Australia Luxury Travel Guide: Top Destinations & Accommodations

Australia is big – bigger than you think. In fact, it’s even bigger than the locals think. But despite its sheer size, you will find familiar sights no matter where you go. You can expect every horizon to be dotted with striking eucalyptus trees, and you can all but expect a picture-perfect sunset no matter whether you’re on the east or west coast.

Even though the Australian landscape has its fair share of familiarities from state to state, there is one thing about travelling across Australia that makes each state feel uniquely distinct: their take on luxury.

Across all of Australia’s states and territories, you can expect to find luxury accommodation and travel experiences that feel unique to that destination. So the question becomes where should you set your sights first?

Below, we’ll be spotlighting some of the most iconic Australian luxury travel experiences from state to state. Use the below guide to help better map out your very own trip itinerary for your first trip Down Under.

Gold Coast, QLD – The Gold Standard in Australian Luxury

Unsurprisingly, the Gold Coast tops the list of Australia’s most iconic luxury travel destinations, being a world-renowned coastal stopover for vacationing celebrities from all corners of the globe.

Alongside being star-studded, the Gold Coast is home to some of Australia’s best surf beaches, including Coolangatta, Burleigh Beach, Miami Beach, and the aptly named Surfers Paradise. You can also find luxury Gold Coast accommodation across the length of the region’s expansive coastline, ensuring that you maintain quick access to the shoreline wherever you hang your hat.

There’s so much more to do here than just surfing, however. A gateway to the wider Great Barrier Reef, the Gold Coast is also a perfect luxury destination for anyone looking to travel to the Whitsunday Islands or Hamilton Island from the mainland, or even just do some boat tours across the wider Coral Sea.

There are also luxury boutiques galore across Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise, in particular. You can shop for iconic brands like Dior, Tom Ford, Versace, Hermès, and many more at Pacific Fair. Be prepared to make space in your luggage – or just buy a new bag while you’re here!

Byron Bay, NSW – A Bohemian Retreat

A favourite getaway destination for celebrities like the Hemsworth brothers, Zac Efron, Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman, and most recently Jessica Alba, Byron Bay has become a staple in Australia’s luxury travel scene.

Boasting beautiful views of the wider Pacific Ocean with second-to-none ocean sunrises, Byron Bay is particularly beloved by travellers looking to embrace natural living. The local Byron Bay Farmers Market as well as the region’s hodge-podge of farm-to-table restaurants provides a rustic take on luxury travel experiences, prioritising good food in good company.

Add to this Byron Bay’s variety of cultural attractions like the Lone Goat Gallery, the Byron Theatre, and the Haven Gallery for multisensory creative exhibitions, and it’s clear to see why so many creative spirits from all over the world consider Byron Bay to be a home away from home.

National Zoo & Aquarium, ACT – A Unique Hotel Stay

Canberra and the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) is a funny territory to cover in this list, because it doesn’t just encapsulate one geographic region. As the home of the Australian Parliament and other government-managed entities, ACT territory spans a major portion of Namadgi National Park and the City of Canberra, as well as the Jervis Bay territory further along NSW’s southeastern coast.

To keep today’s guide simple, we’ve pinpointed one of the ACT’s most iconic hotel stays: the Jamala Wildlife Lodge. Situated within the National Zoo & Aquarium, the Jamala Wildlife Lodge houses a selection of rooms inspired by different animal species. The kicker? Each of these rooms shares a window with that animal’s enclosure at the zoo! This means that if you book the tiger room, you’re basically going to be waking up to a tiger by your living room window in the morning.

There are a variety of luxury jungle bungalows on offer through Jamala as well, including the Lion Pride Bungalow, Giraffe Treehouses, Lemur Rooms, Meerkat Suites, and even the Reef Room, which includes a 5-metre deep ocean aquarium where you can get up close and personal with reef fish.

Naturally, demand for Jamala accommodation is high, so bookings are often made months in advance – especially for popular rooms (i.e. the Big Cats are always in high demand). Proactive planning is a must for this luxury stay.

Freycinet, TAS – An Upscale Escape

Tasmania is one of Australia’s most unique states, in that it’s the island continent’s only island state. Being so isolated, Tassie has its fair share of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, which includes exploring the MONA art gallery in Hobart, and climbing to the summit of the iconic Cradle Mountain. But when it comes to luxury travel experiences, there is no better destination than Freycinet.

Nestled along the island’s eastern coast, Freycinet is home to a collection of luxury coastal accommodations, including the Saffire Freycinet, and the Freycinet Lodge, the latter of which also includes The Bay restaurant, renowned for its fresh locally caught seafood and striking views of Coles Bay.

Whilst there’s pampering and gourmet dining galore to be enjoyed here, Freycinet is also home to the breathtaking Wineglass Bay Lookout, which is an absolute must-do for any travellers looking to snap some picturesque landscape shots during their time in Australia.

Melbourne, VIC – Urban Pampering and Culture Abound

Melbourne isn’t called ‘Australia’s cultural capital’ for nothing. Home to dozens of luxury stays in and around the City of Melbourne, Victoria’s state capital is the favourite Australian travel destination for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as being the homebase for Aussie celebrities like Troye Sivan, Hugh Jackman, and Sarah Snook (i.e. Shiv from HBO’s Succession).

With so much to see and do both within the Melbourne CBD and across surrounding inner city suburbs (all of which have their own unique personalities), you can basically stay anywhere in Melbourne and be guaranteed a fantastic experience. For art lovers, however, we highly recommend staying close to the city’s art district which includes the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Southbank Theatre (where you can catch a Melbourne Theatre Company, or MTC, production), and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

If you’re keen to catch a show, you can always find great live music at the Forum, the Melbourne Recital Centre, or the Palais Theatre or Espy in St Kilda. If you do happen to find yourself in St Kilda, a trip to Luna Park is also guaranteed to thrill. Or for those a little more luxury-minded, why not book yourself in for a rejuvenating dip at the St Kilda Sea Baths?

Margaret River, WA – A Home Among the Vineyards

Travelling all the way across to WA now, you can find the isolated coastal town of Margaret River (with a little extra searching on a globe or atlas). WA is astronomically vast, with most of the state being desert, but Margaret River provides a picturesque oasis with verdant vineyards galore.

Alongside enjoying a tasteful tipple at some of Australia’s best wineries including the iconic Cape Lodge, you can also enjoy award-winning spa facilities at resorts like Pullman Bunker Bay, or private dining experiences at the Bina Maya Yallingup Escape.

In and amongst all these gastronomical delights, Margaret River is also just gorgeous country, so a scenic helicopter tour is an absolute must for getting the full experience of Australia’s most isolated luxury travel destination. Flying over the wild, jagged coastline is otherworldly, and definitely a bucket list-worthy item across Australia’s selection of luxury travel experiences.

The Red Centre, NT – The Fiery Heart of Australia

You haven’t experienced everything that Australia as a continent has to offer if you haven’t borne witness to the sheer majesty of Uluru. Located in the red sands of the NT’s southwestern corner, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park houses one of Australia’s most recognisable natural attractions: a 500 million year-old sandstone monolith that stands 348 metres above the desert floor.

What’s most interesting about Uluru is that it’s actually all one solid piece of rock, making it distinctly unique geologically from your typical desert mesa, which is typically flatter and a result of erosion. Instead, Uluru is actually categorised as an inselberg (isolated rocky mountain rising above a flat plain), and is a direct result of ancient volcanic activity pushing a large subterranean hunk of rock out of the ground and up on its side. Yes, that means Uluru actually continues well into the Earth’s crust and that the rock is technically sticking up on its side.

Alongside being geologically fascinating, Uluru is also a landmark of great cultural significance to local Indigenous populations. As a result, there’s so much to learn about the rock and surrounding desert lands at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. Visitors can also book guided tours of the dunes and all the cultural sites that can be found along the way.

As far as luxury stays go, there’s the Longitude 131 that offers striking views of Uluru, the Desert Gardens Hotel, Sails in the Desert, and a variety of scenic helicopter tours and even segway tours on offer for those looking to experience Australia’s Red Centre in style.

Coober Pedy, SA – Opals and…Subterranean Hotels?

We’ve saved one of Australia’s most unique luxury destinations for last. Aah, Coober Pedy! Renowned for being a South Australian regional mining town located in the desert, the surface temperature in summer for this little locale regularly surpasses 40°C (104°F) around midday. Naturally, this makes the surface untenable – which is why Coober Pedy residents are living underground?!

Yes, Coober Pedy is renowned for being largely subterranean, with many underground accommodations on offer for travelling visitors. Some noteworthy stays include the Desert Cave Hotel, the Lookout Cave Underground Motel, and the Opal Inn Hotel.

When you’re not enjoying the unique sandstone colourings of our underground hotel room walls, you can enjoy tours of Coober Pedy opal mines where you’ll get to actually see these glittering stones being harvested from the red walls. And of course, there’s no better place to buy some opal jewellery than right here.

Experience Australia’s Unique Take on Luxury Travel across these Destinations

From state to state, Australia offers some of the world’s most unique luxury travel experiences. And now that you know where to look, the next thing to do is simply figure out where you want to go first.

Easier said than done, we know! But we’re hopeful that this exhaustive guide has set you on the right path in planning your next great Australian getaway.