You can bank on the Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane

Quentin Long Quentin Long
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Adina’s marquee Brisbane property is the best part of both a modern unfussy hotel and a heritage-listed property.

The Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane in the 1920s former Queensland Government Savings Bank has great bones. Solid walls, an atrium with enormous high ceilings and a historic wooden staircase with wrought iron balustrades.

Whenever those concerned that the repurposing of these heritage masterpieces into fine hotels is destroying the utility and heritage voice their fears, they should cast their eyes over the rather delicate and restrained way TFE Hotels have brought this building back to life.

So careful was the restoration completed in 2018 that the Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane is in excellent shape today.

Location

City or river is the age-old question for Brisbane visitors. Well, on the top floors, Adina Brisbane serves up both. The hotel is right on the corner of George and Elizabeth Streets opposite the casino and the Queens Garden Square.

A block from the Queen St Mall and easy access to most of the business towers in the CBD, the hotel is ideal for a city break. The gardens across the road give the George St-facing rooms a welcome and refreshing verdant vista.

the Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane Exterior
The Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane building has great bones.

Style and character

The careful restoration presents the original heavy wooden doors (this was a bank after all) which open to reveal a lobby of elegant beauty.

Gorgeous high ceilings and chequerboard black-white tiles evoke all the glory of the roaring 20s and the enormous wrought iron windows that reach to the lofted ceilings give not just natural light but an additional oversized sense of grandeur for what is in reality not a massive space.

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane lobby
Gorgeous high ceilings and chequerboard black-white tiles evoke all the glory of the roaring 20s.

The highlights of the lobby are the dusty pastel hand-painted de Gournay panoramic wallpaper artworks. These verdant landscapes along with the careful restoration of the ornate ceiling roses, Tiffany duck egg blue walls and duotone geometric tiling lift the lobby ambience to a somewhat magical milieu.

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane lobby
The restoration has revealed a lobby of elegant beauty.

The Art Deco styling is found throughout the public spaces; the carpet is geometric bronze and black and opposite the lifts on all levels are full-length mirrors.

The compact heated pool is enclosed on all sides by the hotel building to give a sense of being confined when in fact it is open to the elements. But look up and enjoy the Joan Miro-esque Oogie Boogie mobile artwork.

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane Pool
Enjoy the Joan Miro-esque Oogie Boogie mobile artwork above the pool.

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Facilities

The Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane has a pool, gym, 24-hour front desk and onsite parking with direct access to the hotel.

Rooms

There are 220 rooms, all with a kitchenette. The rooms vary from studios, one- to three-bedroom apartments and suites across three room categories: standard, premier and balcony. The top floors naturally have the best views of the river and South Bank.

The rooms in the original structure (not the top five floors which have been added) benefit from the high ceilings and even the studio’s floor plan is carefully designed to maximise space – a chaise lounge and table and two chairs from which to work or eat are on hand.

The room palette embraces a rich British racing green and turquoise soft furnishing. White subway tiles in the bathroom are contrasted with black floor tiles and Ink & Water toiletries.

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane room
The rooms vary from studios, one- to three-bedroom apartments and suites across three room categories: standard, premier and balcony.

Food and drink

There are three outlets within the hotel, each for a different occasion.

The highlight is Donna Chang , tucked into the Elizabeth St side of the lobby. The Cantonese-inspired restaurant has reportedly the best dumplings in the city and a Kung Pao Chicken the envy of some of the best Cantonese eateries in the country.

People dining at Donna Chang in Brisbane
Donna Chang is a highlight.

For coffee and a quick breakfast, the St Marks Road Co. is set in a small nook on the George St side of the lobby.

And in the basement, the Boom Boom Room is a Japanese bar and restaurant with a plethora of Japanese whisky, sake and beer.

The Boom Boom Room in Brisbane
Enjoy Japanese whisky at the Boom Boom Room.

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Accessibility

Accessible rooms are available in the studio and one-bedroom apartment categories. The accessible one-bedroom apartments have an interjoining door to a studio next door and therefore can be converted into a two-bedroom apartment for travelling carers or family.

Is Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane family-friendly?

Yep – the Adina brand is synonymous with space, multi-room apartments, kitchenettes and laundries. All are highly appreciated by families on the move.

Details

Best for: Business travellers, long-stay travellers and couples.

Address: 171 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000

Phone: +61 7 3155 1000

Cost: Rates start from $321 per night.

Quentin Long
Quentin Long is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Australian Traveller Media. Quentin is a sought-after travel media commentator. He is Australia’s most trusted source for travel news and insights, having held weekly radio segments across the country since 2006, and regularly appearing on Channel 9’s Today and A Current Affair programs from 2010. Don't ask him his favourite travel experience as that's like asking him to choose a favourite child. However he does say that Garma Festival is the one travel experience that changed him the most.
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A gourmand’s guide to eating your way around Hamilton Island

(Credit: Nikki To)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

    Hamilton Island ’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

    Catseye Pool Club

    Catseye Pool Club
    Catseye Pool Club offers stunning beach views. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

    The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

    My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

    Sails Restaurant

    Sails Restaurant hamilton island
    Settle into casual poolside dining. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant , where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

    The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

    Bommie

    cuttlefish dish at Bommie restaurant Hamilton Island Yacht Club
    Head to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club for a taste of Bommie. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

    Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

    Pebble Beach

    qualia Resort Pebble Beach
    qualia Resort guests can dine at Pebble Beach. (Credit: Lean Timms)

    Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

    The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

    Beach Club Restaurant

    Beach Club Restaurant hamilton island
    Book in advance for Beach Club Restaurant. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

    I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

    Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

    Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

    hamilton island Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher
    Join this immersive wine experience. (Credit Eleanor Edström)

    There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

    We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

    The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

    coca chu

    table spread at CocaChu
    Get a taste of Southeast Asian flavours. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

    Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

    Marina Cafe

    hamilton island MArina Cafe
    Take in harbour views and comfort food.

    Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

    The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

    Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.