Top Canberra Hotels by Neighbourhood

Looking for accommodation in Canberra? Start by figuring out which of the city’s unique neighbourhoods suits you

Canberra accommodation is plentiful, whether you’re heading in with an RV and want a relaxing caravan park experience or the home-away-from-home feel of a great Airbnb. Still, a luxurious stay is hard to go past – but with so many modern hotels, how will you choose?

Instead of perusing long lists, consider the neighbourhood that suits your trip. Want proximity to the Parliamentary Zone? Barton is your best bet. Keen to get out and experience some of Canberra’s best restaurants? You can’t go past Braddon.

Below, find our guide to Canberra’s best neighbourhoods – and the top hotels worth considering.

In short

Ovolo Nishi ticks all the boxes for us – style, ambience, an on-site restaurant that tops ‘best of’ lists regularly and proximity to all the important attractions.

Canberra City
Braddon
Barton and Parkes
Kingston

Canberra City

With City Hill at its centre and a host of excellent restaurants and museums at your doorstep, a stay in central Canberra is often the most convenient choice.

Ovolo Nishi

Best for: Special occasions

Ovolo Nishi is one of the most stylish Canberra hotels with moody, creative interiors focusing on art and design. The mini bar snacks and drinks are free, one of Canberra’s best fine dining restaurants, Monster, is just downstairs, and you’re within walking distance to shopping and several attractions such as the National Film and Sound Archive.

Address: 25 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, ACT

A By Adina

Best for: Business

A newer addition to Canberra’s accommodation offerings, A By Adina brings together the best of serviced apartment ease and hotel luxury. Rooms feature kitchenettes and ample space for working (or lounging); the downstairs cafe ARC has some of the best coffee you’ll find in the city, and you’re close to popular Canberra restaurants like Such and Such, as well as walking distance from Lake Burley Griffin and the excitement of Floriade during spring.

Address: 1 Constitution Ave, Canberra, ACT

QT Canberra

Best for: Friend getaways

QT’s quirkiness comes through in its Canberra offering – the hotel is focused on fun, making it a great choice for weekends away to explore the city and its nightlife. Rooms are quiet and spacious, with Tom Dixon amenities and Chromecast TVs.

Plus, you’re in the heart of Canberra, just a short drive from all the top attractions.

Address: 1 London Cct, Canberra, ACT

Crowne Plaza

Best for: Solo travel

Looking for a relaxing Canberra stay? The Crowne Plaza is next to Glebe Park, on the quieter side of the CBD.

You’re still close to the restaurant and cafe scene, as well as most attractions – but have the option of scenic park views outside your hotel window.

Address: 1 Binara St, Canberra, ACT

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Braddon

Easily the coolest precinct in Canberra, Braddon is a hive of activity. Expect exceptional coffee everywhere you turn, unique dining experiences and a young, vibrant atmosphere.

Midnight Hotel

Best for: Romance

Part of the Autograph Hotel collection, Midnight is about elevated style in the heart of Canberra’s fashion, food and design hub of Braddon.

Designed by Australian architects Fender Katsalidis, rooms feature walk-in rain showers, black and gold interiors and custom artwork.

Address: 1 Elouera St, Braddon, ACT

Rex Hotel

Best for: A weekender

A landmark in Canberra since the 1950s, when it was built as a luxury hotel catering to royalty and foreign dignitaries, the Rex Hotel still stands strong today.

Rooms are now a little more contemporary, with signature Rex ‘Cloud’ beds and minimalist interiors, plus luxury rooms with balconies. Walk out the door, and you’ll be greeted with the bustling Braddon cafe and restaurant scene.

Address: 150 Northbourne Ave, Braddon, ACT

Avenue Hotel

Best for: Groups

Perfectly placed on the corner of Cooyong Street, Avenue Hotel has various accommodation options, from king rooms to two-bedroom apartments for group travel. There is free wi-fi, an on-site gym and 24-hour room service, plus every room has a private balcony you can enjoy your morning coffee from.

Address: 80 Northbourne Ave, Braddon, ACT

Deco Hotel

Best for: Those without a car

Named the Deco Hotel due to its aesthetic nod to the Art Deco period, this Canberra accommodation option has plenty of choices that will suit your trip, from luxurious suites to one and two-bedroom apartments for those needing longer stays. The Canberra Light Rail is just steps from your door, too, so getting around is easy.

Address: 214 Northbourne Ave, Braddon, ACT

Barton and Parkes

History buffs will thrive in Barton and Parkes, where the Parliamentary Zone is found and many of Canberra’s most famous museums, such as the National Portrait Gallery and Old Parliament House. Plus, these precincts are seeing real growth in the foodie scene, with plenty of cosy restaurants and wine bars to enjoy.

Little National Hotel

Best for: Romance

The Little National Hotel group makes some of the most elegant boutique accommodations in Australia. Its Canberra iteration is both luxurious and well-placed in Barton, near the Parliamentary Zone.

Expect super king beds, Apelles Apothecary amenities and a huge feature window wall to wake up to.

Address: 21 National Cct, Barton, ACT

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Rydges Hotel

Best for: Business

A classic Canberra hotel that’s accommodated both politicians and tourists in its time, Rydges Hotel  is situated close to Parliament House while also being near Manuka with its cafes and boutique shopping. There is an on-site swimming pool and gymnasium, plus a restaurant and bar.

Address: 17 Canberra Ave, Barton, ACT

Hotel Realm

Best for: A weekender

Part of the luxurious Doma Group, Hotel Realm prides itself on five-star service and premium accommodations. Custom king beds, Nespresso coffee machines and, in some rooms, gas fireplaces make Realm the place to stay if you want a relaxing retreat near the Parliamentary Zone.

Address: 18 National Cct, Barton, ACT

Hotel Kurrajong

Best for: History buffs

History buffs will adore Hotel Kurrajong, which was originally built in 1926 and has been lovingly restored to honour its Art Deco design. Upgraded with modern amenities and cloud-like beds, suites are spacious and cosy. Choose one of the Heritage rooms for the full historic experience, as these are located in the hotel’s original wing from the 1920s.

Address: 8 National Cct, Barton, ACT

Kingston

Situated on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, Kingston is a beautiful precinct filled with heritage architecture and a quieter ambience for those seeking a relaxing haven after busy days of activity.

East Hotel

Best for: Families

The Italian heritage of East Hotel’s founders comes through as soon as you walk in the door – enjoy authentic Italian fare at Agostinis Italian restaurant after aperitivo hour at Joe’s bar, then return to your king bed studio room.

Those with kids will love the Kids Cubby rooms, which feature bunk beds and an Xbox One for maximum entertainment.

Address: 69 Canberra Ave, Kingston, ACT

Abode

Best for: Travelling with pets

Abode Group is known for self-contained accommodation that feels equal parts homely and stylish, and their Kingston property is perfectly located in the heart of Canberra’s inner south. Each room has everything you need – a washer/dryer, kitchenette, TV casting options and ample space. There are even pet-friendly rooms for a fee.

Address: 14 Kennedy St, Kingston, ACT

A town charmingly paused in time has become a hot mountain biking destination.

There’s a forest reserve full of eucalyptus and pines surrounding town – when you combine all the greenery with a main street of grand old buildings still standing from the Victorian Gold Rush, Creswick looks more period movie set than a 21st-century town.

old gold bank Victoria — Grand buildings from the Victorian gold rush. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This entire region of Victoria – the Central Goldfields – is as pretty-as-a-picture, but there’s something extra-special about Creswick. I used to live 30 minutes north; I’d drive in some evenings to cruise its main street at dusk, and pretend I was travelling back in time.

It was sleepy back then, but that’s changed. Where I used to walk through its forest, now I’m hurtling down the state’s best new mountain bike trails. There’s a 60-kilometre network of mountain bike trails – dubbed Djuwang Baring – which make Creswick the state’s hottest new mountain biking destination.

Meet Victoria’s new mountain biking capital

Creswick bike trail — This historic town has become a mountain biking hotspot.

Victoria has a habit of turning quiet country towns into mountain biking hotspots. I was there in the mid-2000s when the tiny Otways village of Forrest embarked on an ambitious plan to save itself (after the death of its timber cutting industry) courtesy of some of the world’s best mountain bike trails. A screaming success it proved to be, and soon mountain bike trails began popping up all over Victoria.

I’m no expert, so I like that a lot of Creswick’s trails are as scenic as they are challenging. I prefer intermediate trails, such as Down Martuk, with its flowing berms and a view round every corner. Everyone from outright beginners to experts can be happy here. There’s trails that take me down technical rock sections with plenty of bumps. But there’s enough on offer to appeal to day-trippers, as much as hard-core mountain-bikers.

I love that the trails empty onto that grand old main street. There’s bars still standing from the Gold Rush of the 1850s I can refuel at. Like the award-winning Farmers Arms, not to be confused with the pub sharing its name in Daylesford. It’s stood since 1857. And The American Creswick built two years later, or Odessa Wine Bar, part of Leaver’s Hotel in an 1856-built former gold exchange bank.

The Woodlands is set on a large bushland property. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

Creswick is also full of great cafes and restaurants, many of them set in the same old buildings that have stood for 170 years. So whether you’re here for the rush of the trails or the calm of town life, Creswick provides.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Inside the Woodlands, a chic 1970s log cabin. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

RACV Goldfields Resort is a contemporary stay with a restaurant, swimming pool and golf course. The Woodlands in nearby Lal Lal comprises a chic log cabin set on a 16-hectare property abundant in native wildlife.

Eating there

Le Peche Gourmand makes for the perfect pitstop for carb and sugar-loading.

The menu at Odessa at Leaver’s Hotel includes some Thai-inspired fare. Fuel up for your ride on baguettes and pastries from French patisserie Le Peche Gourmand. The Farmers Arms has been a much-loved local institution since 1857.

Playing there

Creswick State Forest has a variety of hiking trails, including a section of the 210-kilometre-long Goldfields Track. Miss Northcotts Garden is a quaint garden store with tea room.

The best Canberra hotels by neighbourhood

Looking for accommodation in Canberra? Start by figuring out which of the city’s unique neighbourhoods suits you

In short