key asset: the outstanding Italian restaurant, Peppina.

Hotel Verge Launceston
In Launceston, behind a brick and steel facade, Hotel Verge offers Tasmania’s second city its first “industrial luxe” hotel, a nod to the neighborhood’s manufacturing roots.  The 86-room property is located on the edge of the central business district and rooms use exposed concrete ceilings, timber accents and black joinery to create a comfortable sense of modernity.

The Best New Hotel in the Northern Territory

Drovers Dream
Located at Kings Creek Station, southwest of Alice Springs, Drovers Dream is a glamping option deep in Australia’s outback. 

The 10 air-conditioned tents have private showers and a deck for grilling a self-cooked barbecue dinner.  Watarrka National Park is just next door; 25 minutes away is the beautiful Kings Canyon.

The Best New Hotels in Adelaide and South Australia

Eos by SkyCity
Parked behind a curvaceous, mirrored-glass facade alongside the River Torrens, the 120-room Eos by SkyCity is part of Adelaide’s teeming new hospitality and entertainment district.  It’s connected to both the historic Adelaide railway station and a glitzy casino, and offers a sophisticated and centrally located option for visitors to Australia’s most underrated city.

Sequoia Lodge
Adelaide Hills is a popular daytrip from Adelaide, but the 14-suite Sequoia Lodge offers plenty of reasons to spend more than a day.  Named for three giant California redwoods planted on the property more than a century ago, the mountain lodge lays on creature comforts including degustation menus full of locally sourced produce and wine.  The surrounding Mount Lofty Ranges is home to Australia’s largest population of koalas.

Southern Ocean Lodge
Following devastating bushfires that consumed much of Kangaroo Island in 2019, the beloved Southern Ocean Lodge is being rebuilt and will reopen in December 2023. 

The property’s 25 suites — rebuilt at a cost of $50 million — should be quite luxurious, and are situated along the coastline to offer resplendent sea views.  Australia’s third-largest island is flush with wildlife and scenery, and the burned areas are well on their way to full recovery.