6 of the Best Aussie Hotel Bars

While hotels are forever falling over themselves to impress with infinity pools, pillow menus, refurbs and celeb chef collabs, sometimes all you really want is a good bar where nobody knows your name.

I’m calling it: hotel bars have played second fiddle in this country for far too long. And for good reason. For my generation, the sheer mention of a hotel lobby bar still conjures up a shuddering image of fluffy cocktails, cheesy piano and sleazy businessmen. But thankfully – taking their cues from the glamour of hotel bars past – today’s riffs on the standard are becoming worthy destinations in themselves, providing a strong defence for keeping it in-house.

1. Rooftop at QT, Melbourne

Hotels drinks food wine bars — The not-so-Melbourne Melbourne bar.

In Melbourne, where if a bar isn’t hidden up a rickety staircase or located next to a stinky skip then it’s not worth knowing, even locals have warmed to the city’s most brazenly un-Melbourne bar, Rooftop at QT. The view alone is well worth the lift journey, and exposes a side to Melbourne that few other venues do. They shake a mean margarita too.

2. Jackalope at Willow Creek Vineyard, Mornington Peninsula

Further afield in the Mornington Peninsula, super-slick newcomer Jackalope at Willow Creek Vineyard is venturing beyond its vinous roots, offering an eccentric, distillation-themed cocktail lounge, Flaggerdoot to its luxurious offering. Championing classic aperitifs and whiskeys from around the world (and craft spirits from just down the road), it makes a fine spot for a sundowner.

3. Monster, Canberra

At Canberra’s Monster , there’s no guarantee that you won’t bump into an off-duty pollie, but you can be sure of decent drink until well into the wee hours. Located in the lobby of Hotel Hotel, this all-day venue welcomes diners from 6.30am and cocktail fanciers at any hour of the day (within reason, of course). Try the ‘Division Bell’ with mezcal, Aperol, maraschino syrup and fresh lime.

4. The Clare, Sydney

As hotel bars go this rakish former pub is far from cookie-cutter. Adjoining the reception of The Old Clare Hotel in Sydney’s Chippendale, The Clare bar pays homage to its not-so-distant past as the grungy dive bar of choice for students from the nearby UTS. When the sun’s shining, you’d be mad not to head up for a leisurely spritz by the stunning rooftop pool and bar.

5. Storey Bar, Hobart

The newest jewel in Hobart’s increasingly blinged-up crown is MACq 01 hotel on Macquarie Wharf. With its plush seating, circular fireplace and killer views across the river and the city, the hotel’s moodily-lit Story Bar is a great excuse for bypassing the outside chill. The drinks list is studded with plenty of Tassie stars, and warming up with a dram of Lark single malt whiskey might just be the perfect way to get acquainted with the local culture.

6. Petition Wine Bar & Merchant, Perth

Though not officially part of the hotel, Petition Wine Bar & Merchant is close enough to Perth’s COMO The Treasury to rate as a natural extension of it. Located in the revitalised State Buildings, this stylish wine bar/enoteca encourages leisurely browsing through its extensive wine ‘library’ which is filled to the ceiling with interesting local and international drops from small producers.

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .

hotel bars worth staying in for