Hotel Review: East Hotel, Canberra | Australian Traveller

A review of one of Canberra’s most distinctive boutique hotels, from rooms and dining to location and lived-in details.

East Hotel is a family-owned boutique hotel that is one of the best places to stay in the nation’s capital. As soon as you walk in the door you’re engulfed by its ‘edgy’ feel, and the location is perfect for those who want to be close to the city. I checked into the Canberra stay to see if it’s still my favourite place to stay in the nation’s capital.

Where is East Hotel?

the front exterior of East Hotel Canberra — East Hotel is in the leafy suburb of Kingston. (Image: VisitCanberra)

East Hotel sits in the city’s inner south suburb of Kingston, an easy 10 minutes from the airport and popular Parliamentary Triangle. Corporate travellers will find it close to the city but far enough out of the hustle and bustle to allow a breath of fresh air.

The surrounding leafy suburb of Kingston is known for its dining and shopping scene, with patisseries, wine bars, homeware stores and the occasional pub lining the streets. The award-winning Old Bus Depot Markets are within close walking distance, while Lake Burley Griffin (with its popular walking circuit) can be reached in 15 minutes.

For families, Canberra institutions like Questacon , Old Parliament House and the National Museum are easily accessible by bike, which are available to hire from reception. Ubers are also affordable and frequent, and the hotel offers underground parking at a small nightly fee for those with a car.

What is the style and character of East Hotel?

the lobby of East Hotel Canberra — The stylish lobby where guests feel truly welcome. (Image: Adam McGrath)

I’ve been staying at East Hotel since it first opened in 2012, back when my kids were tweens and Canberra felt like a very different city. More than a decade on, East Hotel remains my favourite place to stay in the nation’s capital – and is very much a hotel that has grown up alongside the city itself.

The first thing I notice when I enter the soaring central atrium in the lobby of the family-run East Hotel is the warmth and ambience. Hotels are notorious for high staff turnover. But many of the East Hotel team have been working at the hotel long-term and welcome us like family. Knowing that this is a workplace where employees feel valued and happy always adds to the experience of staying here.

This is not just a place to go to have a good meal and rest your head. By stepping into the lobby of East Hotel, I feel like I’m being welcomed into the embrace of my long-lost, somewhat eccentric Italian family with a big theatrical kiss on both cheeks.

a chandelier hanging at the hotel lobby, East Hotel Canberra — A stunning chandelier hangs from the ceiling of the hotel lobby.

Kelly Ross of Kelly Ross Designs recently reimagined some of the places and spaces within the East Hotel and in doing so further realised the vision of siblings Dan and Dion Bisa. The boutique hotel feels like somewhat of a passion project for Kelly, who has been working alongside the Bisa Hospitality group from the beginning.

While the lobby has always had a lot of warmth to it, Kelly has taken Dan and Dion’s design cues to the next level. The rejuvenated reception and soaring lobby space is all warm tones, moody lighting, modern furnishings, sumptuous textures and colour. It’s a place for guests to mingle and relax. A place to have fun in, as the complimentary lolly jars and bicycles at reception suggest.

What facilities does East Hotel have?

the stylish lobby of the East Hotel Canberra — East Hotel Canberra offers a comfortable and chic stay for families. (Image: Adam McGrath)

Following a wonderful dinner with the family at Agostinis, I head to the gym bright and early in the morning. It is small but efficient, with shower facilities (complete with Appelles amenities) available for those who may have already checked out. There is no hotel pool, but in warmer months, guests can visit the nearby Manuka Pool for free.

Later that night, I take a long soak in the large, oversized bathtub ahead of a hectic schedule of work over the weekend. It’s a ritual that continues over the next few days after I discover the Appelles-brand bath salts are replenished daily.

What was equally exciting to me when my two active sons were younger, was the full-sized washing machine and dryer, complete with washing powder. A communal laundry is also available for those staying in studio rooms (just ask for washing powder at reception). Business travellers are also catered to with eight conference and meeting spaces on offer and wi-fi that is fast and free.

The lobby has evolved in line with the award-winning designer’s brief to create a space that is now a venue more intertwined with the hotel’s existing places and spaces. It includes a small library of magazines inviting people to stop and relax while lingering in the lobby. There’s also an open fire where visitors and guests can kick back before or after dinner at Agostinis or Azuma Den.

It’s a thoughtful touch to provide guests with a handy guide at check-in that details the surrounding area (the lively ‘inner-South’, aka suburban Manuka and Kingston) and the best local eats and activities. Bikes and maps are also available from reception.

What are the rooms like?

an open-plan living room at East Hotel Canberra — Families with young children can spread out in the open-plan living room. (Image: Adam McGrath)

My husband and I could not have been happier with our luxe one-bedroom apartment during our last stay in Canberra. There is something enormously luxurious about an apartment that is flooded with light and sunshine. The apartment is also pleasantly spacious, with its own fully equipped open-plan kitchen and living area, separate bedroom and bathroom.

a guest room at the East Hotel in Canberra — The rooms feature a king-size, custom-made pillow-top bed. (Image: Adam McGrath)

The plush carpet and occasional pop of colour in a throw rug or cushion made the self-contained room feel warm, homely and inviting. It’s like visiting your cool cousin’s crash pad in Milan. Here, every fixture and fitting has been carefully thought out. The room feels like an extension from the lobby; it’s textured and layered and elegant. The large balcony looks out over parks and mountains, and we step outside to the constant sound of cockatoos, screeching in regular crescendos.

What are the dining options at East Hotel?

Agostinis, East Hotel Canberra — Agostinis serves up handmade pasta and pizza. (Image: Adam McGrath)

Canberra is spoilt for choice when it comes to great breakfast and brunch spots. Agostinis , located on the ground floor, is one of them and it’s the perfect example of how cool, cosmopolitan and sophisticated the nation’s capital has become. It’s also one of the most popular restaurants for lunch and dinner in Canberra.

It was nearly impossible to leave the apartment with its comfortable couch, bathrobes and smart TV. But we managed to gather the energy required to roll downstairs for some pasta at Agostinis, which is perennially packed to the rafters with families.

Although there are plenty of too-cool-for-school places in Canberra, Agostinis is not one of them. In fact, the Italian restaurant welcomes a happy mix of families, couples and groups celebrating special occasions. Executive chef Junho ‘Luffy’ Koh leads by example and his passion for Italian food is evident in the consistently great execution of each dish. Many of the wait staff also have Italian accents, which adds to the family-friendly feeling. It’s like going to Nonna’s for gnocchi. Everything from the pasta to the gelato is made in-house, and we find ourselves ordering pizza as well; the dough is Roman-style and rested for 72 hours.

Although he has been professionally trained in Italian techniques, chef Koh grew up cooking Korean food at home with his family, a personal connection that now shapes the menu at Azuma Den . This move marks the first time the executive chef has brought Korean and Japanese flavours into his professional cooking, blending precision, restraint and emotional familiarity.

the dining interior of Azuma Den — The warm and inviting Azuma Den nods to East-Asian cuisine. (Image: Adam McGrath)

Kelly Ross Designs was also behind the design, gifting the Canberra community with another luxe warm space from which to do business or pleasure.  And the opening of the new Japanese-Korean eatery has changed how the hotel feels after dark. Centred around a hibachi grill, Azuma Den also brings additional warmth and a sense of occasion to East Hotel. It’s cemented the hotel’s status as a place where you can ease into breakfast, lunch and dinner without ever leaving. And it is very much in step with East Hotel’s layered, design-led personality.

Alongside chef Koh in the kitchen is Jun Kim, whose path to the kitchen began in the Korean army, where he cooked three meals a day for 150 soldiers. After moving to Australia, Kim honed his skills in a Japanese restaurant, learning knife work, discipline and respect for simple ingredients. That grounding informs his approach to cooking over fire at Azuma Den.

Does East Hotel have access for guests with disabilities?

Yes. The Luxe Studio Easy Access room is specifically designed for people with accessibility needs. The apartment is fully wheelchair accessible, from wider doorways and a lower bench height to accessible cooktops and showers fitted with handrails and foldable bench seats. The hotel has ground-level accessibility, as does Agostinis.

Is East Hotel family-friendly?

Yes. Families with young children can request an apartment with a Kids Cubby, an interconnecting playroom fitted out with bunk beds, bean bags, a play table with art supplies and even an Xbox console. The minibar is (dangerously) stocked with child-friendly goodies, too.

The verdict

After more than a decade of stays, East Hotel remains my home away from home in Canberra, a place that continues to evolve without losing its sense of self.

Details

Best for: Families and couples looking for a comfortable yet chic stay that everyone will enjoy.
Address: 69 Canberra Ave, Kingston ACT

Cost: Starting from $209 per night.

The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

From the moment you arrive in Mildura , the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura. — Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

Taste Mildura’s produce

It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey . Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed ’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers , a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

Hatted dining & Italian history

Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s . Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel. — Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

Discover a thriving culture scene

The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project . Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery. — Find culture around every corner.

Wonder at ancient landscapes

The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park . Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity. — Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

Meet your home away from home

On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama . A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats . Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura. — Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com .

East Hotel: why I’ve been staying at this Canberra accommodation for more than a decade