More hotels mean more holidays, right? With fancy five-star stays and groovy boutique properties popping up all around town, you’d be silly not to experience them all for yourself. We mean, who wouldn’t want to be the first to sink into a plump king bed or wrap themselves in a fresh white bathrobe at a brand-new hotel?
We recently checked into two of Australia’s most exciting new hotel openings: Hamilton Island’s first new stay in nearly 17 years, The Sundays, and Sydney’s most anticipated inner-city stay, The Eve Hotel – both earning glowing five-star reviews. Next, we have our eyes on the African-inspired Monarto Safari Resort in South Australia and the coastal-luxe Mondrian Gold Coast. Keep scrolling to see our full round-up of the best new hotels in Australia, along with the ones to watch out for in the months (and years) to come.
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Opened: July 2025
Vibe: The first Northern Territory property from the world’s biggest hotel chain.
Location: In the heart of Darwin CBD, within walking distance of the city’s most popular attractions.
Rooms: Expect 186 rooms with city or whirlpool views.
Extras: A fitness centre, an outdoor pool and a hyper-local restaurant (expected 2026).
Opened: July 2025
Vibe: The first Brisbane hotel for the world’s first and largest luxury hotel brand, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts.
Location: In the former Hilton site on Elizabeth Street in Brisbane CBD.
Rooms: Expect 319 rooms across 25 floors with sweeping views over the River City.
Extras: A fitness centre, heated outdoor lap pool, 19 meeting rooms, one of the city’s largest ballrooms, an all-day restaurant and lobby bar, Latitude 27 Bar and Kitchen, and a new Club InterContinental lounge.
Opened: July 2025
Vibe: A dog-friendly southside hotel offering a more residential-style experience for both short- and long-term stays.
Location: In South Melbourne, near many of the city’s coolest attractions, including Albert Park Lake, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Arts Precinct and South Melbourne Market.
Rooms: Expect 97 residential-style rooms equipped with kitchenettes and homely amenities.
Extras: A gym, a co-working space, a breakfast bar, a lobby bar, and a 24-hour grab-and-go station.
Opened: June 2025
Vibe: A new, waterfront luxury hotel that's both swanky and sustainable, built using recycled materials and draped in native greenery.
Location: Perched right on the banks of the Yarra River in Docklands, 1 Hotel is part of a $600 million development called 'Seafarers'.
Rooms: Expect 277 rooms featuring locally sourced, sustainable linen, non-toxic, organic mattresses and reclaimed wooden furniture.
Extras: A state-of-the-art wellness centre with spa, sauna, steam room and gym; a 1,000-seat function centre, a sleek lobby cocktail bar, and a signature restaurant, Here by Mike, helmed by celebrated chef Mike McEnearney.
Opened: June 2025
Vibe: 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.
Location: The five-star hotel sits mere metres from Queensland’s pine tree-framed Burleigh Beach.
Rooms: Expect 208 studios, suites and homes boasting breathtaking views across the Pacific Ocean and out to the Hinterlands.
Extras: A magnesium plunge pool, 24-metre resort-style pool, a wellness space and spa; plus a chic terrace eatery and pool club, Haven, and an oceanfront Italian restaurant, Lito.
Opened: May 2025
Vibe: A luxury safari resort overlooking the world's largest open-range safari park.
Location: At Monarto Safari Park, which is home to more than 500 exotic and native animals.
Rooms: Expect 78 African-inspired hotel rooms overlooking the expansive plains of Monarto’s new Wild Africa precinct, with 20 stylish glamping tents arriving later this year.
Extras: A world-class spa, thermal plunge pool, ice bath, sauna, two outdoor swimming pools, and Kutjera Restaurant and Bar.
Opened: April 2025
Vibe: A $35 million refurbished, family-friendly hotel, complete with a stunning beachfront restaurant by chef Josh Niland.
Location: In the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, The Sundays sits at the northern end of the palm-fringed Catseye Beach on Hamilton Island.
Rooms: Expect 59 stylish rooms split across three floors, overlooking the sparkling Coral Sea and the hotel’s lush gardens, with a choice between private balconies or ground-floor terrace rooms.
Extras: A private hotel pool with cabanas and sun loungers, an activity deck for sunrise yoga and moonlit movies, and a beachfront restaurant and bar, Catseye Pool Club.
Opened: February 2025
Vibe: A stylish urban hotel with an art-filled lobby and exceptional dining options.
Location: Located in Sydney’s trendy new Wunderlich Lane lifestyle precinct between Surry Hills and Redfern.
Rooms: Expect 102 light-filled rooms that are snug yet sophisticated, featuring local architectural designs and art, plus either a Juliet balcony or private terrace.
Extras: A rooftop deck with a 20-metre pool, a Euro-inspired lobby bar, a rooftop Mexican restaurant, an adjoining beauty salon: The Parlour Room, and complimentary access to Hiscoes Gym.
Opened: December 2024
Vibe: A $40 million island-inspired hotel refurbishment named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Places to Visit in 2025.
Location: Located just behind the main settlement on the edge of the lake on Rottnest Island.
Rooms: Expect 109 contemporary rooms with courtyard, lakeside or pool views.
Extras: A private pool area, Sunsets Bar and Dining, Pelican Kiosk and function rooms.
Opened: December 2024
Vibe: A sleek urban retreat offering uninterrupted views of the Adelaide Hills, ideal for both business and leisure trips.
Location: In the heart of Mawson Lakes, this is northern Adelaide’s first and largest premium accommodation offering.
Rooms: The seven-storey hotel boasts 155 light-filled rooms, with decor and artworks inspired by South Australia’s natural landscapes. 47 of the rooms are fitted with kitchenettes for ultimate flexibility.
Extras: A refined 120-seat restaurant called Ember and Vine, an Aviator Bar with expansive views of the Adelaide Hills, a fitness centre, four conference and event spaces, and onsite parking.
Opened: December 2024
Vibe: A stylish and sustainable reimagining of a 1980s Hacienda-style model in the Tamborine Mountains.
Location: In the spectacular Scenic Rim, just an hour’s drive from Brisbane or 25 minutes from the Gold Coast.
Rooms: The property features 23 boutique rooms, all boasting luxe king beds and private balconies or terraces with breathtaking mountain views.
Extras: Heated mineral pool and spa, complimentary continental breakfast, Moda hydration station, local produce pantry, and central bar area serving aperitifs at ‘Peacock O’clock’. The Tamborine team also offers curated Tamborine Mountain itineraries for your stay.
Opened: November 2024
Vibe: A boutique, luxury beachside resort by the team behind one of Australia’s most high-calibre hotels.
Location: Set within tropical landscaped gardens, just 100 metres from the original Raes on Wategos site, and an extra few steps from the surf at one of Australia's most beautiful beaches.
Rooms: Raes 2.0 features ten generously sized boutique suites that harmonise with the hotel's peaceful, beachside surrounds.
Extras: Guests can enjoy several indoor common areas with open log fireplaces, plus two lap pools: a 16 x 3-metre pool with a waterfall on the western side, and a 12-metre solar-heated pool on the eastern side, flanked by a cabana and lounge area. Guests will also be steps away from Raes' dining room, cellar bar and spa.
Opened: August, 2024
Vibe: You can't miss this five-star, four-tower precinct, which is quite literally the new shining star of Brisbane's CBD.
Location: Right on the banks of the Brisbane River, within the multi-billion-dollar Queen’s Wharf precinct.
Rooms: Live the luxe life in one of 340 glamorous rooms split across four towers. Each is fitted with The Star’s signature bedding and pillows, and boasts spectacular views of the Brisbane River or city skyline.
Extras: You won't need to leave this all-in-one entertainment district, which has three swimming pools; a 250-metre-long and 100-metre-high Sky Deck; a 12,000sqm Leisure Deck (equivalent to two football fields); world-class restaurants and bars; and retail shops. The event centre also claims the title of Brisbane’s largest ballroom and will provide access to three other future luxury hotels.
Opening: Spring 2025
Vibe: We expect big things from Australia’s first-ever 25hours Hotel. Like its other properties, the Sydney edition will be tailor-made to Paddo’s well-dressed (and well-heeled) folk.
Location: In one of Sydney’s most desirable suburbs, Paddington, which is dotted with boutique stores, fine diners and many fashionable designer dogs. The hotel itself will sit on the heritage-listed site of the former West Olympia Theatre.
Rooms: Expect 109 fashionable rooms spread across four levels.
Extras: A rooftop bar overlooking Oxford Street, a ground floor café, a destination restaurant and bar, a lush garden, a trio of retailers, a live music courtyard and wellness facilities.
Opening: September 2025
Vibe: A shiny city-style hotel, but right by the beach.
Location: Only 100m from the surf and sand, in the hip and happening suburb of Mooloolaba, location 15 minutes drive from Sunshine Coast Airport and two hours drive north of Brisbane.
Rooms: Expect 180 ritzy rooms and suites.
Extras: Four distinct restaurants, a rooftop pool bar with 180-degree water views, event spaces, a gym and a kids’ club.
Opening: September 2025
Vibe: Another luxury stay for your next Melbourne getaway.
Location: At the crossroads between Melbourne CBD, the Yarra River, South Melbourne and the Arts Precinct, meaning you have pretty much everything at your doorstep.
Rooms: Expect 188 rooms spanning ten levels.
Extras: Restaurants, a rooftop bar, a lap pool, wellness studio, gym, sauna, steam rooms, co-working spaces and a providore in the foyer.
Opening: First quarter of 2026
Location: Set among the swaying palm trees in the heart of Palm Cove, just a 25-minute drive from Cairns and 40 minutes from Port Douglas.
Vibe: A light and airy resort-style property that perfectly captures Palm Cove’s relaxed, tropical vibe.
Rooms: Expect 140 rooms with stylish decor and garden views.
Extras: An outdoor pool, two dining outlets, one all-day restaurant, two bars (including a pool bar), a kids’ club, fitness centre, spa and 450sqm of function and meeting space.
Opening: 2026
Vibe: We’ve got high hopes for this $130 million upscale hotel project by five-star hospitality hoteliers, Crystalbrook Collection.
Location: Smack bang in the heart of Adelaide city, making it the perfect launchpad for exploring the best of the city.
Rooms: Expect 200 sustainably-designed guest rooms split across 13 levels.
Extras: A rooftop spa and bath house, and a restaurant and bar offering sparkly city views.
Opening: 2028
Vibe: A five-star coastal sibling to two-time World’s 50 Best Hotel winner, The Calile Hotel.
Location: On a 2.4-hectare site at Serenity Close in Noosa Heads, just a five-minute drive or 20-minute walk from the bustling Hastings Street.
Rooms: Expect 153 rooms, 29 suites and four villas – all designed to deliver peak luxury.
Extras: A 50-metre main swimming pool, a second quiet pool set in a private garden and a wellness centre, with details about food and beverage offerings yet to be revealed.
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