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The Best New Hotels in Australia to Book Into in 2026
From lavish city stays to luxe coastal escapes, these are the best new hotels in Australia just waiting for you to check in.
Australia’s best new hotel openings for 2026 include Monarto Safari Resort in South Australia, Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel on the Sunshine Coast, The Bonobo by Raes in Byron Bay, and The Queenscliff Hotel’s newly restored suites in Victoria.
This guide rounds up the year’s most talked-about new stays state by state, from coastal escapes to safari lodges and luxury rooftop pools, plus a look at what’s opening next. Now is the perfect time to book some much-needed R&R — the hard part will be narrowing down your choice!
In This Article
- Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Victoria
- Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: New South Wales
- Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: South Australia
- Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Queensland
- Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Western Australia
- Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Coming Soon
Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Victoria
The Queenscliff Hotel
After seven quiet years and a meticulous three-year restoration, The Queenscliff Hotel has returned, fully reimagined yet rooted in its rich history. Twelve individually curated suites await, each a private retreat framed by bay views, preserved heritage details, and access to the iconic verandah.
The hotel’s dining and social offerings are just as thoughtfully considered. Miettas delivers fine dining in a space that reflects the hotel’s timeless elegance. The Conservatory invites all-day meals in a refined yet relaxed setting, Cafe 1888 fuels mornings with artisanal coffee and casual bites, and The Boat Bar pours cocktails against the backdrop of sweeping coastal views. While the Bathhouse offers complete serenity within the hotel. Designed for total relaxation, it features steam and sauna rooms, plunge pools, and tranquil spaces where the pace slows, and the mind can rest.
Location: Queenscliff, VIC
Price Guide: From $335
Best For: Couples, Luxury, Special occasion, Coastal
Need To Know: Bathhouse access is limited to a select number of guests at a time, ensuring a quiet, unhurried experience.
Book your stay with The Queenscliff Hotel
Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: New South Wales
The Bonobo by Raes
One of Byron Bay’s most anticipated openings has officially arrived. Situated on Jonson Street, The Bonobo by Raes brings together 74 beautifully designed hotel rooms and residences, a rooftop pool with sweeping views from the lighthouse to the hinterland, an all-day Lobby Lounge, a wellness studio by Reset and a curated retail space by Byron-born menswear label Atlas Homme.
Far more than just a hotel, The Bonobo has been dreamt up as a lifestyle destination in its own right. The all-day Lobby Lounge is set to become a local favourite, spanning everything from morning coffee through to lazy lunches and late-night drinks. Meanwhile, guests can unwind poolside, book into Reset’s sauna, steam room and contrast therapy experiences, or just settle into one of the hotel’s many beautiful design-led spaces.
The Bonobo feels like a natural evolution of the Raes universe, oozing the kind of iconic Byron energy that so many people flock to the region for. It’s already shaping up to be one of the coast’s most talked-about stays of 2026.
Location: Byron Bay, NSW
Price Guide: From $355 per night
Best For: Couples, Luxury, Weekend escape, Coastal
Need To Know: The Bonobo is located right in the heart of town, on Johnson Street which is Byron Bay’s main strip. Perfectly positioned to be near Byron’s best restaurants, shops and beaches.
Book your stay with The Bonobo
Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: South Australia
Monarto Safari Resort
Monarto Safari Resort is here to redefine luxury escapes with breathtaking views, premium amenities and unforgettable encounters in the heart of Monarto Safari Park. Developed by Journey Beyond, this $40 million destination features 78 luxury rooms, 20 safari tents, a world-class spa, two pools, and event spaces, offering something for families, couples, and adventure seekers alike.
Set within the largest Safari park outside of Africa, guests can embark on exclusive guided safaris across 550 hectares of open plains, getting up close to free-roaming African wildlife. Plus, every stay supports vital conservation efforts at Monarto Safari Park, helping protect incredible species. Whether you’re seeking relaxation or adventure, Monarto Safari Resort invites you to connect with nature like never before.
Location: Monarto, SA
Price Guide: From $395 per night
Best For: Families, Couples, Adventure, Nature lovers
Need To Know: Guided safaris cross 550 hectares of open plains. Every stay contributes to conservation efforts at Monarto Safari Park.
Book your stay at Monarto Safari Resort
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Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Queensland
Avani Hotel, Mooloolabah
Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel has officially opened its doors, marking a new era for the Sunshine Coast destination as the first internationally branded new-build hotel in the region in more than four decades. The 12-storey beachfront hotel signals Mooloolaba’s evolution as growing domestic and international demand continues to reshape one of Australia’s most established coastal destinations.
Positioned on Mooloolaba Esplanade overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the 180-room property brings a fresh, contemporary approach to beachside stays. Clean-lined interiors, light-filled spaces, and inviting social areas create an effortless base for exploring the coastline, offering guests a stay that feels both relaxed and deeply connected to the destination’s rhythm.
Location: Mooloolaba, QLD
Price Guide: From $319 per night
Best For: Couples, Weekend escape, Beach, Coastal
Need To Know: Avani Mooloolaba is the first internationally branded new-build hotel in the region in more than four decades.
Book your stay at Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel
Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Western Australia
HYDE Hotel
Known globally for its immersive, culture-first DNA, HYDE Perth officially opened its doors in March, ushering in a stylish new era of staycays in Perth’s CBD. The former late-1960s building has been completely stripped back and reconstructed, with Australian-led materials, a coastal-inspired palette, contemporary art and sensory design shaping every corner.
Across 121 rooms and suites, bespoke furnishings, handcrafted Pampa rugs, Robert Gordon ceramics, and custom textiles create a sophisticated, lived-in feel, complemented by premium touches, including Dyson hair dryers, Bose speakers, Lavazza coffee machines, and rainfall showers stocked with Bumble & Bumble products.
Beyond the rooms, a sun-soaked pool deck, wellness studios and flexible social spaces encourage guests to settle in, while FARRA, the hotel’s Grecian-inspired restaurant, celebrates WA produce through a coastal European lens. With spaces spanning the restaurant, terrace and poolside, it’s designed for long lunches that effortlessly stretch into golden hour.
Location: Perth, WA
Price Guide: From $303 per night
Best For: Couples, Luxury, Wellness
Need To Know: The hotel’s restaurant, FARRA, spans the dining room, terrace and poolside, perfect for long lunches through to golden hour.
Book your stay via Booking.com
Book your stay via HydeHotels.com
Australia’s Best New Hotel Openings: Coming Soon
$50 Million Hotel Precinct Proposed for Mount Barker
A proposed project all but guaranteed to boost tourism, jobs and investment opportunities in a rapidly growing pocket of Adelaide, Accord Property is seeking approval for a four-star, 120-room hotel at Mount Barker’s Summit Precinct. This game-changing hotel will be the first major tourism investment in the 50-hectare site, which already features the Summit Sport and Recreation Park, and the soon-to-open Summit Aquatic and Leisure Centre. The luxury hotel – and the integrated $15 million wellness centre planned for future development stages — will firmly put Mount Barker on the map, transforming the town into a premier regional destination for travel and leisure.
Through a competitive selection process, Accord Property has been selected as the developer and has already partnered with a major, high-profile hotel group for the project. This new hotel perfectly aligns with the Mount Barker District Council’s vision to establish the Summit Precinct as a regional hub for tourism, sport, and events only 35 minutes from Adelaide CBD. Watch this space!
Location: Mount Barker, SA
Need To Know: Opening date TBA.
Crystalbrook Sam
Crystalbrook Collection’s first South Australian hotel, Crystalbrook Sam, has just reached full height on Halifax Street, edging closer to its highly anticipated late-2026 debut. Set to bring a fresh wave of contemporary luxury to the city’s southern precinct, the 12-storey stay will house 196 design-forward rooms and suites, each styled with Crystalbrook’s signature blend of sustainability, personality and polished comfort.
Up top, a Level 12 destination restaurant is primed to become a table-to-book, where sweeping views from the CBD to the Adelaide Hills meet menus celebrating South Australian produce. Wellness lovers will be equally spoiled, with Eléme Day Spa making its Adelaide debut alongside a pool, sauna and gym. A café, bar and curated meeting and event spaces round out the offering — all set to elevate Adelaide’s luxury landscape and anchor a new era of stay-and-play in the heart of the city.
Location: Adelaide, SA
Need To Know: Opening late 2026. Eléme Day Spa will make its Adelaide debut alongside the hotel’s pool, sauna and gym.
Treehouse Hotel, Market Square
Treehouse Hotel is bringing its globally recognised lifestyle brand to Market Square as part of the $400M precinct redevelopment, mixing nostalgia, sustainability, and local vibes into a hotel that’s playful, creative, and unmistakably city-centre cool.
The first Treehouse Hotel in Australia, it will have 248 rooms, a rooftop terrace, a restaurant and bar with outdoor seating, and flexible event spaces designed to do more than host guests. Think live music during Adelaide Fringe, rooftop cinema nights in summer, and design showcases during Adelaide Festival — this isn’t just a stay, it’s a city playground.
Location: Adelaide, SA
Need To Know: Construction underway, with doors expected to open late 2026.
Loving our list of Australia’s hottest hotel openings and looking for more travel inspiration? Plan your next getaway with the most romantic destinations in Australia. Then, why not take a look at our edit of Australia’s most unique holiday destinations?
The Bonobo by Raes in Byron Bay is one of the year’s most talked-about new openings in 2026 with 74 rooms and residences alongside a rooftop pool with hinterland views and a wellness studio by Reset. Victoria’s Queenscliff Hotel is another standout, having reopened this year after a three-year restoration with twelve individually designed suites and heritage details intact. Both represent significant investments in their regions, though they serve different travellers: one a lifestyle destination built around a social scene, the other a heritage retreat centred on quiet and restoration.
Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel officially opened on Mooloolaba Esplanade, marking the first internationally branded new-build hotel in the region in more than four decades. The 180-room, 12-storey beachfront property overlooks the Pacific Ocean and brings a contemporary approach to beachside stays after years of limited new hotel investment on this stretch of coast. Its arrival signals a broader shift for Mooloolaba as the destination continues to attract growing domestic and international demand, positioning the area for further hotel development in the years ahead.
Monarto Safari Resort in South Australia is a $40 million development within Monarto Safari Park, the largest safari park outside Africa. It offers 78 luxury rooms and 20 safari tents, alongside a spa, two pools and event spaces suited to families, couples and adventure seekers. Guests can take guided safaris across 550 hectares of open plains to see free-roaming African wildlife up close, and every stay contributes to conservation efforts within the park. It is one of the more distinctive new accommodation openings in Australia this year.
HYDE Perth opened in March 2026 within a fully reconstructed late 1960s building in the city’s CBD. Across 121 rooms, the hotel features Australian-led materials, handcrafted Pampa rugs and Robert Gordon ceramics, along with premium in-room touches including Dyson hair dryers and Bose speakers. Its restaurant, FARRA, celebrates Western Australian produce through a Grecian-inspired lens, with dining spread across the restaurant, terrace and poolside areas. The hotel is designed to encourage guests to linger, from long lunches through to golden hour.
Two major openings are scheduled for Adelaide later in 2026. Crystalbrook Sam is a 196 room hotel on Halifax Street with a Level 12 destination restaurant overlooking the CBD and Adelaide Hills, plus an Eléme Day Spa making its Adelaide debut. Nearby, the first Australian Treehouse Hotel will open at the Market Square precinct with 248 rooms, a rooftop terrace and flexible event spaces designed around Adelaide’s festival calendar. Both are under construction, with neither yet confirmed to a specific opening date beyond “late 2026.”
Accord Property is seeking approval for a four star, 120 room hotel within Mount Barker’s Summit Precinct, alongside a planned $15 million wellness centre for a later development stage. The project sits within a 50 hectare precinct that already includes the Summit Sport and Recreation Park and a soon to open aquatic centre. A hotel group has been selected as a development partner, though the project is still going through approval and has no confirmed opening date at this stage.
