Australia offers unique accommodation found nowhere else on Earth. Hotels, motels and Air BnBs can be experienced in every country, but in playing off Australia’s varied landscapes from state-to-state, each place finds their strengths, providing a new perspective most people wouldn’t have ever experienced.
If you’re not looking for something too out there, there are plenty of accommodation options that are interesting while remaining functional. Melbourne’s HOTEL NO is innovative and conveniently located on Flinders Lane for shopping and dining. The hotel consists of converted Airstream trailers on the rooftop of a parking complex. The décor is retro, sophisticated, and very pink. An awesome option for a short stay.
The Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, South Australia sees your typical hotel venture underground. The room is in ‘dug out,’ style, with cave walls and cool underground temperature. For something on the complete other end of the spectrum, Thorngrove Manor Hotel is in the Adelaide Hills. This hotel is in the style of a European castle, complete with turrets, spiral staircases and sprawling gardens. Here, there’s a maximum of only two guests, so its best suited to a romantic getaway. You’ll have the place to yourselves.
For another quirky hotel fit out, look no further than The Lily in Albany, Western Australia. Their rooms sit adjacent to an authentic replica of a 16th century Dutch Windmill, which remains fully operational in producing spelt flour, but that isn’t the most interesting offering. A renovated 1944 Dakota aeroplane sleeps two people on this property, looking out to the views of the Stirling Ranges.
To venture further into the outdoors, paying the Secret Treehouse a visit in the Blue Mountains is a must. Hidden in Wollemi Forest is this treehouse cabin, fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows that grant panoramic views of the forest from every vantage point, with tree trunks through the floor of your room. Another accommodation option that offers 24/7 gorgeous natural views are the Reefsuites aboard a Whitsundays Cruise, where you can watch the marine life below the water’s surface from your room thanks to their glass windows.
If the outdoors are what draws you to choose an accommodation, and you’ve got the budget, why not make it an entire island? Picnic Island off Freycinet National Park in Tasmania is a private island, able to be booked for up to ten people. Every outdoor adventure is available within the confines of your accommodation, as well as staggering views of the Hazards mountain range, dolphin and seal visitors. Fish for your food to make you really feel independent, with flathead, squid and mussels just some of the seafood available to catch here.