The 2025 check-in list: here are seven of the hottest new hotel openings in Australia
Mondrian Gold Coast
Arguably the Gold Coast 's most luxurious hotel to date, this 24-storey coastal-luxe beach house marks the Australian debut of LA's innovative Mondrian group. The five-star hotel sits mere metres from Burleigh Beach, with 208 studios, suites and homes boasting breathtaking views across the Pacific Ocean and out to the Hinterlands. Guests can unwind in the magnesium plunge pool, 24-metre resort-style pool, or wellness space and spa. There's also a chic terrace eatery, an oceanfront restaurant and a pool club.
1 Hotel Melbourne
In June, Melbourne gained a new, waterfront hotel that's both swanky and sustainable. Perched right on the banks of the Yarra River, this nature-inspired property marks 1 Hotel's long-anticipated debut in Australia. The sleek 277-room hotel was built using recycled materials, is draped in native greenery and heroes hyper-local produce in its signature restaurant, Here by Mike, helmed by celebrated chef Mike McEnearney.
Monarto Safari Resort
At the end of autumn, Monarto Safari Park – the world's largest open-range safari park – scored a brand-new luxury resort featuring 78 African-inspired hotel rooms overlooking the expansive plains of Monarto's new Wild Africa precinct. The resort pampers guests with a world-class spa, thermal plunge pool, ice bath, sauna, and two outdoor swimming pools. Plus, keep an eye out for 20 stylish glamping tents arriving later this year.
The Lodge Wadjemup
Rottnest Island is already one of Australia's most sought-after islands, and even more so now after the $40 million makeover of The Lodge Wadjemup. Just months after welcoming its first guests in late December, this island-inspired hotel was named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Places to Visit in 2025. The coastal-luxe property features 109 rooms with courtyard, lakeside or pool views, plus sunset dining and top-notch conference facilities.
InterContinental Brisbane
Just last week, the world's first and largest luxury hotel brand, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, made its Brisbane debut, taking over the former Hilton site. The timeless 319-room property began welcoming guests on July 1 under the new brand, complete with a new signature club lounge on level 25 with sweeping views over the River City. In 2026, it's set to undergo a significant two-year luxury transformation ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
Courtyard by Marriott Darwin
In early July, the world's biggest hotel chain unveiled its first-ever Northern Territory property in Darwin. It's a major milestone for Marriott International, which now flies its flag in every Australian state and territory. The first stage of the 186-room hotel's renovation features slick self-check-in technology, all new furnishings and a state-of-the-art fitness centre, with a hyper-local restaurant and pool upgrade planned within the next two years.
Hyatt House Melbourne
A sister brand of the grand Park Hyatt Melbourne, this new southside hotel offers a more residential-style experience for longer-term stays. It's fitted with homely amenities and is located near many of the city's coolest attractions, including Albert Park Lake, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Arts Precinct and South Melbourne Market. Bonus: it's pet-friendly, so your dog (or cat) can join the getaway too.
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ITV News
9 hours ago
- ITV News
Portsmouth-based Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales leaves Australia
Royal Navy aircraft carrier the HMS Prince of Wales has completed its maiden visit to Australia having taken part in a major military exercise. The fleet flagship has now set off for Japan in the next stop of its eight-month Indo-Pacific deployment. The £3 billion warship sailed from Portsmouth in April for the mission which involves visits with 40 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, south-east Asia, Japan and Australia. A Royal Navy spokesman said that the carrier had sailed from Darwin having taken part in the Talisman Sabre exercise as well as acting as a host for diplomatic visits, including from representatives of the indigenous Larrakia people. He said: 'The flagship hosted a string of senior British and Australian politicians, including Defence Secretary John Healey and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. 'The aircraft carrier has also served as the impressive setting for a business and industry event, discussing the growing importance of defence links between London and Canberra. 'And the 2,500-plus personnel in the task group have enjoyed down time to explore the largest city in Australia's Northern Territory.' Able Seaman Owen Altoft, an 18-year-old chef from Newcastle who is on his first deployment, said: 'It's an experience being out in Australia. 'This deployment has been great – seeing what the world's like, seeing different places, cultures and food. It's what I signed up for. 'I tried kangaroo at the local food market and would try it again in a restaurant.' The Royal Navy spokesman said that the next stage of the deployment would involve combined air exercises with the carrier's F-35 jets and the Japanese navy. He said: 'Both nations operate the same short take-off/vertical landing version of the stealth jet, the B variant, although Japan has not flown the fifth-generation strike fighter for quite as long as the UK.' Earlier in the deployment one of the stealth fighter jets was stranded at an airport in Kerala, India, after suffering mechanical issues. After the week-long exercise with Japan, the carrier will continue with its visit to the country while some vessels from the UK task group will head to South Korea.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Female tour guides in Afghanistan lead women-only groups as some travelers return
They wandered through the museum, listening attentively as their guide explained the antiquities in display cabinets. It could have been any tour group, anywhere in the world. But there was something unusual about this one. The group of foreigners visiting the National Museum of Afghanistan was made up only of women. Its guide was a woman, too — one of the first Afghan female tour guides in a country whose Taliban rulers impose the severest restrictions on girls and women anywhere in the world. Somaya Moniry, 24, hadn't known that tour guides existed, as a profession or even as a concept. But while browsing the internet for help on improving her English language skills, she stumbled upon Couchsurfing, an app where travelers connect with locals and stay in their homes. After hosting a traveler, 'I became very passionate about it and it was very interesting for me,' Moniry said. 'It was very unique. I have never heard about it before, so I said: 'Why not (do) this?'' Looking for the positive As she showed that first visitor around her hometown in western Afghanistan, she saw a new side to her country. 'Most of the things that we have heard (about Afghanistan) was just … negativity. The focus of the people, focus of the media, focus of headlines, all of them were just the negativity. And definitely we get influenced by that,' Moniry said. But for her, Afghanistan is far more nuanced. While there are undoubtedly problems in a place recovering from decades of war and chaos, there is also another side to the complex, stunning country. Her love for her homeland runs deep, and she is eager to share it. She hopes to gradually change people's perceptions. 'Whenever … I saw all of that natures, all those beauty, all those positivity, it changed my view totally,' Moniry said in her enthusiastic English. 'And definitely this can be also for other people.' One of those visitors is Australian Suzanne Sandral. She originally wanted to see Afghanistan in the 1960s but the pressures of having a family kept her away. Now at 82, she was part of Moniry's women-only tour group in Kabul. Afghanistan surprised her. 'It's not what I expected at all. I expected to feel rather fearful. I expected to be given a lot of ... accusatory looks. Not at all,' she said during a pause in sightseeing. 'Wherever you go in the streets, if you smile at someone and give them a little nod or say hello, you get a terrific response. So it's very different.' Jackie Birov, a 35-year-old independent traveler from Chicago who was not part of the tour group, called the Afghan people 'unbelievably hospitable.' However, 'I'm very aware that I have a lot more freedom than local women,' she said. A fledgling industry Four decades of war have kept tourists away from Afghanistan. But while the Taliban's takeover of power in August 2021 sent thousands of Afghans fleeing and shocked the world, the end of its insurgency against the previous U.S.-backed government also marked a sharp drop in violence. Attacks still occasionally occur, mainly by an Islamic State affiliate, and Western countries advise against all travel to Afghanistan. Still, the improved security is increasingly attracting foreign visitors drawn by the dramatic scenery, millennia of history and a deeply ingrained culture of hospitality. Tourism is a fledgling industry, with annual visitors in the low thousands. Most are independent adventure travelers. But guided package tours are increasing from countries as diverse as China, Greece, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Afghanistan's Taliban government is keen to welcome them. Isolated on the international stage — officially recognized only by Russia, which did so in July — the government sees how potentially lucrative tourism could be. Tourist visas, typically single-entry ones valid for stays of up to 30 days, have become relatively simple to obtain from the few embassies that issue them. Regular flights connect Kabul with major transit hubs such as Dubai and Istanbul. A question of ethics For some, the idea of visiting Afghanistan as a tourist is morally abhorrent, particularly given the government's treatment of women. Girls are banned from education above primary school level, and women live under myriad restrictions. The government dictates what they can wear in public, where they can go and who they can go with. They cannot walk in parks or eat in restaurants. Beauty salons are banned. A very limited number of professions, such as teaching and carpet weaving, are open to them. And the rules can change quickly. But those involved in tourism point to the positive effects that visiting Afghanistan can have. 'I truly believe in ethical tourism,' said Zoe Stephens, 31, a British tour leader at Koryo Tours, a company specializing in unusual destinations. 'I believe that you can divide politics and people, and that is the main thing for me. … A country is not a sum of its politics. It's a sum of so much more, it's a sum of its culture, its history, its food, and especially in Afghanistan, its people.' Glimpses into the women's world Of the three recent tours Stephens led in Afghanistan, two were women-only. Working with local female guides, including Moniry, they combine key attractions with visits to women's centers and cooking and embroidery classes from local women — worlds that are closed to male travelers. 'We always try and do something a little bit different that really makes our tours unique, as well as something that kind of gives back to the community,' Stephens said. 'So I felt that working with the female tour guides does both of those things really well.' The groups are small — one had eight women, the other three — but the company is looking to build a network of female guides across Afghanistan. 'What we try and do with this tour, especially the women's tour, is conquer those ethical concerns,' Stephens said. 'The idea is to learn about the lives of Afghan women in context.'
Times
11 hours ago
- Times
12 of the best Airbnbs in the Cotswolds
For a vision of England as everyone imagines it should be, the Cotswolds is the place. Celebrated for its absurdly picturesque villages, traditional thatched cottages, quaint pubs and a distinctly sleepier pace of life, it's the quintessential getaway for city folk and urban escapees searching for a taste of 'traditional' England (if such a thing ever really existed, of course). Sunday roasts, muddy walks, country churches, cobbled streets, farm shops (organic, naturally) — that's what the Cotswolds is all about. Posh country house hotels abound here, but if you prefer to have your own space, there's a huge selection of cottages and holiday homes to choose from. Most people want to base themselves in one of the chocolate box villages, such as Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Burford or Broadway. Lovely as they are, they can be a pain in summer, so be prepared for crowds and traffic — or come in autumn when the holiday crush has faded. Here's our pick of the best Airbnbs and other holiday rentals in the Cotswolds. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue £ | Sleeps 2 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for rustic chic This corrugated iron-clad workshop stands out like a sore thumb among the amber-stoned cottages of Woodmancote. Renovated using reclaimed and salvaged materials, it's a combination of industrial heritage and country chic. Shades of sable blue, smoke grey and watermelon and carefully chosen bits of furniture make the space feel curated and subtly luxurious. It's full of fun details: a pommel horse repurposed as a side table, an old dresser upcycled into a sideboard, a shower crafted from copper pipes. Not your average Cotswolds stay, and all the better for it. ££ | Sleeps 2 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for romantic waterside breaks Here's something different: an ultra-modern lodge on the edge of a private 55-acre fishing estate. It's one of five properties on Little Horseshoe Lake, all with a similar design: A-framed, clad in timber and glass, with a mezzanine sleeping deck that allows you to look out across the water without getting out of bed, and of course your own lake jetty and kayaks to borrow. The property is on the edge of the Cotswold Lakes, an important wetland covering 42 square miles; it's paradise for birdwatchers. ££ | Sleeps 4 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for cosy cottagecore This thatched cottage (believed once to have been the village bakery) is straight out of a storybook. It's in the market town of Chipping Campden, with climbing roses draping the outside, and there's barely a straight line in sight. Plaster walls, chunky beams, solid flagstones and stone alcoves create a higgledy-piggledy, Hansel and Gretel feel. It's a wee bit cramped inside but there's enough room for two bedrooms and a bathroom, making it just about big enough for a family to share. Chipping Campden is a good base for exploring: National Trust-owned Snowshill Manor and Hidcote with its Arts and Crafts-inspired garden make ideal days out. • Discover our full guide to the Cotswolds ££ | Sleeps 5 | Minimum stay 4 nights | Best for quintessential Cotswolds stays Wavy slate roof, amber stone walls, inglenook fireplace, wrought-iron gate: this terraced cottage in beautiful Bourton-on-the-Water ticks all the Cotswolds boxes. It makes a sweet spot for a family getaway, with three decent-sized bedrooms. It's decorated in classic country style and there's a back garden for alfresco meals. Bourton-on-the-Water is known as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds' for its many streams and waterways, and the village is lovely for a stroll. After the daytime influx of visitors has dissipated, you can enjoy the village views in peace.££ | Sleeps 6 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for a Grand Design Dating from the 1820s, this chapel has been a feature of the local landscape for two centuries but, these days, inside it feels more London loft than Cotswolds church. It's a real Kevin McCloud-pleaser, with the shell of the building intact, but pretty much everything else modernised to the max: think frosted glass, sleek metal and a screamingly contemporary kitchen contrasted against the panelled walls and old stonework. Three bedrooms provide ample space for a family group. Not everyone's cup of tea, maybe, but it makes a statement. Blackstable Wood nature reserve is on the doorstep for pretty walks, with a stop-off at the pub down the road recommended on your return. ££ | Sleeps 6 | Minimum stay 3 nights | Best for family getaways A cosier Cotswolds bolt hole would be a challenge to find. This wisteria-clad cottage looks the part, both outside and in. It's been sympathetically updated to retain its character: the cottage still has its original stone floors, beamed ceilings and huge hearth, and it feels traditional in style but not in the least dated. There's an Aga for Sunday roasts and a lawned garden for outside lunches. It's in the heart of the Cotswolds' 'Golden Triangle', the area around Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Norton and Burford. For organic farm produce, take a trip to Daylesford Organic, or stop by Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park to learn about rare breeds. • Best hotels in the Cotswolds• Cornwall v Cotswolds: which is better? ££ | Sleeps 5 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for a stay with character No chance of missing this place: if you get lost, just look up. What was once the old clock tower of the Methodist church is now an elegant penthouse apartment. Despite the heritage, it's decorated in a clean, contemporary style: white walls, natural wood and Velux windows to bring in lots of natural light. The apartment has all the mod-cons — including a Bose sound system, Netflix and a Wii U console — but there are surprises like board games stored in an old church pew and a 'hymn book' guide to local sights. While you're in Stow, don't miss the famous 'Tolkien door' of St Edward's Church: an arched door framed by twisting yew trees that's said to have inspired the entrance to the mines of Moria.££ | Sleeps 7 | Minimum stay 3 nights | Best for a sense of history Among the oldest buildings in Castle Combe, dating back to 1490, this medieval cottage makes you feel almost like you're staying in a museum. Wonky oak beams, lath-and-plaster walls, off-kilter doorways, a majestic stone fireplace inscribed with Henry VII's coat of arms: the house has more original features than you could wish for, but its bijou layout will be either charming or claustrophobic, depending on your taste. The hot tub in the back garden is a surprise, and kids will love the alcove sleeping loft in one of the bedrooms, accessed via a ladder. For dinner, treat yourself to a Michelin-starred meal at the Bybrook, the restaurant at the Manor House Hotel, five minutes' walk from the cottage. £ | Sleeps 2 | Best for village life Two estate workers' cottages have been joined together to create this elegant, art-filled house. This isn't one for minimalists: paintings cover the walls, model ships sail in the windows and a crystal chandelier dangles above the double-height lounge. The setting on the edge of the Windrush Valley, a couple of miles from Burford, is delightful, and there is a cute summer house in the garden for afternoon tea. Swinbrook has some excellent pubs close by. The Swan Inn is the nearest, or you could stroll to the Three Horseshoes in Asthall, a mile or so away.££ | Sleeps 6 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for elegant escapes Painswick is known as the 'Queen of the Cotswolds' for its historical importance as a wool town. This house dates back to the town's medieval heyday and has an air of rarified refinement: clipped box hedges leading up to the front door, a gabled facade in pale yellow stone, Laura Ashley interiors and leaded windows reminiscent of a National Trust house. Everything here is tasteful: the palette of creams, pinks and pale blues, the exposed stone and rough beams, the plush carpets and premium Neff appliances. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms make it suitable for six. There's golf and the Painswick Rococo Garden nearby. £ | Sleeps 2 | Minimum stay 2 nights | Best for architectural clout If you're looking for something less ordinary than a traditional cottage, this converted grade II listed dovecote is just the thing. It's been cleverly converted and feels surprisingly airy and spacious inside. It's set out over two levels. The bathroom is on the ground floor with a wet room and copper bathtub; from here a spiral staircase leads up to the bedroom mezzanine, which has views up into the dovecote rafters. There are no cooking facilities, but a continental breakfast is provided. It's located in Bibury, which for many people (including William Morris) is the most picture-perfect Cotswolds village of all, and home to the much-Instagrammed Arlington Row. A stay for all seasons that's as atmospheric in summer, when you can enjoy the garden, as it is cosy during winter, when you can snuggle up.£ | Sleeps 2 | Best for gothic glamping On a two-acre potager garden on the Homme House estate, in a sea of fragrant herbs and herbaceous borders, this is another architectural curiosity: a 17th-century, grade I listed gothic tower that looks like a leftover set from a Harry Potter film. With its solid oak doors and arched windows, it's a unique building. It's quite basic: there's no kitchen, no wi-fi and no electricity on the upper floor (lanterns are provided). The bathroom is also in a separate building about 20m away. Luxurious it isn't, but the setting is glorious, and it's great fun for a night or two. • Best dog-friendly hotels in the Cotswolds• Best spa hotels in the Cotswolds
