Vogue highlights 15 luxury Australian hotels to add to your bucket list ~
Northern Territory’s wilderness retreats
Bamurru Plains, Top End, Northern Territory
Bamurru Plains is a luxury lodge in a vast private buffalo property west of Kakadu National Park. A three-hour drive from Darwin, its coastal floodplains and savannah woodlands support diverse wildlife. Guided experiences include crocodile, brumbie and wallaby spotting. The 10 bungalows have mesh walls so that the surrounding wilderness can be seen and Australian bush-inspired dishes are created by the kitchen.
Coastal havens
qualia, Hamilton Island, the Whitsundays, Queensland
qualia is a luxury escape exclusively for adults designed by Australian architect Chris Beckingham and furnished by Freedman Rembel with fabrics and patterns inspired by nature. A choice of 60 contemporary timber, stone and glass pavilions face the water and are surrounded by tropical bushland. Enjoy sustainable local produce, take a private charter cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, visit Whitehaven Beach or be pampered at the spa with treatments derived from Indigenous healing techniques.
Wine and nature getaways
Saffire Freycinet, Coles Bay, Tasmania
Shaped like a sinuous manta ray, contemporary retreat Saffire Freycinet teams luxury with pure Tasmanian nature. Located midway up the east coast, its 20 suites and gourmet Palate restaurant have floor-to-ceiling windows framing panoramas of the Hazards Mountains. Tailored experiences connect guests with the environment, from visiting a marine oyster farm to boating to Schouten Island and exploring Wineglass Bay. Team your trip with a visit to MACq 01, a Hobart hotel inspired by the characters of Tasmania, and of course, MONA.
The Louise, Barossa Valley, South Australia
The Louise, a boutique hotel with 15 secluded contemporary suites, offers views of Barossa Valley’s vineyards. Enjoy picnic breakfasts with kangaroos, dine at award-winning locavore restaurant Appellation and go on exclusive tours of local wineries. The hotel offers opportunities to join the chefs gathering provisions at the local markets, and to blend your own wine with a local winemaker and then have the kitchen devise a dish to accompany it.
Unique stays
Longitude 131°, Yulara, Northern Territory
Looking for something one-of-a-kind? With stunning views of Uluru and across the dusty desert to Kata Tjuta, this camping getaway is one of NT’s best. Sixteen tented pavilions bespeckle the Central Desert, offering a unique opportunity to connect with the outback and stay amongst the wilderness whilst not compromising on luxury. The central Dune House is home to a restaurant, bar and lounge areas that are an ideal way to escape momentarily from the heat of the desert with an icy drink.
Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Swimming with whale sharks—the ocean’s gentle giants—is just one of the jaw-dropping marine encounters at this beachside safari camp. The pristine Ningaloo Reef is only 10 metres from shore, a coral ecosystem visited by manta rays and turtles. Nestled in the coastal dunes of Cape Range National Park, this eco-lodge’s 16 wilderness tents offer barefoot luxury, with hammocks and communal dining under the stars.
Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales
Only a two-hour flight from Sydney, Lord Howe Island is a reef-wrapped, subtropical Pacific paradise that’s home to Capella Lodge. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed island is famous for seabirds, and its turquoise lagoons and the twin peaks of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird can be seen from Capella’s restaurant or infinity pool. Nine suites, styled like a contemporary Australian beach house, offer basalt bathrooms and outdoor decks.
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