Two luxe Melbourne lodgings were just named among the best city hotels in Australia for 2025
And now, two of the city's top hotels have been honoured in Travel and Leisure's Luxury Awards, which recognises Australia's best hotels, pools and spas. Both the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne and the W Melbourne have landed on the list of Australia's best city hotels for 2025, coming in at second and sixth, respectively.
If you've stayed at either of these hotels, you'll know they have dreamy sky-high pools, world-class drinking and dining options (hello, Atria and Curious), excellent service and beautiful rooms you'll wish you could move into. But it was Sydney's Capella that took out the top spot, with Travel and Leisure saying "this regal hotel has upped the luxury factor in Sydney's heart".
That's not the only category the Ritz-Carlton starred in though – the bougie hotel also got a mention on the best hotel spas list (coming in second, with Crown's spa landing at seventh), while general manager Rachel Harman was named among the country's best.
Other local hotels to score a shout out include the InterContinental Sorrento and Jackalope, both located on the Mornington Peninsula, which took out seventh and eighth spots on the list of Australia's best country hotels and lodges for 2025.
You can read the full list of award-winning hotels over here.
These are the top ten city hotels in Australia for 2025:
Capella, Sydney
The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
Park Hyatt Sydney
The Tasman Hobart, Tasmania
Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay
W Melbourne
Shangri-La Sydney
Pier One Sydney Harbour
COMO The Treasury, Perth
W Brisbane
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The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
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Metro
27-07-2025
- Metro
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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: 100ml liquid limit set to be scrapped for flyers across Europe MORE: I tried Heathrow's £3,177 VIP terminal — how the other half fly MORE: Emirates business class review: I 'turned left' — now I'm ruined for life
Daily Mail
26-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Europe's best holiday city revealed - with incredible views, £1.30 pizza and cheap flights from the UK
Europe's best holiday city has been revealed, with voters praising the idyllic location for its incredible views, budget-friendly pizza and affordable flights from the UK. In a new survey conducted by luxury magazine Travel + Leisure, readers cast votes for their favourite worldwide city, with the Italian hotspot of Florence taking the crown as Europe's most loved. Frequented by between 10 and 16million holidaymakers each year, sunseekers eagerly flock to the Tuscan city due to its rich Renaissance art and architecture, walkable city center and delicious food. Described by Travel + Leisure as a 'must-see thanks to its 'artistic treasures', 'superlative shopping' and 'wide selection of hotels', Florence, often known simply as 'The Beautiful', gained an overall reader score of 90.08. Taking the top spot in Europe and 11th in the world, Florence even beat the popular European cities of Seville, Spain, Instanbul, Turkey and fellow Italian city of Rome. Once named by SerSace as 'the most beautiful city in the world', travellers seeking a romantic European getaway are in luck due to its historical charm and picturesque scenery. Visitors can gaze at some of the world's most gorgeous architecture, including the Duomo cathedral, which even contains its own piazza. Meanwhile, the Pagliazza Tower, which dates back to the sixth or seventh century, acts as one of Europe's most captivating squares. Florence is frequented by between 10 and 16million holidaymakers each year, with sunseekers eagerly flocking to the Tuscan city due to its rich Renaissance art and architecture, walkable city center and delicious food Once named by SerSace as 'the most beautiful city in the world', travellers seeking a romantic European getaway are in luck due to its historical charm and picturesque scenery For those looking to further indulge themselves in the Tuscan culture, the city is also home to some of the world's most iconic and historic artwork, including pieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci. The Galleria dell 'Accademia di Firenze, the location of Michelangelo's David, is a five-metre-high marble sculpture that serves as one the world's most famous artistic masterpieces. From the gallery, it is just a seven minute stroll to the city's 1200's cathedral, a major feature of Florence's skyline. The city's iconic medieval bridge - Ponte Vecchio, is one of Florence's most visited attractions. It was the only bridge in Florence to survive WWII and is famed for the shops that line its sides. Food lovers will also be surprised by how easily tourists can get their hands on a slice of authentic Italian pizza for just £1.50, while pasta dishes can also be bought for a mere £5. Famous for its gelato, signature local deliacies include the negroni cocktail and ribollita soup. Just last week, Florence was named the world's most walkable city due to its compact layout and pedestrian-friendly streets. Research undertaken by financial website Insider Monkey saw Florence race to the top spot, surpassing locations such as Madrid, Porto and Hamburg. Food lovers will also be surprised by how easily tourists can get their hands on a slice of authentic Italian pizza for just £1.50, while pasta dishes can also be bought for a mere £5. Flights from the UK run daily and from £44, with a flight time of just two hours With high praise awarded for its 'history and timeless architecture', the city was said to be explorable within just a two-hour window, as its hidden gems are easily accessible by foot. The study also spoke favourably about the city's good air quality and safety levels. Accessing the charming city from the UK could also not be easier, with daily flights from London's Heathrow Airport to Florence-Peretola Airport launching in 2023. With a flight time of just two hours and return fares starting from £44, there are up to 69 flights from the UK running a week, according to Skyscanner. Indeed, for those based outside of the capital, several other UK airports also offer direct routes to the nearby Italian city of Pisa, just an hour's train ride away. It is even possible to get to Florence by train from the UK. Simply hop on the Eurostar to Paris before making a change to Milan and then catching a final train to Florence.
