13 of the best Airbnbs in Adelaide

Louisa Norman Louisa Norman
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We’ve curated our pick of the best Airbnb’s in the South Australian capital.

Adelaide’s festival, food and wine scene is second to none. With a laidback charm and a warm welcome waiting, why not book your next escape to South Australia in one of these Airbnb which often offer something more interesting than hotels.

These are 13 of the best Airbnbs in Adelaide to book next time you’re in town.

CBD

1. 1800s city cottage

This renovated three-bedroom 19th-century cottage fuses modern luxury with traditional features like a wood burning stove and timber roof beams. The charming garden dining area is ideal for shared meals with family and friends.

a rustic living room interior with a fireplace at 1800’s city cottage, Adelaide
Modern luxury meets rustic style at this 1800s city cottage.

2. Modern city luxury apartment with sauna

This modern luxury apartment occupies a prime city location near the central shopping district. Watch the sunrise from your balcony over the Adelaide Hills while you plan the day ahead. Or enjoy the shared rooftop pool, spa and fitness suite.

a modern city luxury apartment with sauna in Adelaide
Luxuriate in the sauna or rooftop pool at this modern city luxury apartment.

3. Colourful city studio

This vibrant studio enjoys an enviable location overlooking North Terrace, just minutes from Rundle Mall and Adelaide’s cultural precinct. Ideal for inspiring your creativity, this 1930s apartment owned by renowned artist Billie Justice Thompson showcases a carefully curated selection of South Australia’s finest art and ceramics, adding a unique flair to any city stay.

the Airbnb interior of a colourful city studio in Adelaide
This colourful city studio features South Australia’s finest art and ceramics.

WEST

4. Mid-century seaside escape Henley

This three-bed Henley beach property is only five minutes from bustling Henley Square and offers an elegant seaside escape with period features including a four-poster bed. Enjoy dining on the deck at sunset for a memorable meal with family and friends.

a beachfront outdoor deck at the Henley beach property
Soak up the warm sea breeze at this three-bed Henley beach property.

5. Designer Semaphore Park beach retreat

Sitting between two natural dunes in Semaphore Park this two-bedroom unit offers absolute beachfront vistas. Book the neighbouring identical property to accommodate up to eight of your nearest and dearest for a seaside break only a 10-minute drive from the historic maritime suburb of Port Adelaide. 

a bedroom with beachfront views in Semaphore Park
Wake up next to relaxing beachfront views at this beach retreat.

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EAST

6. Fur baby-friendly cottage

On the eastern fringes of the CBD within walking distance of the city and Norwood, this two-bedroom cottage is a cosy home-from-home welcoming four-legged friends too.

the exterior of a fur baby-friendly cottage in Adelaide
Cosy up in this cottage near the city and Norwood.

With a tranquil garden and thoughtful extra touches like fresh breakfast provisions, you’d never guess this relaxing oasis was conveniently located next to the city.

the interior of a fur baby-friendly cottage in Adelaide
Check into this pet-friendly and relaxing Airbnb.

7. Waterfalls and woodland walks

Pets are welcome in this eastern suburbs property, only five minutes from the upmarket Burnside shopping centre and a 15-minute drive from the CBD.

the Waterfalls and woodland walks property in Adelaide
Book a serene stay at this architectural masterpiece.

Nestled in the Adelaide foothills with a creek running through the garden, this contemporary property offers a serene stay for up to six guests.

the Waterfalls and woodland walks property in the Adelaide foothills
Step into this spacious and contemporary property in the Adelaide foothills.

8. Elegant Norwood luxury cottage

This four-bedroom cottage with a lush garden and solar-heated pool is the perfect summer retreat within easy walking distance of Norwood’s shops and cafes. With free parking at the property, it’s a 10-minute drive to the CBD.

the pool at Elegant Norwood luxury cottage, Adelaide
Relax in a solar-heated pool.

9. Sky-high peaceful escape

Seemingly a world away, yet only one kilometre to one of South Australia’s most iconic wineries Penfolds, this tiny house is a cosy romantic retreat in the foothills.

the fan room in the Adelaide foothills
Hit refresh at this sky-high cottage.

Hike in the nearby parks spotting koalas and kangaroos before returning to your cosy loft bedroom for a drink around the firepit.

a romantic retreat in the Adelaide foothills
Escape to a romantic retreat in the mountains.

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SOUTH

10. 1930s Glenelg Art Deco beach retreat

On a quiet street in the bustling beach suburb of Glenelg, this renovated art deco apartment is the perfect choice for lovers of vintage chic. Situated southwest of the city, an easy half-hour tram ride will take you to the CBD.

the Glenelg Art Deco interior in Adelaide
Opt for a vintage chic stay at this Art Deco beach retreat.

 11. Serene Tiny cabin for two

Get back to nature with this semi-rural rustic retreat that’s less than 25 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD. This wooden cabin is a secluded space with a compact kitchen and composting toilet. Recharge whilst you watch for local wildlife or get cosy with a book by the fire. 

a serene tiny cabin near Adelaide CBD
Settle into a serene tiny cabin in the woods.

NORTH

12. Designer Adelaide Oval pad

With four bedrooms and three bathrooms, this is an ideal luxury getaway for a larger group of friends or family. The rooftop terrace and large bathtub offer elegant touches for magical memories. The North Adelaide location offers easy access to Adelaide Oval for sports or music events.

a modern bath with tub at Designer Adelaide Oval pad
The pad is complete with an elegant tub.

13. Chic North Adelaide loft

This high-rise studio apartment is a cut above the rest offering treetop views of North Adelaide from a roof terrace with a contemporary interior design. Just four kilometres by free bus to the CBD this is an ideal base for a North Adelaide stay without being far from the city action.

a huge window near the outdoor deck at this chic North Adelaide loft in Adelaide
This design-led stay is ideal for relaxing.
Need more accommodation options? Check out our accommodation guide for every budget.

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Louisa Norman

Louisa Norman

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Explore historic wine towns and sculpture trails on a 3-day self-guided Murray River cruise

    Ricky French Ricky French
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    Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place. 

    Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat. 

    After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.    

    Murray River
    The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

    Setting sail from Mildura 

    Murray River birds
    Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

    A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.  

    My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.  

    Stop one: Echuca  

    19th-century paddlesteamers
    A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star, is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.  

    The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.  

    Stop two: Barmah National Park 

    Barmah National Park
    Camping riverside in Barmah National Park, listed as a Ramsar site for its significant wetland values. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

    Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.  

    The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.  

    Stop three: Cobram 

    Yarrawonga MulwalaGolf Club Resort
    Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange. 

    The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.  

    Stop four: Albury-Wodonga 

    First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk
    First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

    Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country. 

    A traveller’s checklist  

    Staying there

    New Mildura motel Kar-rama
    New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

    Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town. 

    Playing there

    BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura
    Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

    Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists. 

    Eating there

    Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.