The concrete definition of “boutique hotel” may be somewhat loose and elusive but you know a good one when you see it. Australia is at the forefront of the design and lifestyle hotel game, what with global hubs like Sydney and Melbourne, UNESCO World Heritage national parks, sublime wine regions and paradisal islands. From the urban and affordable to the plush and clandestine, we run down some of the best.

The Henry James Art Hotel, Hobart – Photo credit

The Limes Hotel Brisbane
142 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD

Fortitude Valley, the premier nightlife and entertainment ward of Brisbane, is a mini-hive of boutique hotel chic. The Limes first broke the mold in the city and feels more like SoHo (or Soho for that matter).

Emporium Hotel Brisbane
1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD

A mere 5 minute walk from the Limes, the Emporium Hotel is the hot new flavour of the month in Brisbane.

Brisbane City Guide

Qualia Resort
20 Whitsundays Boulevard, Hamilton Island, Whitsundays, QLD

The gateway to the Great Barrier Reef was long delinquent in the boutique hotel department. That problem was quickly remedied when the ultra-fab Qualia Resort opened on Hamilton Island.

Whitsundays Guide

The Observatory Hotel
89-113 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW

A world-class alpha city should be a magnet for fashionable, design-forward hoteliers and, happily, Sydney is no exception. The Observatory is a quiet haven in the Rocks with a sumptuous indoor pool.

Establishment Hotel
5 Bridge Lane, Sydney, NSW

The sleek, immaculate Establishment is a most adult hotel steps from Circular Quay.

The Kirketon
The Wharf at Woolloomooloo, 6 Cowper Wharf Road, Sydney NSW

The Kirketon was part of the initial surge of tony properties to pretty up Sydney’s once-moribund hotel scene. Surprisingly affordable, despite a recent makeover.

Medusa Hotel
267 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW

Another artsy jet-set Darlo darling, the Medusa is a stunning Victorian townhouse convert.

Ravesi’s On Bondi
118 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW

Ravesi’s, in the bosom of Bondi, keeps it minimalist with a tidy twelve smartly-appointed rooms.

Sydney City Guide

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa
Lilianfels Avenue, Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, NSW

The best way to take in a UNESCO World Heritage Site like the Greater Blue Mountains Area? Stay a couple of nights at the elegant Lilianfels Resort.

Blue Mountains Guide

The Diamant
15 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra, ACT

When some of the best architectural talent in Australia revived a derelict 1920s landmark in Canberra to create the Diamant, they also resuscitated the capital’s stuffy hotel scene.

Canberra City Guide

The Hatton
65 Park Street, South Yarra, Melbourne, VIC

South Yarra, Melbourne’s most exalted suburb, is no stranger to boutique bliss. The Hatton, a tasteful Italianate mansion refurb, is a standout.

The Lyall Hotel & Spa
14 Murphy Street, South Yarra, Melbourne, VIC

A 10 minute stroll from the Hatton takes you to the Lyall – a dap repurposed apartment block.

Melbourne City Guide

Chateau Yering
42 Melba Highway Yering, Yarra Valley, VIC

One of the best hotels in Melbourne is not in the city at all. Chateau Yering is 55 km northeast of the city in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir country.

Yarra Valley Guide

The Henry James Art Hotel
25 Hunter Street, Hobart, TAS

Hobart has a trove of old buildings just aching for spiffy upgrades. The Henry James turned the trick on a charming early 19th century jam factory.

Hobart City Guide

Saffire Freycinet Coles Bay Hotel
2352 Coles Bay Road, Coles Bay, TAS

Boutique hotel or über-luxe lodge? Either way, the Saffire Freycinet defies description. The hotel is a beacon of contemporary architecture discreetly tucked amid one of the most jaw-dropping spots in Tasmania.

Hotel Richmond
128 Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA

Art Deco gets a stylish modern twist at the Richmond in Adelaide.

Adelaide City Guide

The Richardson Hotel and Spa Perth
32 Richardson Street, West Perth, WA

Unless you absolutely must stay in downtown Perth for some reason, go west to the swanky Richardson Hotel and Spa.

The Outram
32 Outram Street, West Perth, WA

A taste of la Rive Gauche in Perth? Why not? The branché Outram is another fine reason to rest in West Perth.

Perth City Guide

Cape Lodge Yallingup
Caves Road, Yallingup, Margaret River Wine Region, WA

Explore boutique wineries by day and enjoy the comforts of the most exquisite boutique hotel in Margaret River by night.

Margaret River Wine Region Guide

Longitude 131°
Yulara Drive, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT

Longitude 131° at Uluru (Ayers Rock) bills itself as a “luxury wilderness camp” and may be the most outré and avant-garde hotel in Australia. All in all, not a bad way to admire one of the most iconic and sacred landmarks on the planet.

Ayers Rock Guide

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