You could think about Australian accommodation the same way you do the landscape – with plenty of diversity that caters to all kinds of preferences. This is great for visitors because it means there’s a near-endless array of places to call home while you’re here. Let’s explore the different types of accommodation in Australia.

Luxury Lodges

If you’re looking to relax in style, there’s no better way to do it than in one of Australia’s Luxury Lodges. These high-end hotels and camps combine the finest views with first-class services. At these lodgings, you can wake up to rainforest sceneries, ocean outlooks and some of Australia’s most dramatic landscapes. 

Discover Australia’s Luxury Lodges

Resorts

Kick back at one of the many deluxe resorts in Australia, where everything you need is in easy reach. You’ll enjoy spacious, high-quality, luxurious accommodation set among beautiful surrounds. You can also access a huge range of services and activities, tailored to your location, and plenty to keep the kids busy, too. 

Immerse yourself in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef at the Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort where you can enjoy private helicopter tours, sunset picnics and indulgent spa treatments. Or, revel in the tranquillity and peace of Kangaroo Island with a stay at the Ecopia Retreat, where you can explore coveted wilderness landscapes, enjoy exclusive access to Eleanor River and sip locally grown wine on the deck – all in a day's work. If you’re looking to wine and dine yourself (with an emphasis on the wine), then a few nights at the Hunter Valley Resort is for you. Here, nestled among the rolling hills of the Hunter Valley, you can enjoy on-site winery tours, private tastings, helicopter rides and grape stomping experiences.

Find the best family resorts in Australia

Hotels

Stay in a hotel room or suite and enjoy all the creature comforts of home. Around the country you’ll find a host of international chains, such as Marriott and Hyatt Hotels, which are great for all traveller types. Wake up to Sydney Harbour and Opera House views on your doorstep at the Five-Star Park Hyatt, offering guests access to a rooftop pool and terrace, luxury spa and private wharf. For a more affordable alternative, ibis hotels are conveniently located all over the country, offering urban and regional stays with excellent service and quality dining. 

Check out Australia’s coolest boutique hotels

Motels

Motels offer the perfect place to rest your head for the budget-conscious traveller. These cosy rooms offer comfort and convenience at a reasonable price and typically include a private bath or shower, television, tea and coffee-making facilities and a small fridge. Most have room service (especially for breakfast), while the larger motels also have restaurants on-site.

Some are still delightfully retro, while others celebrate the golden age of travel, but have been given a facelift to bring them into the here and now. Try the remodeled Capitanos motel in Darwin, featuring a refreshing outdoor pool and tropical courtyard. Or, on the Gold Coast, La Costa Motel will send you back in time with their 50s chic and complimentary vintage bikes.

Hostels

Hostels are sometimes considered the dwellings of backpackers and travelling youth, but many boutique hostels provide guests with private rooms and some seriously nice stays – great for families and travellers on a budget. They typically have all the home comforts at only a portion of the cost of a hotel, and they are usually in incredibly central locations. Not to mention, they’re a great place to meet other travellers, and their receptionists  tend to know the city secrets better than anyone.

Find the best hostels in Australia

Serviced apartments and holiday units

If you’re travelling in a group (whether friends or family) for more than a few days, you might want to consider a self-serviced apartment. These are typically fitted with hotel essentials – from plush beds to air-conditioning and (in apartments) daily cleaning – but boast a cheaper price tag and a few more mentions of home, such as laundry facilities, multiple bedrooms, a living and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen. 

Bed and breakfasts

If you love intimate lodgings where you get to mingle with real Aussies and their families, then bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) are for you. These small, family-run establishments range from historic houses to miners' cottages, country homesteads and inner-city townhouses. B&Bs offer comfortable rooms at a reasonable price and unlike a self-catered apartment, you’ll have the hospitality of a hotel provided by your host. (Note: B&Bs typically provide breakfast but it’s not always complimentary.) 

Farmstays

If you’ve ever wanted to know what life on the land is really like, add this experience to your itinerary. An Australian outback farmstay gives you a taste of rural life, letting you glimpse the operations of farm life but with plenty of home comforts. They can range from budget-friendly beds beneath a cosy roof to luxury lodges on picturesque homesteads.

Check in to Mt Mulligan Lodge in Cairns and Great Barrier Reef Region, where your oh-so-chic pavilion forms part of a 28,000-hectare (70,000-acre) outback property. You might also love Curringa Farm in Tasmania, where your hosts are sixth-generation farmers overseeing a flock of very happy sheep in the Derwent Valley.

Explore these beautiful farmstays

Camping and glamping

Some of the world’s best campsites can be found in Australia, and it's a beautiful, budget-friendly way to see the country, especially on a road trip. The campsite offering is as diverse as our landscapes, with national chains including BIG4 Holiday Parks and Discovery Parks to free sites run by national parks. There are those with all the trimmings – powered campervan sites, waterparks for the kids, barbecue facilities – and the more basic, with little between you, the earth and the starry sky. 

Find the best camping spots in Australia

Eco-friendly accommodation

It’s never been so important to support environmentally friendly, sustainable tourism. Eco-friendly hotels and accommodation offer an alternative to the conventional, as they seek to reduce their environmental impact and in many cases have net-zero emissions – by using efficient energy, local products and eco architecture. These generally fit into other accommodation categories but are committed to preserving our country and our planet.

Read our guide to eco-friendly stays in Australia

Australia’s Accommodation Stars System: