The Best Places for Your Next Short Break

Cocooned in clifftop rainforest overlooking the Coral Sea, this exclusive 20-room retreat lies two hours drive south of Cairns (Gimuy) but feels light years away from daily life. If you’re up for it, the friendly reception team can arrange e-bikes to cruise the scenic coastal trail and dive trips on the Great Barrier Reef. Or you could simply slide onto a sunbed beside the pool, sample the seasonal menu (Pacific oysters with nam jim or salt and pepper tofu with black pepper caramel, for instance) and sip The Elandra’s signature Gin Spritz as you relish the property’s sublime views. 

Reducing the distance between fine dining andupmarket digs to mere metres, Sydney super-chef Josh Niland’s first foray into the hotel business hasmore than geography torecommend it. Occupying the two floors above hisaward-winning restaurant, Saint Peter, in the inner-east suburb of Paddington on Gadigal Country, the14 boutique rooms at The Grand National are a gloriousstudy in Aussie whimsy. The 1890s pub’s original marble fireplaces are nowcomplemented by ornatewallpapers and plush velvethead boards. You’ll certainly be making a reservation tohave Niland’s trailblazing,gill-to-fin dégustation but don’t miss the included breakfast that may feature marron scrambled eggs and spanner crab omelette.

Bunk down close to the furry social media stars of Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) at The Lodge Wadjemup. Near the prime quokka-viewing spot at Garden Lake, this property features a range of family-friendly accommodation options. The first resort-style development on the island that’s just 25 minutes by ferry from Fremantle, The Lodge offers adjoining Lake View rooms that sleep up to six people and a crowd-pleasing eatery, Sunsets Bar & Dining. Snap your quokka selfie and grab an ice-cream at Pelican kiosk before taking a dip in Thomson Bay’s sparkling blue water.

A Sicilian-style farmhouse just a 10-minute drive from Byron Bay (Cavanbah), Lo Scoglio takes Italy’s family-forward philosophy and adds an aspirational handcrafted aesthetic. The stone-and-timber sanctuary sleeps 12 and ensures everyone can find their space across its multiple living areas, alfresco terraces and a self-contained studio that’s an ideal big kids’ retreat. Ramble around the bucolic grounds, gather the clan for a pool and spa session, and sample local produce at Woods café in Bangalow, only five minutes away. And why cook when you could request Three Blue Ducks’ Darren Robertson to be your private chef?

Heated indoor and outdoor pools, a playground, arcade games room, basketball and tennis courts and some addictively bouncy jumping pillows ensure Silverwater Resort banishes “I’m bored” from the vacation vocabulary. On a San Remo hilltop overlooking Phillip Island, a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, it’s the perfect HQ for excursions to local attractions – the Penguin Parade, an epic 750-metre go-kart track and an ocean cruise to see fur seals in the wild among them. Need a bite to eat after all that action? The resort’s Watermark Restaurant will take care of lunch and dinner but the two- and three-bedroom apartments among its 170 rooms all have kitchens and outdoor barbecues.

Reclining at the Yasawa archipelago’s southern end, where volcanic peaks soar over coral reefs kissed by white-sand coves, adults-only Waya Island Resort may well be the ultimate in dreamy tropical escapes. With no telephones, no televisions and limited internet, the free-fall into “Fiji time” is complete as you relax poolside, indulge in an open-air massage and enjoy the island’s abundant seafood (catch a fish and the chefs will prepare it for your dinner). Accessible by helicopter and speedboat from Nadi, this intimate haven has 18 light-filled bures with king-sized beds, private outdoor showers and terraces that catch the sounds of the sea.

After more than 150 years, Adelaide’s (Tarndanya) grand General Post Office has been transformed into a five-star love letter to the state. An all-local art collection graces the heritage-listed building and the new 14-storey glass cube rising behind it – you’re greeted at reception by canvases depicting the homeland of First Nations artist Sandra Pumani – while splashes of burgundy in the 285 guestrooms reference The state’s famous wines. Dine at moody-hued eatery Penny Blue for classics made with premium local produce (try the Spencer Gulf prawn cocktail) before you dive into the capital’s cultural terroir – it’s an easy walk to Adelaide Oval, the Central Market and Her Majesty’s Theatre.

This newly opened Kowloon hotel looks out across Victoria Harbour and riffs on its maritime location with 373 sleek rooms and suites, along with a rooftop infinity pool (pop by the adjacent Jin Bo Law Skybar for an HK Sour using the Chinese spirit Baijiu). Stepping out reveals exactly why compact Hong Kong is a great choice for a city break. The bustling Kai Tak district delivers endless street eats, while the designer boutiques and galleries of Sheung Wan and Central are 10 minutes away on the historic Star Ferry. Flying direct from Sydney takes just over nine hours so you can depart at breakfast and arrive in time for dinner at the Sichuan-meets-Spanish Siete Ocho, the Dorsett’s flagship restaurant.

Cosy and one-of-a-kind, this luxury 1930s holiday home in central Launceston on Leterrermairrener Country will win you over at its Art Deco-era door. Sleeping up to six guests, the house has a fireplace and heated bathroom floors, making it a year- round option, while the herb garden and well-appointed kitchen are inspiration to stock up on fresh produce and wine from the surrounding Kanamaluka/Tamar Valley. Pour a glass of locally made Holm Oak Pinot Noir and cook for the crew or head out to savour the city’s vibrant dining scene.

Opposite Anantara Ubud’s lobby terrace is a towering wall of rainforest, where every frond is outlined sharply in the sunlight. Beyond, the volcanic cones of mounts Agung and Abang dominate the horizon. Cicada song fills the air as the light fades. The luxury hotel, which opened in October last year, is actually not in Ubud but in Puhu village, about 45 minutes from Bali’s arts-and-culture hub. In these highlands there are pleasantly few other resorts but many rice paddies mirroring the sky and villages predating the arrival of Hinduism. Guests can discover timeless Balinese traditions on outings to ancient settlements such as Taro, where the hotel’s guests have sole access to the village’s sacred forest and a nearby waterfall, or visit farms, homes and temples mostly unbothered by other tourists.

Once a stop for American troops during World War II and movie stars like Marlon Brando, Apia’s iconic Aggie Grey’s has intriguing tales to tell. The freshly renovated property gazes over the capital’s harbour on Upolu Island with its 149 rooms, 23 private bungalows and three suites arranged around an inviting lagoon pool. If you can tear yourself away from the free buffet breakfast, swim-up bar and spa, the hotel’s prime location makes it a great base for snorkelling at nearby Vaiala Beach, exploring the city’s lively markets and visiting the home-turned-museum of Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson.

There’s good reason to rise early at Beltana Farm. On Canberra’s semi-rural outskirts at Pialligo, the estate’s 800 trees play host to a winter ritual that combines crisp mornings, truffle-hunting hounds and tastings of the earthy ’shroom. Feel like sleeping late in your cosy cottage or luxury yurt? The glam farmstay has a destination restaurant that serves homegrown and regional produce in dishes such as truffle and cuttlefish salami, a mighty bone-in rib eye and Anzac biscuit cheesecake with honey from Pialligo bees. Cap it all off with a glass of Beltana’s own truffle and shortbread schnapps as you unwind by the double-sided stone fireplace.

In the heart of Hobart’s hip Midtown, The Rox is perfectly placed to take advantage of the city’s food scene. Split between an 1880s heritage sandstone building and a modern addition, the four self-contained apartments have gleaming kitchens decked out with Tassie pottery but it’s hard to resist the lure of ground-floor Japanese omakase restaurant Omotenashi. Featuring just 10 seats and about 15 courses, it’s considered one of Australia’s best dining experiences. Fancy a drink? Rox guests can skip the queue at Institut Polaire, a 15-minute walk away by the harbour. Swan in for an Antarctic Martini or a tasting flight of the house Süd Polaire gin – just add a dozen native angasis and Hobart’s your oyster.

Raise a glass of prosecco, friulano or nebbiolo to the proud Italian heritage of Victoria’s north-east at Lancemore Milawa. The High Country grand dame’s lavish Moorish-meets-Med facelift further celebrates the bloodlines, with 40 elegant, warm-toned rooms and suites that have plush daybeds with vineyard or rose-garden views. And over by the mosaic-tiled pool, there are umbrella-shaded sun loungers waiting for you. Winery hopping is as easy as popping across the road to storied Brown Brothers but it’s worth planning a visit to nearby favourites Dal Zotto and Pizzini, too.

The Makoha [Subs note: Put a diacritic on the “a” in “Makoha”] PurePod is set deep within the forest, making it feel much further from civilisation than the 10-minute drive to the town of Kerikeri, on New Zealand’s North Island. Make time to relish the easy walk from the parking area, beneath soaring manuka, kauri and totara trees, and arrive at the one-bedroom, glass-walled retreat before dark. Bring your own supplies to whip up your own meals or pre-order breakfast and dinner food hampers and eat on the deck. Once night descends, take in the celestial bodies through the glass ceiling above your bed.

Few things say reset like sunsets, starry skies and waking to the sweet strains of birdsong. Perched above farmland just outside the historic gold-mining village of Spicers Creek on Wiradjuri Country – and about an hour’s drive from Mudgee – Budgalong has two secluded safari tents that come with verandas, firepits, expansive windows and comfy king-sized beds. Homegrown goodies can be supplied on request or pack your own provisions and stay awhile on the 2800 hectares of serene bushland with views that stretch 200 kilometres to the Warrumbungle range.

Breathe in the salty Margaret River (Wooditup) air as you untether from daily life and opt for a gentler existence at this sustainable studio for two near Gracetown, a 45-minute drive from Busselton. Surrounded by a private Karri forest that creates a backdrop of soft, sun-lit greens, this mostly off-grid, hand-built cabin sits on a family farm. Collect eggs, blackberries, figs and firewood from the property and settle into a slower speed as you cook in the kitchen, relax fireside or follow a bush track to the nearby beach.

Our southernmost state is so well-suited to road trips that a mobile stay is almost mandatory at least once in your holidaying life. VanMania leans into this idea with six beautifully furnished campervans. Each van sleeps two (they can also throw in a swag for a third passenger) and is enviably equipped with indoor and outdoor hot showers and a kitchen, toilet, coffee machine and Starlink connectivity for those sort-of-working getaways. It’s a pick-up and drop-off deal at Nipaluna/Hobart Airport, with everything else entirely up to your travelling whims.

The luxury of isolation is here for the relishing at Mulla Mulla, which sits on about 122 hectares of private coastal land (Wirangu Country) with sweeping views from north to south across Speeds Bay, Yanerbie Sandhills and Cape Blanche. Shimmering in the undulating light, the champagne-hued, two-bed pod, a 20-minute drive from the town of Streaky Bay, gleams in the morning and blends softly into dusk. With 100 square metres of interior and exterior space to mooch about in, you can watch sunrise from the deck and potter in the fully appointed kitchen. Be sure to allocate plenty of time for doing nothing much by the wood-burning fire.

Arranged across an escarpment within the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest, this Scenic Rim boutique hotel is something of an oasis. Palm Springs-esque in design, the 23-room property is a 30-minute drive from the Gold Coast and an hour from Brisbane. When you’re not hiking to cascades through palm groves, the heated mineral pool and spa, wellbeing studio and complimentary daily apéritif are enough to keep you content within the leafy grounds. Without an onsite restaurant, dinner requires an excursion to the nearby hinterland town of Mount Tamborine.

In the heart of the Snowy Mountains, Moonbah's historic High Country house has been finessed with a sensitive contemporary restoration of the 1864-built property. You’ll be in good company – Banjo Paterson once rested his head here but it’s unlikely he enjoyed European linens, Leif amenities and comfy leather wingback chairs by the wood-burning fireplace. Sleeping up to six, the two-bedroom, alpine-chic Jindabyne cottage is a 20-minute drive to the SkiTube and 30 minutes to Thredbo, making it a welcoming spot après-ski.

Experience Bush Luxury at This NSW Glamping Lodge