Travelodge Hotels versus Hipster Hotels

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Value favourite Travelodge Hotels promises to be “refreshingly simple" so how does it stack up against its natural enemy, the hipster hotel.

1. Convenient locations

Travelodge Hotels: 17 locations in Australia (and New Zealand) in places you actually need a hotel, like in Melbourne’s Southbank, which is walking distance to Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex, and downtown Sydney, close to Museum Station and the cafe-rich inner city suburbs of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Paddington.

 

Hipster hotel: In a laneway, off another laneway, in the coolest part of town which is nowhere near where you actually want to go.

2. A breakfast that genuinely breaks the fast

Travelodge Hotels: A hearty breakfast with plenty of options, hot and cold, such as bacon, sausages, roma tomatoes, eggs; plus a range of fruit, cereal, yoghurt and pastries. In true buffet style, it’s all you can eat. Options range from $8 to $22.

 

Hipster hotel: Kale smoothie served in a mason jar, foraged kimchi breakfast tacos and a decaf cold brew coffee – served from a food truck somewhere vaguely nearby.

3. Cook your own?

Travelodge Hotels: You don’t need to eat out every single night. Travelodge Hotels’ kitchenette has everything you need – a microwave, kettle, mini-fridge, even a kitchen sink – without going too MasterChef on you.

 

Hipster hotel: You want a kitchen in your room? Where would we put the post-modern sculptures?

4. Check out the checkout time

Travelodge Hotels: Sleep in! Check out time is 11am.

 

Hipster hotel: We are early adopters so we choose to throw you out at 10am.

5. Extras, extras

Travelodge Hotels: Keepin’ it simple and uncluttered with complimentary tea, coffee and useful utensils in the kitchenette and Travelodge-Hotels-exclusive shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotions in the bathroom. For anything else, reception will do their level best for you.

 

Hipster hotel: High-end soap, single-origin boutique teas, the fluffiest robes and slippers money can buy plus a mini-bar stocked with exorbitantly priced liqueurs. Why does the room cost so much again?

6. Shower off, not show off

Travelodge Hotels: A shower that just leaves you feeling refreshed (and wet).

 

Hipster hotel: Six body-massage jets that flood the bathroom floor and taps that you need a manual to use.

7. Wi-Fi

Travelodge Hotels: Free Wi-Fi for the length of your stay with reasonably priced packages for the serious data-eating internet addicts.

 

Hipster hotel: $20 a day sounds about right, whether you use a little or a lot. Probably cheaper to use your mobile data!

8. Sleepy deals

Travelodge Hotels: Book your stay on Tuesday and receive bonus goodies such as 2-for-1 breakfast, unlimited free Wi-Fi or late check-out.

 

Hipster hotel: How can we pay for the thread count if we give you a discount?

9. The Bed

Travelodge Hotels: Makes its own beds (literally), designed to support, with non-allergenic pillows and duvets.

 

Hipster hotel: Sometimes you just don’t need to sleep on a mattress filled with a curious mix of pure cotton, wool, mohair and horsetail hair.

10. Simple touches

Travelodge Hotels: Artworks that reflect the local area plus some nifty designed new pillows and other small touches that make the rooms down-to-earth and refreshingly comfortable.

 

Hipster hotel: There is no such thing as simple.

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The top 12 hottest places to stay in regional Victoria right now

We round up the luxe, the lovely and the latest places to stay in regional Victoria.

1. Hotel Ernest, Bendigo

Hotel Ernest, Bendigo
The elegantly styled Hotel Ernest oozes heritage charm.

Settle into this artful lodging in the city centre for a boutique stay with heritage roots dating back to 1864. Each of the 10 suites in this former bank is elegantly styled and furnished with covetable works by Australian artists. Ernest is also home to the much-lauded Euro-style Restaurant Terrae, so be sure to book into the two-level diner during your visit.

2. Norsu Cabin, Macedon

a look inside Norsu Cabin, Macedon
Settle into this Scandi-inspired abode. (Image: Nick Skinner)

Country cabin dreams come to life under the sweet timber A-frame of Norsu . Sleeping eight guests, this Scandi-inspired abode is so meticulously styled it’s received knowing nods from The Design Files and is everything a modern log cabin should be, including cosy fireplace, fire pit, modern appliances and French linens. Perfect for logging out of daily life for a moment.

3. Islay House, Woodend

the bedroom at Islay House, Woodend 
Bed down at the gorgeously restored heritage Islay House. (Image: Tiffany Warner)

Lean all the way into a country luxe state-of-mind with a stay at the gorgeously restored heritage Islay House . This bed and breakfast sleeps up to nine guests and is just a short walk from town, but you’ll want to spend most of your time curled up fireside in the elegantly styled rooms as you admire the collection of antiques.

4. Nerissa Rye, Mornington Peninsula

Nerissa Rye, Mornington Peninsula
Indulge in barefoot luxe at Nerissa Rye. (Image: Eve Wilson)

This Rye beach pad is just a 10-minute walk from 16th Beach, and while a morning walk is lovely, returning to the barefoot luxe vibes of this four-bedroom escape is just as enlivening. Bright, open and welcoming, this is the place to settle in for endless cups of tea and a good book between beach jaunts.

5. Hotel Vera, Ballarat

a close-up of the bed at Hotel Vera, Ballarat
Modern meets bygone elegance.

This Ballarat beauty set in a 1900s mansion is all bygone elegance edged with modern style. Just seven boutique suites, each with its own distinct personality, makes it a singularly luxe stay. Sister to Bendigo’s Hotel Ernest, Vera is similarly bequeathed with a stand-out fine diner, Babae, which plates up the best of the region’s produce.

6. Hotel Sorrento, Port Philip Bay

Hotel Sorrento at Port Philip Bay
The Amalfi-style beachside Hotel Sorrento at Port Philip Bay.

The historic and iconic clifftop Hotel Sorrento at Port Philip Bay is mid-refurb and will reopen 1 December 2025, just in time for Amalfi-style beachside stays.

7. The Idle Lake House, Lakes Entrance

the Idle Lake House, Lakes Entrance
Soak up lakeside serenity. (Image: Kate Enno Photography)

Enjoy a ripple of serenity when you step aboard this water-top abode on the Gippsland Lakes. Once a Chinese restaurant, this spacious and stylish two-bedroom stay offers unbroken gazing of the shimmering surface in a beautifully private bay. Lounge on the deck and enjoy the onboard bathhouse; come evening, sit by the sleek suspended fireplace.

8. The Monty, Anglesea

the bedroom at The Monty, Anglesea
Bed down at the vintage motel, The Monty.

Palm Springs makes an entrance on the Great Ocean Road with the opening of The Monty in October 2025. Its vintage motel meets modern muse at this playful boutique stay complete with pool and a vibrant Mexican cantina. You’re just a stroll from the beach here, which tells us it’s ripe for summer vacays this season.

9. Trentham Waters Resort, Mildura

vibrant bedroom wall and pillows at Trentham Waters Resort, Mildura
The bright and retro-style bedroom at Trentham Waters Resort.

Another new property lands in regional Victoria in time for an endless summer with Trentham Waters Resort expected to open by February 2026. Breezy, subtly retro and brightened by the big Mallee sky, this river’s-edge escape is perfect for settling in for a spell with one-, two- and three-bedroom villas. There’s a lagoon-style pool, riverside hot tubs and onsite dining for all your relaxation requirements.

10. Crowne Plaza, Geelong

the Trattoria Bar in Crowne Plaza, Geelong
Sink a cold one at the Trattoria Bar.

Geelong is getting its own Crowne Plaza in 2026. Its arrival on the waterfront will make it the city’s largest (and newest) hotel with 200 contemporary rooms and suites, a Skybar, all-day dining, indoor pool and gym, and event spaces. Keep it on your radar.

11. Re’em, Yarra Valley

a private tub with lush views at Re’em, Yarra Valley
Sip and soak in tranquillity.

With verdant Yarra Valley views that take in the linear beauty of tended grapevines, the 16 suites and rooms at Re’em are set amid the Helen & Joey Estate and invite sipping and sitting in tranquillity. The onsite restaurant deftly balances Chinese and Australian flavours and if you’re staying over the weekend, be tempted out of your stylish room for yum cha that features delicate handmade dumplings and vineyard vistas.

12. Arapiles Clubhouse and Crash Pad, Grampians

the yard front door of Arapiles Clubhouse and Crash Pad, Grampians
Spend an overnight stay in the Natimuk stone house. (Image: Bianca Jackson)

These 1880-era mountain-adjacent digs have been tenderly restored to provide rock climbers and Grampians country wanderers a chic place to rest. You’ll find four bedrooms in the Natimuk stone house, as well as a heated pool out the back and plenty of luxe embellishments. There’s also a two-person ‘Crash Pad’ in the confines of the Clubhouse with its own separate entrance.

the lounge at Arapiles Clubhouse and Crash Pad, Grampians
The Crash Pad offers a resting place for rock climbers and Grampians country wanderers. (Image: Bianca Jackson)