The best luxury accommodation on Kangaroo Island

Carla GrossettiBy Carla Grossetti
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Take your pick from 10 of the top luxury stay on Kangaroo Island.

Kangaroo Island (KI) lies just 13 kilometres off the South Australian coast, yet feels like it’s a million miles away. That, along with the incredible luxury accommodation on Kangaroo Island, and a trip here is a dream.

The irresistible combination of world-class wineries, wildlife, and a cluster of great places to eat and drink has made KI a must-visit destination for decades. And while you can do a one-day tour with SeaLink, those who stay on the island are rewarded with more time to take in the spellbinding scenery and tick off your list of things to do.

1. Oceanview Eco Villas

Are you even staying on Kangaroo Island if you don’t have a bathtub with a view? Oceanview Eco Villas does what it says on the tin with picture windows framing the ocean views from almost every room, including the bathroom. Located 50 metres from the ragged red cliffs of Redbanks, which protrude from the beach like bad teeth, the off-grid villas offer a five-star experience where the only passing traffic is from kangaroos.

Oceanview Eco Villas overlooking the sea
It doesn’t get more luxurious than this.

2. Cliff House

The view from the Cliff House , perched like an eyrie overlooking the curve of Snelling’s Beach, is everything. After a day spent enjoying superlative food and wine, you can bed down at this architect-designed house on a remote section of KI’s sun-soaked north coast. The Cliff House is a favourite with travellers due to its cliff-edge jacuzzi and cushioned sunken pit, not to mention those unobstructed views of sea and sky.

Cliff House overlooking Snellings Beach
Cliff House is perched overlooking the curve of Snelling’s Beach.

3. Hamilton House & Dune House

Step into the Hamilton House or Dune House and you will feel like you’ve entered a portal that leads to a Pinterest interiors page. The exclusive lodges overlooking Emu Bay both offer melodramatic ocean views and stylish entertaining areas. Both properties also appeal to intrepid adventurers as well as those seeking solitude. Make the most of being on island time by arranging for an in-house chef.

Interiors of Hamilton House
Enter the Pinterest-worthy interiors.

4. Stowaway Pods

For an island that measures just 145 kilometres long and between 900 metres and 54 kilometres wide, Kangaroo Island packs in a lot. You will be right in position to enjoy all KI has to offer with a stay in one of two Stowaway pods, located on a working farm five minutes away from Stokes Bay. A double-sided wood fire, freestanding bath and sauna are also worthy diversions.

Stowaway pods at Kangaroo Island
Take in the beauty of KI from a Stowaway pod.

5. Sea Dragon Lodge & Villas

Book a stay at Sea Dragon Lodge & Villas if it’s the local wildlife you’re interested in. While the eco villas are not over-the-top extravagant, the luxury on offer is down to those expansive ocean views and proximity to Pink Bay Beach. Sit on the deck, glass of pinot noir in hand, and try and spot the island’s namesake as well as a supporting cast of possums, wallabies and dolphins.

View of Sea Dragon from above
The majestic views of Sea Dragon from above.

6. One Kangaroo Island

One Kangaroo Island has a freestanding outdoor tub that is made for wallowing in while looking for resident wildlife. Top up the bath with hot water until twilight falls and then sink into the sofa around the gas fireplace while your private chef prepares your dinner. This luxurious property on the north-east coast of Kangaroo Island is just metres away from Brown’s Beach.

One Kangaroo Island, just meters from Browns Beach.
One Kangaroo Island is just metres from Browns Beach.

7. The Sky House

Follow Cape du Couedic Road, the ribbon of asphalt that runs toward Admiral’s Arch, to get the obligatory Instagram snaps and then do a hit-and-run of the island’s key attractions so you can isolate in style at The Sky House . The rammed-earth architecture makes this property feel like it fell from the sky, with more of a Moroccan vibe than a KI rhythm. It’s low-fi luxury and one of the best Airbnbs on Kangaroo Island.

The Sky House facade at night
The villa is located on the highest point of the property.

8. Ecopia Retreat

Meeting the ‘locals’ when you’re staying at Ecopia Retreat translates to communing with the colony of sea lions at nearby Seal Bay Conservation Park. The experience is so intrinsic to a stay here that a guided tour to see the endangered animals is included when you book a stay of three nights or more. The two contemporary eco villas include floor-to-ceiling windows and a wood fireplace.

Kangaroos seen during a stay at Ecopia Retreat
Wildlife is intrinsic to a stay at Ecopia Retreat.

9. Copperstone KI

Copperstone KI offers front-row seats to the action in Emu Bay, one of the most coveted spots on the north coast of Kangaroo Island. The four-bedroom architecturally designed beach house blends seamlessly into the landscape and is designed with absolute privacy in mind, which comes in handy when you’re drinking in the breathtaking panorama from the bath.

The unassuming exteriors Copperstone KI
Unassuming from the outside, delightful on the inside.

10. Wandering Souls

If you’re looking for the best places to camp on Kangaroo Island, why not do so in comfort with Wandering Souls , who invite you to choose your tent, depending on your tribe and vibe. The company can pitch your luxury bell tent according to your whim and where you’d rather be and style it to suit. Stay on brand and order the Matilda, an Australian luxe tent fitted out with stylish throws and 1000-thread count sheets.

Kangaroos seen during a comforting Wandering Souls
Stay in comfort with Wandering Souls.
If you are looking to mix up your stay on Kangaroo Island, spend a night at one of our picks of beautiful camping spots or our round-up of best places to stay.
Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael TurtleBy Michael Turtle
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    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves . Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.