Rock star approved: Hotels welcoming the rich and famous

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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Ever wondered where rock stars stay when they’re in town? And what exactly they get up to? Tiana Templeman slips behind the velvet ropes and burly security guards for a rarefied glimpse into the celebrity life.

The Langham, Melbourne

The Langham’s top suite comes with everything a rock star could possibly want – its own marble lobby, a butler, chauffer-driven limousine, Bulgari bathroom amenities, a fully stocked bar, access to the hotel boardroom and a fully equipped kitchen – but this wasn’t enough for one star who requested a “dedicated TV assistant" to operate the remote. Another was adamant they required low fat, calorie and portion controlled food, only to be sprung chowing down on ice cream in the Club Lounge. This refined hotel has about it a genteel class, which makes it especially popular with European and British rock royalty (yes, Coldplay, we’re talking about you). www.langhamhotels.com

Sofitel Brisbane

Sometimes rock star behaviour isn’t all bad. Hotel night staff and guests were delighted when Robbie Williams did an impromptu rehearsal at a piano in the bar, and Maroon 5 endeared themselves to reception by handing out a wad of concert tickets. Perhaps it’s thanks to laidback Brisbane, but requests here are seldom outrageous. Burt Bacharach asked for a specific brand of cranberry juice, Ozzy Osborne wanted roast chicken and gravy (which must have been good because he had it twice). The Opera Suite (formerly the Monet Suite) at Sofitel Brisbane is unique as it can be entered via two different floors. A swirly spiral staircase, which must be a doozy in rock chic heels, links the level 29 bedroom with the lounge area on level 28. The suite comes with a kitchen – Kylie Minogue brought along a private chef to cook her favourite organic food – and a desk big enough to dance on (gold hotpants optional). Other high profile guests have included the Dalai Lama, Neil Finn, John Travolta, Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden. www.sofitelbrisbane.com.au

Park Hyatt Sydney

Not even the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge are enough to prevent a few rock stars from blacking out what is arguably the best view in Australia in their quest for privacy. For those of us who can only dream of staying here, it’s enough to make you cry. The opulent Governor Suite comes with not one but six balconies, a personal wine cellar and a de-dicated butler who was once asked to turn the place “into a racing car" so Mr Rock Star could play Xbox games. A full kitchen and dining table for 12 regularly sees this suite playing host to star-studded dinner parties. Locals should keep an ear out when rock stars are in town: music from the grand piano often drifts across Sydney Harbour. www.sydney.park.hyatt.com

Crown Towers, Melbourne

Getting rock star scuttlebutt from Crown proved harder than breaking even at a casino. They were, however, willing to confirm that Celine Dion, Ricky Martin, Tom Jones, Elton John and Justin Timberlake have all come to stay. The most popular rock star digs are the Crown Tower Villas, which take up a quarter of each floor. The most desirable is either the Georgian or Paxton Manor but these two top villas are by invitation only (yes, even for rock stars). Those with a reputation for trashing rooms are unlikely to get a look in. Villas and the two manors form part of an exclusive “hotel within a hotel" with a dedicated lobby and private lifts. Security is tight. www.crowntowers.com.au

Hyatt Regency Perth

The top room at the Hyatt Regency Perth may be called the Presidential Suite, but with its flashy gold colour scheme and tonnes of bling it screams rock star. Special requests range from fairly standard (bottled water, kids’ DVDs, massages) to the bizarre (a private soccer game arranged at short notice remains one of the more unusual). Perth is often the last stop on any Australian music tour, which means this hotel frequently hosts huge after parties. One star took this a step further by announcing during his last concert exactly where he was staying and inviting “all the pretty girls" back to his room at the Hyatt. Very rock star (not to mention problematic for the hotel, which was besieged by eager young ladies). www.perth.regency.hyatt.com

InterContinental Sydney

The InterCon’s Australia Suite feels almost as big as Australia itself and comes with a grand piano and its own steam room. The 245m2 suite is the largest in Sydney and has played host to some spectacular private parties. It’s hard to believe, but “beautiful people only, please" was a real request. There can be an abundance of alcohol – or none at all, if a rock star is in rehab. The private open-air terrace with its sweeping Sydney views is often used for sun baking (hey, we never said rock stars were smart). Intercontinental Sydney

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3 wild corners of Australia that let you reconnect with nature (in comfort)

    Kassia ByrnesBy Kassia Byrnes
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    The country’s rawest places offer some of its most transformative, restorative experiences.

    Australia offers sublime opportunities to disappear into the ancient, untouched wilderness, worlds away from modern stress. Wild Bush Luxury offers a collection of experiences that are a portal into the continent’s wildest, most undiscovered landscapes, from wide floodplains to vast savannas, where the only distractions are birdsong, frog calls, curious wallabies and the daily drama of sunset. With a focus on conservation and Indigenous knowledge, these all-inclusive experiences allow guests to slow down and quiet their minds for intimate encounters with the natural world.

    1. Bamurru Plains

    safari tent at Bamurru Plains wild bush luxury
    Let nature take front row.

    In the remote Top End, just outside Kakadu National Park on the fringes of the spectacular Mary River floodplains, you’ll find Bamurru Plains , a peerless Australian safari camp. After a quick air transfer from Darwin to the camp’s private airstrip, you’ll be whisked away via 4WD to a vivid natural wonderland of shimmering floodplains, red earth, herds of peacefully grazing water buffalo and 236 bird species (Bamurru means magpie goose to the Gagadju people).

    Accommodations consist of 10 mesh-walled bungalows and two luxe stilted retreats where guests enjoy panoramic, up-close views that invite them into their rightful place in the landscape (and binoculars to see it even better). Being an off-grid experience designed to help guests disconnect, the only distractions are birdsongs, frog calls, curious wallabies, the occasional crocodile sighting and the daily drama of the spectacular golden sunset.

    It’s a place where nature’s vastness rises to the level of the spiritual, and Bamurru’s understated, stylish,  largely solar-powered lodgings are designed to minimise human impact and let nature take front row.  Guests relax in comfort with plush linens, an open bar, communal tables that allow for spontaneous connections and curated dining experiences from the in-house chef using local ingredients and bush-inspired cooking methods.

    Bamurru Plains airboat tour
    Zoom across the floodplains. (Image: Adam Gibson)

    It’s a restorative backdrop for days spent zooming across the mist-covered floodplains in an airboat, birding with expert guides, taking an open-sided safari drive or river cruise through croc country. Spend time at the Hide, a treehouse-like platform that’s perfect for wildlife spotting.

    In fact, nature is so powerful here that Bamurru Plains closes entirely during the peak monsoon season (October to April), when the floodplains reclaim the land and life teems unseen beneath the water. Yet Wild Bush Luxury’s ethos continues year-round through its other experiences around Australia – each designed to immerse travellers in a distinct Australian wilderness at its most alive and untouched.

    2. Maria Island Walk

    woman on a headland of Maria Island Walk
    Maria Island Walk offers sweeping coastal scenes.

    Off Tasmania’s rugged east coast, the iconic Maria Island Walk is an intimate four-day journey through one of the country’s most hauntingly beautiful and unpopulated national parks, encompassing pristine beaches, convict-era ruins, and wildlife sightings galore. Accessible only by a small ferry, Maria Island feels like a place reclaimed by nature, which is exactly what it is: a penal settlement later used for farms and industry that finally became a national park in 1972.

    These days, the island is known as ‘Tasmania’s Noah’s Ark’ and its only human inhabitants are park rangers. It’s a place where wombats amble through grassy meadows, wallabies graze beside empty beaches, dolphins splash in clear water just offshore and Tasmanian devils – successfully reintroduced in 2012 after near-extinction on the mainland – roam free and healthy.

    Each day unfolds in an unhurried rhythm: trails through coastal eucalyptus forests or along white-sand bays, plateaus with sweeping ocean views, quiet coves perfect for swimming. Midway through the journey, you’ll explore Darlington, a remarkably preserved 19th-century convict settlement whose ruins tell stories of human ambition at the edge of the known world.

    At night, sleep beneath a canopy of stars in eco-wilderness camps – after relaxing with Tasmanian wine and locally-sourced meals, and swapping stories with your fellow trekkers by candlelight.

    3. Arkaba

    two people standing next to a 4wd in Arkaba
    Explore Arkaba on foot or on four wheels.

    For a bush immersion with more of an outback flavour, Arkaba offers a completely different type of experience. A former sheep station and historic homestead in South Australia’s striking Flinders Ranges that has been reimagined as a 63,000-acre private wildlife conservancy. It’s now patrolled mainly by kangaroos and emus.

    Small-scale tourism (the homestead has just five ensuite guestrooms) helps support rewilding projects, and guests become an essential part of the conservation journey. Days begin with sunrise hikes through ancient sandstone ridges or guided drives into the ranges to spot yellow-footed rock-wallabies. And end with sundowners on a private ridgetop watching the Elder Range glow vibrant shades of gold, crimson and violet as the air cools and time stands still.

    Here, you can join conservation activities like tracking native species or learning about Arkaba’s pioneering feral-animal eradication projects, then unwind with chef-prepared dinners served alfresco on the veranda of the homestead, which is both rustic and refined. The highlight? Following Arkaba Walk, a thriving outback wilderness where emus wander and fields of wildflowers grow.

    It’s an unforgettable immersion in Australia’s vast inland beauty, a place where the land’s deep and complicated history – and astounding resilience – leave their quiet imprint long after you return home. In a world where genuine awe is rare, Wild Bush Luxury offers a return to what matters most in the untamed beauty of Australia’s wilderness.

    Disconnect from the grind and reconnect with nature when you book with at wildbushluxury.com