2 Aussie stays made Conde Nast’s best hotels list – we stayed at both

Emily MurphyBy Emily Murphy
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The two iconic hotels were the only Australian stays to make the annual list and we’ve stayed at both. Our editors weigh in on their stays.

Condé Nast Traveller’s global editors have revealed their favourite places to stay across the world – and two Australian hotels have made the prestigious Gold List for 2025 . While the list includes some truly extraordinary properties from around the globe, what’s even more exciting is that we’ve stayed at both of the Aussie inclusions!

Here’s a glimpse into what it was like to stay at two of the best Australian hotels, shared through personal stories that bring these remarkable destinations to life.

Lizard Island

Lizard Island Great Barrier Reef Aerial
Do as much or as little as you like on Lizard Island. (Image: Supplied)

For Australian Traveller’s sub editor, Carla Grossetti, Lizard Island was more than just a luxury getaway – it was a homecoming. Growing up in Cairns, Carla spent her childhood snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, so the chance to revisit those waters in the lap of luxury was irresistible.

“You can do as much or as little as you like on Lizard Island. Launch yourself into the underwater environment and swim with turtles, snorkel over a giant clam garden and do your best impression of a starfish in Blue Lagoon," Carla says, who visited the Luxury Lodges of Australia property in 2024.

“The beauty of Lizard Island is that you can pamper yourself at the day spa, meet at the bar for sundowners and enjoy a world-class dining experience overlooking the waterfront," she says.

“I’m not surprised the resort featured on Condé Nast Traveller’s list of Best Hotels in Australia. It’s one of the best places I’ve stayed in the world and is the epitome of barefoot luxury."

Reflecting on her stay, Carla isn’t finished exploring this slice of paradise. “I’m currently manifesting a return visit: I’d like to go back in June to swim with minke whales during their annual migration," she concludes.

Lizard Island Great Barrier Reef Aerial Casuarina Beach and Blue Lagoon
Lizard Island is the epitome of barefoot luxury. (Image: Ken Butti)

Bullo River Station

Bullo River Station sign
Bullo River Station is rooted in connection to the land and its stories. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

For Australian Traveller’s print editor, Imogen Eveson, Bullo River Station offered a completely different kind of luxury – one rooted in connection to the land and its stories. Situated on over 160,000 hectares of Miriwoong and Gajirrawoong Country straddling a space between the Top End and the Kimberley, Bullo is a working cattle station (and one of our favourite station stays) that blends pastoral activities with conservation.

“My stay at Bullo River Station was one of the best domestic travel experiences I’ve had," Imogen explains.

“For me, it encapsulated what is distinctive about luxury travel in Australia. Low-key, down-to-earth and relaxed but with every last detail considered and executed flawlessly."

When Imogen visited in June 2024, Bullo River Station had just been announced as the latest member of Luxury Lodges of Australia, a collection of exceptional properties in spectacular locations that each tell a unique Aussie story.

Bullo River Station pool
Bullo River Station joined Luxury Lodges of Australia last year.

Days here are filled with adventure. From waterhole swims and leisurely cruises down the Bullo River to station tours and scenic helicopter flights over a sandstone wilderness carved by waterfalls, gorges and the convergence of two rivers.

“I saw the most stunning sunrise of my life when our chopper pilot landed on a pinnacle overlooking it all," she says.

“Above all, luxury travel in Australia means the luxury of experience. The privilege of access to an extraordinary environment and the opportunity to learn about it from the passionate people charged with protecting it."

Current owners Julian and Alexandra Burt, who bought Bullo in 2017, have set the property on a path towards transformation again with a groundbreaking new approach to land management and a collaboration with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). The vision is one where pastoral activities and conservation can thrive side by side, complemented by low-impact tourism that allows you to be totally immersed in the heart and soul of this place.

Bullo River Station outdoor dining experience
Days at Bullo River Station are filled with adventure. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

But the charm of Bullo lies in its quirks as much as its grandeur. Imogen recounted a moment of hilarity when her partner discovered a frog in the toilet.

“‘Ah, you’ve got a toilet frog!’ the staff chorused with a casual cheerfulness before instructing us, in such instances, to simply flush the loo and send the tiny tree frogs back where they came from; they are partial to the septic tank and don’t worry – we were assured it doesn’t harm them," Imogen recounts.

“I imagined all the traditional luxury hotels around the world where a commode cameo like this might provoke a freak-out among high-maintenance guests, and love knowing that Bullo is the kind of place that attracts likeminded people ready to throw themselves into the raw experience of it, frogs and all. And that to me feels so wonderfully Australian."

Bullo River Station toilet frog
Lucky the toilet frogs are cute. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
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This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael TurtleBy Michael Turtle
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    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves . Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.