Hotel Review: Canberra's Midnight Hotel

Canberra’s Midnight Hotel is one of the most sophisticated in the nation’s capital.

The Midnight Hotel in Canberra is a pioneering boutique hotel befitting of the national capital. It features incredible design touches, innovations and unexpected additions that are emblematic of a hotel that is confident enough to do its own thing.

Location

The Midnight Hotel is part of the stylish Midnight residential and retail precinct located in the culture-rich, inner-city suburb of Braddon.

Braddon was a grungy wasteland of car yards a few decades ago. Today, it’s a mecca of creativity, with great bars and restaurants worthy of its hotspot status. The Uncovering Braddon series was commissioned to encapsulate a transitional moment in the metamorphosis of the hip hood that has made Canberra the capital of cool.

the front facade of Canberra's Midnight Hotel — Canberra’s Midnight Hotel has a striking front facade.

What marks a stay at the Midnight Hotel has a lot to do with its location. The large-scale works by Melbourne graffiti artist, Tom Adair, reflect the cool of that location. The artworks depict pixelated street scenes from around Braddon, painstakingly painted with an airbrush and overlayed with electric jolts of neon light. It’s these little extras that really set Midnight Hotel apart.

The hotel was built to complement Canberra’s light rail, which is a convenient way to zip about the city. It’s also a great launching pad to experience the emerging creative hub of Braddon.

a woman pulling her luggage along Canberra's Midnight Hotel corridor — The hotel is fitted out with vibrant and edgy artworks.

Style and character

Midnight Hotel is a hip, design-forward addition to the capital’s hotel scene. It’s also sophisticated enough to attract a seriously global crowd for a long time to come. Edgy artworks await on each of its eight levels, making the 199-room modernist hotel feels more Brooklyn than Braddon.

It’s part of a $200 million residential and commercial development that wraps around a central atrium and owes its striking good looks to Fender Katsaladis (of MONA and Ovolo Nishi fame). Katsaladis designed the hotel with a Russian babushka doll in mind, with a striking facade that hides the four buildings that make up the hotel, residential apartments and businesses nestled within.

the lobby inside Canberra's Midnight Hotel — Canberra’s Midnight Hotel is tucked in the inner-city suburb of Braddon.

Facilities

King-sized beds, mini bar treats and room service are all good reasons to book a hotel stay. But if we’re being completely honest, it’s the bathroom amenities (and the ability to take them with you when you leave) that a lot of guests get excited about. So how did Midnight Hotel go about making this guilty pleasure that much better?

cocktail drinks on the table at the autograph lounge in Canberra's Midnight Hotel — Have a tipple at the hotel’s bar.

It started with a conversation with Australian natural skincare specialists Hunter Lab, helmed by husband-and-wife team Elliot and Susie Waldron. The pair then went to work to develop hotel-sized servings of its naturally beneficial and environmentally sustainable product range.

Each of the 199 guest rooms at Midnight Hotel comes complete with a Google Chromecast entertainment system with a Smart TV. There’s also high-speed wi-fi, a whiz-bang espresso machine and mini bar with complementary beverages. There is also an onsite restaurant and bar, gym, sauna, events space and 20-metre lap pool.

an indoor lap pool at Canberra's Midnight Hotel — Swim a few laps at the indoor pool.

Rooms

The rooms and suites continue the arty theme, where you’ll find bespoke artwork created by acclaimed New York-born, Australian-based artist Thomas Bucich. The series is inspired by the small souvenirs we collect as children. A feather. A shell. A wildflower. Small fragments of bone or wood. In the artist’s own words, it’s also about ‘the creation and destruction of nature and the human spirit’.

the midnight classic room at Canberra's Midnight Hotel — The midnight classic evokes dark elegance.

Each unique piece is rendered in reclaimed Australian wood and bark, and then encased in copper or nickel. Bucich’s works have become emblematic of the property’s sincere approach to championing local artists and designers.

If the brief to the designers was to capture the midnight hour, then they’ve nailed it. The interiors are clearly inspired by the inkiness of night, with sleek dark tones contrasting with white and grey accents.

Midnight Hotel room with Thomas Bucick artwork, Canberra — There’s a Thomas Bucick artwork featured inside a guest room.

Each room features copper and steel fixtures, rich, dark woods and marble. It may come as no surprise that the Midnight Hotel, a property all about sensory experiences, would come up with an aroma to match its unique identity. And there is nothing more luxurious than stepping into a hotel and recognising a scent that is instantly evocative of time and place.

a look inside Canberra's Midnight Hotel bedroom — The bedroom exudes a sophisticated charm.

With that in mind, the founder of Australian candle company HUTWOODS, Becky Hutley, worked with the hotel to create a signature soy candle fragrance. The result is HUTWOODS x Midnight Hotel, which combines the familiar scent of peppermint with woody tones of cedar wood and clove leaf.

a classy bedroom at Canberra's Midnight Hotel — Stay cosy for the night.

Food and drink

Midnight Bar is the place to be if you’re a politician dreaming up a power play. But it’s not just a happy place for political bigwigs. In fact, it’s got to be a candidate for the hub of the hotel, where guests are drawn together for a nightcap.

Wait until the sun has set over the Brindabellas before escorting your hot date to the spacious, elegant bar that has lots of luxurious touches.

the Midnight Bar inside Canberra's Midnight Hotel — Pull up a chair at Midnight Bar.

Restaurant Braddon Merchant has more of a European feel, with a seasonally driven menu and a drinks list so impressive that it has won Wine List of ACT. The local and international wines have been chosen by a group of sommeliers and wine experts to elevate the dining experience.

If you want a change of scene, the hotel is close to some of the best places to dine in Canberra.

guests dining at Braddon Merchant, Canberra — Dine local and international dishes at Braddon Merchant. (Image: Pew Pew Studio)

Does Midnight Hotel have access for guests with disabilities?

The hotel has accessible parking and a sloped ramp for entry into the pool. All rooms are accessible via a lift. Check the hotel’s website for a list of accessible features in each room.

Is Midnight Hotel family-friendly?

Yes – there’s even a Cool Kid Package. It includes accommodation in an interconnecting room, a $50 Kingpin voucher per night, breakfast at the onsite restaurant and a late checkout.

Details

Best for: Visitors to Canberra looking for a stylish stay with all the comforts of home.

Address: 1 Elouera Street, Braddon ACT

Phone: (02) 6220 0000

Cost: From $308 per night.

Just over an hour from Melbourne, spectacular walking and hiking trails encompass ancient landscapes, forested ridgelines and volcanic peaks.

Just a short drive from the city, the urban sprawl gives way to rolling hills, mineral springs, and lush forests that will have you feeling like you’re in the bucolic countryside of France. Encompassing Daylesford , the Macedon Ranges, Castlemaine and the Central Goldfields, this pocket of Victoria is a region where nature, art, and wellness intertwine. Heritage towns hum with creativity, good food and wine, and welcoming locals. While Daylesford hikes, and those nearby, offer the chance to take a pause and reconnect with nature.

1. Hanging Rock Summit Walk

Etched into folklore, few places in Australia carry as much mystique as Hanging Rock. Rising dramatically from the plains near Woodend, this volcanic mamelon offers a beautiful nature walk. The walk begins at a gentle pace, weaving through shaded woodland before it gets a little steeper as the path starts to climb and twist to the summit. From here, you’ll have views that stretch across the Macedon Ranges. The walk is roughly 1.8 kilometres return, but the real reward lies in standing among the weathered boulders, feeling the age and energy of the earth beneath your feet.

2. Macedon Ranges Walking Trail

Macedon Ranges Walking Trail camel's hump lookout — Walk to Camel’s Hump. (Image: Clair Derwort)

The Macedon Ranges Walking Trail traverses around 19 kilometres of forest and mountain landscapes. The full trail is a six-hour circuit, with most of the walk being a grade three; however, you don’t have to tackle it all at once. There are shorter walks that will take you through the tall mountain ash forests, to tranquil picnic areas, and sweeping views from Camels Hump and the Memorial Cross. The best times of year to head out are autumn, when the mountain turns into a tapestry of crimson and gold, and spring, when wildflowers brighten the trail.

3. Mount Alexander Traverse

Towering above the goldfields near Castlemaine, Mount Alexander is a granite giant that offers some great bushwalking trails. The Mount Alexander Traverse winds along the mountain’s rocky spine through dry eucalypt forest that opens up in sections to reveal beautiful panoramas across Loddon Valley and all the way to the distant Grampians. Once a site of ancient volcanic activity (and later a gathering place for the Dja Dja Wurrung people), the mountain’s granite tors are now quiet and create a beautiful, serene atmosphere for a moment of reflection while walking.

4. Murmuring Walk

Murmuring Walk daylesford hikes — Circle the picturesque Sanatorium Lake.

Located an easy drive from Daylesford, Murmuring Walk offers something a little different. Circling Sanatorium Lake, this free audio-guided walk aims to immerse you in the rhythms of Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country by blending the sounds of nature with a multi-layered soundtrack. There are two routes to explore while you listen: a shorter loop around the lake itself and a longer circuit that extends deeper into the woodland.

5. La Gerche Forest Walk

Located in Creswick, the La Gerche Forest Walk honours the legacy of John La Gerche, a 19th-century forester who championed the regeneration of the then gold-rush-ravaged land. Today, over 100 years later, his replanting efforts have grown into a living cathedral of towering pines, oaks, and native gums. As you meander along the 2.2-kilometre circuit, you’ll find interpretive panels along the way that help tell the story of La Gerche’s vision, so you can learn as you wander.

6. Sailors Falls Loop

Just outside Daylesford, Sailors Falls tumbles through a fern-lined gorge, fed by mineral springs. Thought to be named after the sailors who jumped ship to seek gold in the area during the 1850s gold rush, the loop walk begins at the car park and descends through a cool, shaded gully to the base of the falls. From here, you’ll make the climb back via the mineral springs. It’s a short but enchanting walk – about 1.5 kilometres in total, so make a day of it by packing a picnic to sit by the springs; you’ll feel worlds away from the city.

7. Paddys Ranges Loop Walk

Further north, the Paddys Ranges State Park loop reveals a different side of Victoria’s Heartland – dry forest, golden light and hints of a gold-rush past. This protected reserve is a stronghold of box-ironbark woodland, providing vital refuge for endangered species. In spring, the forest floor is awash with the colour of over 230 species of wildflowers, so a springtime walk is a must-do. As you walk the 4.5-kilometre loop trail, keep an eye out for remnants of old mine shafts and rusted relics from the prospectors who once sought their fortunes here.

8. Mount Franklin Summit Walk

An extinct volcano turned picnic ground, Mount Franklin (known as Lalgambook to the Dja Dja Wurrung people) is one of the region’s quiet marvels. The summit walk follows a narrow, winding path through native forest to the crater’s rim, where you’ll get glimpses of farmland and forest below. It’s a moderate climb – just over an hour return, so it can easily be done if you’re camping in the surrounding reserve for a weekend nature retreat.

The trails of Victoria’s Heartland offer a chance to reconnect with the landscape, local history and yourself. Start planning your next adventure at daylesfordmacedonlife.com.au.

A stylish stay at Midnight Hotel in Canberra