Blow the budget on a luxury beachhouse

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Every family will have a different idea of luxury, but one thing is guaranteed – your dream holiday home is out there.

Whether it’s a separate kids’ retreat, an amazing infinity pool, a modernist haven in Tassie with floor-to-ceiling glass doors or a Balinese-inspired villa in Noosa, you’re bound to find a place with the perfect luxury extras you’ve always dreamed of.

So go on – why not go all-out this year?

 

Try there…

NSW: Ocean Muse, Port Stephens

This sprawling seaside abode in Port Stephens is flanked by national parkland, creating a luxurious enclave for a family or group to settle in and enjoy the infinity-edge lap pool, amazing views over the bushland out to the ocean, and many bells and whistles.

It’s well–equipped for kids and adults, with a billiards room, large decks, open–plan living and dining and a large garden that’s perfect for playing a spot of cricket after a day at the beach. There are three bedrooms, including one master ensuite set in its own pavilion and another with four single beds. From $800 per night (five nights-plus). 02 9331 2881.

VIC: Zealandia, Portsea

Handily positioned between Portsea Front Beach and Portsea Back Beach on the Mornington Peninsula, Zealandia is a testament to 50s modernist architecture and design. Beautifully furnished, it’s best for families with older children.

With three bedrooms, three living areas, outdoor entertaining areas and an inground pool, you’d be forgiven for never actually making it out the front door. From $500 per night (two night mid-week stay) to $6000 per week (summer peak, one week minimum). Sleeps six. 0418 121 779.

Fin more option with our guide to the best places to stay the Mornington Peninsula.

TAS: Avalon Coastal Retreat, Swansea

If there’s a better view from a beach house, we’d like to hear about it. Perched atop a headland overlooking Oyster Bay on the east coast of Tasmania, this ‘modernist coastal dreaming home’ does everything in its power to embrace the stunning landscape, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, sensational outdoor dining areas, even a Huon pine bathtub from which to enjoy the views.

There are wonderful creature comforts inside, too: robes and slippers, coffee machine, heated floors, an open fire, gourmet kitchen and even a gourmet mini bar. With full beach kit at your disposal and direct access to a secluded beach, it’s kind of a no-brainer. From $900 per night (Sun-Thurs) or $1000 per night (Fri/Sat). Sleeps six. 1300 36 11 36.

SA: Kangaroo Island Villa, Kangaroo Island

Inspired by European villas, the light, airy and curvaceous Kangaroo Island Villa gives you plenty of choices. Enjoy an indulgent lie-in in your circular ‘tower’ bedroom, with its expansive ocean views – or rise early and nip down to the jetty and beach, only a minute away at .

Should you enjoy an outdoor jacuzzi under the stars before or after your barbecue on the deck? Go for ‘house only’ accommodation, or splash out on the ‘full service luxury’ option, where a private chef prepares all meals, snacks and beverages for you? Oh, the dilemmas.

It’s easy to handle all this tough decision making when you’re staying in a place this exceedingly lovely, though. From $590 per night for one room plus $25 for each additional room used (low season) or $950 per night (peak season) for accommodation only. Sleeps six; rollaway bed available for $25 extra. 02 9331 2881.

For more check out the best 8 places to stay on Kangaroo Island.

NT: Mandalay Luxury Stay, Darwin

This gorgeous, colonial-style stone residence on Darwin’s Esplanade carries echoes of the region’s history, from the influence of Colonial traders and Chinese settlers to indigenous art, and combines location with luxury living.

The bedrooms open out onto the grand verandah, with views overlooking Darwin harbour, plus a pool. From $445 per night for one bedroom or $645 per night for three bedrooms (low season) up to $995 per night for three bedrooms in peak season. Enquire about wet season specials. Sleeps six. 08 8942 3012.

For more option check out our guide to Darwin accommodation.

QLD: Balinese Beach House, Noosa

Your own private beachside oasis lies just on the other side of the Balinese-style wooden doors to this unique property on Noosa’s North Sunshine Beach. All airy white spaces punctuated by lovely wooden beams, this conveniently located home is like its own mini–resort, with a saltwater pool, poolside cabana and loungers, daybed and breezy front balcony with beach views.

From $450 per night (low season) to $1000 per night (Christmas). Minimum stays apply. Sleeps six (extra charges apply for additional guests). 0421 887 520.

For more here is our guide to the best places to stay in Noosa.

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Two Aussie hotels make World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 list

    Eleanor EdströmBy Eleanor Edström
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    The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 is hot off the press – and Australia has scored big, with two local stays making the cut.

    The world doesn’t want for excellent hotels. Boundary-pushing design is rife, and impeccable service is now the benchmark, with new stays cropping up globally faster than we present our passports at check-in. Safe to say it makes earning a place on the annual World’s 50 Best Hotels list – the world’s foremost gauge for hotel excellence – all the more prestigious.  

    The rankings for 2025 have just been announced at an awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London, where travel industry leaders and enthusiasts convened to celebrate groundbreaking hospitality feats. The list features 22 destinations across six continents, along with several special award categories. Here are the highlights.  

    rosewood hong kong views
    Look out over dazzling Victoria Harbour. (Supplied: Rosewood Hong Kong)

    The results

    Climbing two places from no.3 in 2024, Rosewood Hong Kong took home this year’s crowning title of the world’s best hotel. Rising 270 metres above Victoria Harbour, the coveted 413-key address is a shining beacon of art, design and swoon-worthy water views. It has attracted Hong Kong’s elite and a continuous stream of well-heeled travellers since its grand opening in 2019.  

    Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
    Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River took out second place. (Image: Supplied)

    Asia continued its winning streak with 19 other hotels noted on the list – the highest number of any continent. These included Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River and Capella Bangkok in second and third place respectively. Bali’s Desa Potato Head (no.18) was also presented the Eco Hotel Award after a rigorous audit by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Close on Asia’s heels was Europe with 17 top 50 rankings and North America with six.  

    The Aussie hotels that made the list

    capella sydney lobby
    Capella Sydney was named the 12th best hotel in the world. (Image: Supplied)

    Capella Sydney was named The Best Hotel in Oceania 2025, scoring a strong 12th place in the overall rankings. Housed in an Edwardian sandstone building once home to the Department of Education, the heritage-listed icon exudes contemporary opulence with its grand architectural bones and curated local artwork. Expect personalised touches, intriguing objets d’art and intimate elegance across 192 rooms and suites.  

    bedroom at Calile Hotel Brisbane
    Pastel hues bring a playful energy to The Calile Hotel. (Image: Supplied)

    Meanwhile, The Calile Hotel,  located in Brisbane’s hip hood of Fortitude Valley, was accoladed no.34 in the global rankings. This marks the third consecutive year it has been featured on the list, with the hotel awarded no.12 in 2023 and no.25 in 2024. It’s not hard to see why. The hotel leans hard into a modernist Miami-meets-Palm-Springs energy with 175 guest rooms and suites dressed in pastel palettes. But the pièce de résistance is the breathtaking botanical pool deck, where guests can kick back beneath cute-as-a-button sage umbrellas.  

    The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 list

    1. Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong 
    2. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok 
    3.  Capella Bangkok, Bangkok 
    4. Passalacqua, Lake Como 
    5. Raffles Singapore, Singapore 
    6. Atlantis The Royal, Dubai 
    7. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok 
    8. Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá 
    9. Four Seasons Firenze, Florence 
    10. Upper House Hong Kong, Hong Kong 
    11. Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro 
    12. Capella Sydney, Sydney 
    13. Royal Mansour, Marrakech 
    14. Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing 
    15. Bulgari Tokyo, Tokyo 
    16. Claridge’s, London 
    17. Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens 
    18. Desa Potato Head, Bali 
    19. Le Bristol, Paris 
    20. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai 
    21. Cheval Blanc Paris, Paris 
    22. Bulgari Roma, Rome 
    23. Hôtel de Crillon, Paris 
    24. Rosewood São Paulo, São Paulo 
    25. Aman Tokyo, Tokyo 
    26. Hotel Il Pellicano, Porto Ercole 
    27. Hôtel du Couvent, Nice 
    28. Soneva Fushi, Maldives 
    29. The Connaught, London 
    30. La Mamounia, Marrakech 
    31. Raffles London at The OWO, London 
    32. The Emory, London 
    33. Maroma, Riviera Maya 
    34. The Calile, Brisbane 
    35. The Lana, Dubai 
    36. Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Monaco 
    37.  Janu Tokyo, Tokyo 
    38. The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai  
    39. One&Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit 
    40. Singita – Kruger National Park, Kruger National Park 
    41. Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Hong Kong 
    42. Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles 
    43. The Mark, New York 
    44. Las Ventanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos 
    45. The Tokyo Edition Toranomon, Tokyo 
    46.  Hotel The Mitsui, Kyoto 
    47. Estelle Manor, Witney 
    48. Grand Park Hotel Rovinj, Rovinj 
    49. Hotel Sacher Vienna, Vienna 
    50. Mandapa, Bali 

    How the 50 Best voting works

    The World’s 50 Best Hotels is an annual ranking of the top hotel venues across the globe as voted for by a panel of more than 800 global industry experts. To ensure the panel provides a fair representation, the Academy Chairs are split across 13 geographical regions, with each chair selected as a travel and hotel expert in their region. The 13 Academy Chairs each select a voting panel from their region comprising a balance of hoteliers, travel journalists, hotel educators and consumer travel connoisseurs.