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The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
The best places to stay in Brisbane
In 2018 when the Westin Brisbane opened it was lauded as evidence of what Brisbane was set to become: one of the country's hippest capital cities. While Brisbane's continued this run, The Westin Brisbane still stands out for the innovation it brought along with it. Here's a hotel in the middle of the CBD just as popular with business travellers as leisure ones. There's resort-style amenities throughout - a Guy Grossi Italian restaurant, the first Heavenly Spa by Westin in the country, Brisbane's first swim-up bar and more. But business travellers never feel out-numbered either. And on the weekend, room rates sometimes drop. The Westin Brisbane, 111 Mary Street, Brisbane, Phone 07 3557 8888. See From $315 a night. Crystalbrook Vincent Perfect for: Culture lovers who love to be social It's as much an art gallery as a hotel. But you don't have to love art to stay. If you're a fan of a killer view, you'll love the panoramic one from the roof-top bar of the hotel over the Brisbane River and CBD. The Crystalbrook Vincent is carved into a sandstone cliff under the Story Bridge, and you can stroll right straight out of the lobby and into Brisbane's best new entertainment and dining precinct, the Howard Smith Wharves. You can also choose between rooms cocooned into a rock, or rooms with views over the city. 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City. Phone: 1300 002 050. See From $295 a night. Emporium Hotel Perfect for: Couples and families who want to feel spoiled There's 143 suites with river views set in Brisbane's premier arts and leisure precinct, South Bank (across the river from the CBD). There's also an infinity pool on the roof-top, beside restaurants and bars with views over the entire city. Or you could lash out on one of Australia's fanciest penthouses, The Parklands Suite, which has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, three dining rooms, a 15-metre infinity pool and a wrap-around balcony on the 21st floor of the hotel. It comes with an Ambassador (think: a butler who doesn't stay in your room). Novotel South Bank Perfect for: Families keen to keep the kids busy The Novotel South Bank offers something for every traveller – especially those with small children. Parents have plenty of options staying in the heart of Brisbane's cultural precinct, a short walk from the city. But kids are particularly well catered for, with an outdoor racetrack for electric cars, an outdoor pool with all manner of pool toys, a Lego butler who can deliver Lego any time of the day or night, a kids' mini bar and teepees set up in the junior suites of each family suite with lots of games – the perfect haven for kids to escape to. Spicers Balfour Hotel Perfect for: Couples escaping to the city Spicers Retreats offer rural sanctuaries in some of Australia's prettiest regions - this is the city version, following the same philosophies. Located in the chic inner-city suburb of New Farm, the hotel offers nine rooms within an historic Queenslander, and eight suites within an Art Deco building next door. Both have access to a roof-top bar with a honesty drinks system, and one of the city's most fancied Vietnamese restaurants, Balfour Kitchen & Bar. You're a two-minute stroll from cafes, restaurants, bars and boutiques - but when you're home, hide in your private little world. 37 Balfour Street, New Farm. Phone: 1300 597 540. See From $395 a night. Hotel X Perfect for: Foodie and art loving couples Look out for the huge white geometric façade – but what would you expect of a hotel in Brisbane's hippest neighbourhood, Fortitude Valley. Don't worry: this place isn't at all pretentious, even its roof-top restaurant, Iris, Brisbane's trendiest roof-top venue, is gloriously free from attitude. Book a suite to secure an outdoor terrace overlooking the city, there's artwork on every wall and a French bistro and bar in the lobby. Hotel X is proof (if you needed it) that Brisbane has truly come-of-age culturally. The James Street Precinct is a two minute walk away. 458 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. Phone: 07 3519 1000. See From $346 a night. Tangalooma Island Resort Perfect for: A family holiday combining city and sand Brisbane is home to over 350 islands set in Moreton Bay – consider them Queensland's most under-rated (semi) tropical islands. Take a 75 minute fast catamaran ride from the city and you'll find one of the best family accommodation options in Brisbane. Set on the world's second-largest sand island (Moreton Island), Tangalooma Island Resort offers families beaches, snorkelling over shipwrecks, sand toboganning, whale watching tours and hand-feeding wild dolphins. It's an easy escape after or before a city vacation for families who like a bit of everything when they travel. Moreton Island. Phone: 1300 652 250. See From $239 a night. Adina Apartment Hotel Perfect for: Couples and families who might like to eat in Here's a hotel in the heart of the city which suits everyone from families to couples on a romantic break. Built within a 1920s government bank building, you'll enter via an old bank chamber that doubles as a lobby with dramatic high ceilings, marble floors, columns and timber panels. Your room has a kitchen to keep costs down, although there's a Donna Chang restaurant downstairs with a Chef's Hat rating that's mighty tempting. You'll also get great cocktails at the Boom Boom Room and you can do laps, or catch some sun rays, at a heated pool open to the Queensland sky. The Calile Perfect for: Couples that want it all Pinch us, are we in Beverly Hills? This is the hotel that really put Brisbane on the map. It's more an inner-city resort than a hotel, rooms are all oriented around a 30-metre-long swimming pool encircled by cabanas, palm trees and one of Queensland's best restaurants, Hellenika. It's quite a scene here – but while some of the guests strut, there's no hint of pretense from friendly staff. Located in the heart of Brisbane's hip James Street precinct, if you make it past your hotel, you'll find the city's best bars, boutiques and restaurants just outside. 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. Phone: 07 3607 5888. See From $476 a night. Hotel Indigo Perfect for: Couples who want culture at a good price Only the second of its kind for the boutique-hipster brand. Built beside the river in North Quay on the edge of the city, this is what you'd call an art hotel, though it doesn't go overboard and become a museum. Art hits you before you even enter – there's a 16-storey mural on the outside of the building. There's also murals painted by local artists in the lobby, as well as sculptures and suspended overhead installations. You'll love its on-site Japanese restaurant, Izakaya Publico, while its speak-easy bar, 1603, is one of the better hotel bars in Brisbane. 27/35 Turbot Street, City. Phone: 07 3237 2330. See From $337 a night. The Inchcolm Perfect for: Guests who like nostalgia with convenience The Inchcolm epitomises Brisbane's evolution; it feels part big country town with its martini bar where strangers chat to each other, but it's very city-chic too, with its enormous open-walled bar that doubles as reception and hip art deco touches throughout. Located on the edge of the CBD in Brisbane's leafy Spring Hill beside Fortitude Valley's endless night-time entertainment options, every room is individually decorated with a nod to its century-old heritage, but with enough modern touches to keep it cutting-edge. 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill. Phone: 07 3226 8888. See From $290 a night. W Brisbane Perfect for: Couples and families who like style – with oodles of home comforts This is one of Australia's best hotels for the simple reason: it feels nice being here. It cost $800 million to build and was the first W Hotel to open in Australia, but despite a resident in-house DJ keeping the tunes playing throughout the hotel and a décor that looks like a lounge bar in New York, it feels about as comfy as home. Though your home probably doesn't have a bar like The Wet Deck, an open-air venue set around a swimming pool where you can watch the sun set over Mt Coot-tha, or a restaurant like The Lex, which channels all the dark, moody atmosphere of a classic New York City steakhouse.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The best places to stay in Brisbane
In 2018 when the Westin Brisbane opened it was lauded as evidence of what Brisbane was set to become: one of the country's hippest capital cities. While Brisbane's continued this run, The Westin Brisbane still stands out for the innovation it brought along with it. Here's a hotel in the middle of the CBD just as popular with business travellers as leisure ones. There's resort-style amenities throughout - a Guy Grossi Italian restaurant, the first Heavenly Spa by Westin in the country, Brisbane's first swim-up bar and more. But business travellers never feel out-numbered either. And on the weekend, room rates sometimes drop. The Westin Brisbane, 111 Mary Street, Brisbane, Phone 07 3557 8888. See From $315 a night. Crystalbrook Vincent Perfect for: Culture lovers who love to be social It's as much an art gallery as a hotel. But you don't have to love art to stay. If you're a fan of a killer view, you'll love the panoramic one from the roof-top bar of the hotel over the Brisbane River and CBD. The Crystalbrook Vincent is carved into a sandstone cliff under the Story Bridge, and you can stroll right straight out of the lobby and into Brisbane's best new entertainment and dining precinct, the Howard Smith Wharves. You can also choose between rooms cocooned into a rock, or rooms with views over the city. 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City. Phone: 1300 002 050. See From $295 a night. Emporium Hotel Perfect for: Couples and families who want to feel spoiled There's 143 suites with river views set in Brisbane's premier arts and leisure precinct, South Bank (across the river from the CBD). There's also an infinity pool on the roof-top, beside restaurants and bars with views over the entire city. Or you could lash out on one of Australia's fanciest penthouses, The Parklands Suite, which has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, three dining rooms, a 15-metre infinity pool and a wrap-around balcony on the 21st floor of the hotel. It comes with an Ambassador (think: a butler who doesn't stay in your room). Novotel South Bank Perfect for: Families keen to keep the kids busy The Novotel South Bank offers something for every traveller – especially those with small children. Parents have plenty of options staying in the heart of Brisbane's cultural precinct, a short walk from the city. But kids are particularly well catered for, with an outdoor racetrack for electric cars, an outdoor pool with all manner of pool toys, a Lego butler who can deliver Lego any time of the day or night, a kids' mini bar and teepees set up in the junior suites of each family suite with lots of games – the perfect haven for kids to escape to. Spicers Balfour Hotel Perfect for: Couples escaping to the city Spicers Retreats offer rural sanctuaries in some of Australia's prettiest regions - this is the city version, following the same philosophies. Located in the chic inner-city suburb of New Farm, the hotel offers nine rooms within an historic Queenslander, and eight suites within an Art Deco building next door. Both have access to a roof-top bar with a honesty drinks system, and one of the city's most fancied Vietnamese restaurants, Balfour Kitchen & Bar. You're a two-minute stroll from cafes, restaurants, bars and boutiques - but when you're home, hide in your private little world. 37 Balfour Street, New Farm. Phone: 1300 597 540. See From $395 a night. Hotel X Perfect for: Foodie and art loving couples Look out for the huge white geometric façade – but what would you expect of a hotel in Brisbane's hippest neighbourhood, Fortitude Valley. Don't worry: this place isn't at all pretentious, even its roof-top restaurant, Iris, Brisbane's trendiest roof-top venue, is gloriously free from attitude. Book a suite to secure an outdoor terrace overlooking the city, there's artwork on every wall and a French bistro and bar in the lobby. Hotel X is proof (if you needed it) that Brisbane has truly come-of-age culturally. The James Street Precinct is a two minute walk away. 458 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. Phone: 07 3519 1000. See From $346 a night. Tangalooma Island Resort Perfect for: A family holiday combining city and sand Brisbane is home to over 350 islands set in Moreton Bay – consider them Queensland's most under-rated (semi) tropical islands. Take a 75 minute fast catamaran ride from the city and you'll find one of the best family accommodation options in Brisbane. Set on the world's second-largest sand island (Moreton Island), Tangalooma Island Resort offers families beaches, snorkelling over shipwrecks, sand toboganning, whale watching tours and hand-feeding wild dolphins. It's an easy escape after or before a city vacation for families who like a bit of everything when they travel. Moreton Island. Phone: 1300 652 250. See From $239 a night. Adina Apartment Hotel Perfect for: Couples and families who might like to eat in Here's a hotel in the heart of the city which suits everyone from families to couples on a romantic break. Built within a 1920s government bank building, you'll enter via an old bank chamber that doubles as a lobby with dramatic high ceilings, marble floors, columns and timber panels. Your room has a kitchen to keep costs down, although there's a Donna Chang restaurant downstairs with a Chef's Hat rating that's mighty tempting. You'll also get great cocktails at the Boom Boom Room and you can do laps, or catch some sun rays, at a heated pool open to the Queensland sky. The Calile Perfect for: Couples that want it all Pinch us, are we in Beverly Hills? This is the hotel that really put Brisbane on the map. It's more an inner-city resort than a hotel, rooms are all oriented around a 30-metre-long swimming pool encircled by cabanas, palm trees and one of Queensland's best restaurants, Hellenika. It's quite a scene here – but while some of the guests strut, there's no hint of pretense from friendly staff. Located in the heart of Brisbane's hip James Street precinct, if you make it past your hotel, you'll find the city's best bars, boutiques and restaurants just outside. 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. Phone: 07 3607 5888. See From $476 a night. Hotel Indigo Perfect for: Couples who want culture at a good price Only the second of its kind for the boutique-hipster brand. Built beside the river in North Quay on the edge of the city, this is what you'd call an art hotel, though it doesn't go overboard and become a museum. Art hits you before you even enter – there's a 16-storey mural on the outside of the building. There's also murals painted by local artists in the lobby, as well as sculptures and suspended overhead installations. You'll love its on-site Japanese restaurant, Izakaya Publico, while its speak-easy bar, 1603, is one of the better hotel bars in Brisbane. 27/35 Turbot Street, City. Phone: 07 3237 2330. See From $337 a night. The Inchcolm Perfect for: Guests who like nostalgia with convenience The Inchcolm epitomises Brisbane's evolution; it feels part big country town with its martini bar where strangers chat to each other, but it's very city-chic too, with its enormous open-walled bar that doubles as reception and hip art deco touches throughout. Located on the edge of the CBD in Brisbane's leafy Spring Hill beside Fortitude Valley's endless night-time entertainment options, every room is individually decorated with a nod to its century-old heritage, but with enough modern touches to keep it cutting-edge. 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill. Phone: 07 3226 8888. See From $290 a night. W Brisbane Perfect for: Couples and families who like style – with oodles of home comforts This is one of Australia's best hotels for the simple reason: it feels nice being here. It cost $800 million to build and was the first W Hotel to open in Australia, but despite a resident in-house DJ keeping the tunes playing throughout the hotel and a décor that looks like a lounge bar in New York, it feels about as comfy as home. Though your home probably doesn't have a bar like The Wet Deck, an open-air venue set around a swimming pool where you can watch the sun set over Mt Coot-tha, or a restaurant like The Lex, which channels all the dark, moody atmosphere of a classic New York City steakhouse.
Scotsman
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Brisbane, with a shot of Scotch
Brisbane's Story Bridge, named after Scottish pioneer, John Douglas Story, one of the 19th-century founders of the city which stands on the lands of First Nations peoples, the Turrbal and Yuggera. | Tom Adair Names, bridges, streets and districts all bear testament to the Scottish founding fathers of this forward-looking city. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Welcome to Brizzie! The Queensland capital where the future looks Olympic. What you see here is what you get- which means informal, direct, relaxed. In seven years' time the world will log on, sit back and bask as Brisbane plays host to the Games of 2032. It'll be some party. Right now I'm here in pursuit of a Story - the Story Bridge, named after a Scot - and its Adventure Climb - not to mention the Scottish legacy (still found in district names like Morningside, Balmoral, Kelvin Grove, MacGregor, Robertson) and street names such as Armstrong Street or Edinburgh Castle Road. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad From my lofty room in the Crystalbrook Vincent, a modern art hotel overlooking the tortuous twists of the Brisbane River, at 6am, I see far below the Rivercat ferries like tiny toys, carving arcs from bank to bank while along the serpentine strip of Riverwalk runners and joggers, power-walkers, cyclists, a purposeful existential stream of human endeavour is up and running - evading death or speeding towards it. The city's dream to host the Olympics is now a reality, and Brisbane's latest fame-grab is - to quote the man responsible for bringing those games to life - 'to make Brisbane recognised by the world as a Tier-One city.' No small aspiration. The Crystalbrook Vincent sits under the bridge in the cultural riverside hub now known as Howard Smith Wharves - a re-purposed zone of recreational and performance spaces, new restaurants and a micro-brewery. I recall it as almost moribund and derelict on my last visit. Back then, 14 years ago, Brisbane seemed somehow adolescent in its swagger. Today it possesses the grown-up resolve to live out its dream. The Story Bridge Adventure climb takes sight-seers along the spans of the bridge, high above the River | Tom Adair And I'm here to live mine - to climb the imposing Story Bridge, named after Scottish pioneer, John Douglas Story, one of the 19th-century founders of this city which stands on the lands of First Nations peoples, the Turrbal and Yuggera. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The bridge is heritage listed, spanning the twisting restless river from Kangaroo Point to Fortitude Valley, (casting its shadow each afternoon across my bedroom), it stands 243 feet above the river and is the longest cantilever bridge anywhere in Australia. More to the point, the Adventure Bridge Climb, second only to BridgeClimb Sydney, promises windswept, 'stunning views… and the thrill of history'. I'm sold. Latched to the rail as we ascend, (health and safety to the fore), zipped into our jump suits, five rookie climbers, (two clinging newly-wed Americans, two Japanese, myself and climb-leader, Sam, from Devon, attempt the first-ascent of the day, Sam spraying facts about the history of settlement: the Scots, the Irish, the English, while directing us to cast our gaze towards the silhouette of the skyline's chrome and glass totems. Kelsi and Justin, (as newly-weds ought), are holding tight, not looking down. Reader - we survived. Tom Adair at the top of the Story Bridge, Brisbane. | Tom Adair I head to Tai Tai for lunch, in the vibrant riverside 'Cultural Quarter', (the Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane Museum), where I dine al fresco beside the 'Brown Snake', (the locals' nickname for the river), enjoying a flavour burst of South East Asian soup and spicy pork. My server, (Malaysian), calls himself Stewart, while manager, Ian, is a Robertson from Dunfermline boasting a granny from Portree. 'I'm well assimilated,' he grins, pointing out the pontoon where I catch the Citycat, (a free ferry ride), to my digs on the other side. The winding river grants Brisbane a grandeur unmatched by Australia's other state capitals. Graced at intervals by gardens of oleander, jacaranda, figs, and swathes of sub-tropical bush it invites recreation. Bisbaners love it for the man-made striking Streets Beach - a simulated tropical paradise with palm trees, a blue lagoon, white sandy beaches and chill-out vibe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While the river feels open, the city hoards secrets within its high rise. I seek to unlock them with Local Sauce Tours, whose city guide, Saskia, mentions her bagpipe playing granddad as she strides me into the looming smoked glass labyrinth of buildings, finding gems from a century past: St Stephen's Cathedral, and older still, the great domed Customs House, floodlit at night, and the super opulent Regent Theatre, ornately magnificent. Round two corners lies City Hall in King George's Square, a public space where citizens rally in times of crisis and celebration. Its dominant statue - the Petrie Tableau - lauds the importance of the city's founding family. The Presbyterian, Andrew Petrie settled in 1842. He nurtured relations with the Turrbal, and became the first mayor of the settlement which had been named for Thomas Brisbane, the New South Wales Governor, originally from Largs. The Petrie Tableau Statue in King George's Square, Brisbane. | Tom Adair Inside City Hall, the most prized exhibit is the 'Largs Door' removed from the entrance to Thomas Brisbane's Ayrshire home and presented in 1958 by the Provost of Largs to the city of Brisbane. The Largs Door | Tom Adair By way of contrast, Saskia leads me to the ultra-modernist 'Star', a sky-piercing casino that Andrew Petrie might have considered a den of iniquity. 'Smells of America,' I tell her, unimpressed. 'Time for a drink,' she says, 'I'm buying.' And thus we repair to Frogs Hollow Saloon. The drinks list is mighty - a who's who of all the world's great distilleries. Alas, since we're each 'on duty' we order soft drinks - to toast Andrew Petrie and Thomas Brisbane, the men, the place, and the Scots who followed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad That night I indulge in fancy dining at the swish but relaxed SK Steak and Oyster, where beef is grilled to juicy perfection and wine sings in harmony. Milton, my promised date next morning, would have hated it. And besides, I was pretty sure he'd be sleeping already - he goes to bed early and kips like a log 20 hours a day. We meet by arrangement after breakfast at Lone Pines Sanctuary up river. It houses, crocodile, platypus, dingoes, snakes and roo. But mostly Koala - and Milton's the poster boy. Milton the koala, who sleeps 20 hours a day at the Lone Pines animal sanctuary, Brisbane. | Tom Adair While I stroke his back and shoulders he simply blanks me, munching juicy eucalyptus. A passing water dragon hustles us. Milton's indifferent. Another fistful appears in his paw. Caillin, his keeper says he's 'a very good boy indeed,' adding 'he's bit me only once.' I notice the water dragon take cover. 'Mosquitoes love him' she adds. On cue he begins to scratch.
