hero media

This 100-year-old hotel on Kangaroo Island just got a luxury upgrade

Credit: render supplied

Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
A thoughtfully reimagined boutique hotel will open in 2026, offering elevated accommodation options on Kangaroo Island.

There are many reasons to visit Kangaroo Island, off South Australia’s coastline, southwest of Adelaide. The wilderness and dramatic coastal rock formations are unmatched, for one. Prolific native wildlife, for another. Then add an enticing artisanal culinary scene. But now, there’s one more luxurious reason, and it comes in the shape of a historic hotel – once known as Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel and now launched as The Ellson Hotel.

About The Ellson Hotel

The Ellson Hotel reception render
Expect ellevated, coastal tones.

Established in 1924 in Kingscote as Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel, the property is the island’s oldest operating hospitality site. Once owned by the Ellson family, it was sold to the current owners in 2020.

After a significant fire on the property in 2023, it’s currently undergoing an extensive multi-million-dollar redevelopment with plans to reopen in December 2026. The new chapter of this 100-year-old hotel will be introducing 49 thoughtfully designed guest rooms, including premium dwellings and accessible options. Think earthy tones and coastal chic decor. Also on the grounds, find landscaped outdoor spaces for lounging.

“Our vision was never simply to update a motel," said owner Yen Aun Leow. “We wanted to create a hotel with soul – one that honours the people who came before us while offering a fresh, contemporary experience for today’s traveller. The Ellson Hotel is about…thoughtful design and creating meaningful connections with Kangaroo Island."

The Ellson Hotel the ellson's suite render
Stay in the premium The Ellson’s Suite.

Looking for luxury? Check into the premium The Ellson’s Suite. With plenty of room to move, a plush king bed, a luxurious standalone bath and premium upgraded amenities. Not to mention uninterrupted views across Nepean Bay.

The Ellson Hotel is designed around genuine, personal hospitality. It also provides a way to slow down, reconnect with nature and experience Kangaroo Island’s simple pleasures through local stories, produce and people.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Dining

original Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel
The original hotel is over 100 years old. (Credit: Kangaroo Island Tourism Alliance)

As well as a new name, a new restaurant will be coming to the hotel. Located inside the historic limestone house, Flo restaurant will be serving seasonal dishes, celebrating the region’s exceptional produce and relaxed island dining culture. There will also be a bar opening out over the water. The ever-changing menu will include shared plates and regional wines.

Things to do on Kangaroo Island

people hiking at emu bay on kangaroo island
Explore the beauty of Emu Bay. (Credit: Kangaroo Island Tourism Alliance)

There’s no shortage of ways to fill your days on Kangaroo Island. To learn more about the local wildlife and conservation efforts, visit Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park. Or, see animals in their natural habitat at Seal Bay Conservation Park. Here, walk along the boardwalks to observe Australia’s third-largest sea lion colony.

Join Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures for tours that allow you to swim with wild dolphins in their natural environment. Or watch the demonstrations at Raptor Domain, where you can see wedge-tailed eagles, kookaburras and owls. Catch a glimpse of the world’s smallest penguins as they return to shore each evening at Penneshaw Penguin Centre.

Find plenty more things to do on Kangaroo Island in our guide, and foodies should be sure to add these island wineries and restaurants to their list.

The details

Opening: December 2026

Bookings: Check the hotel’s website for bookings.

Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set Australian Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
View profile and articles
An aerial shot of Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island

A Kangaroo Island accommodation go-to guide

Romance, nature, seclusion or a home away from home – there is an accommodation to suit all types of holidaymakers on Kangaroo Island.

Read more
Ecopia Retreat, Kangaroo Island, Australia
Kangaroo Island

10 of the best Airbnbs on Kangaroo Island

Dreaming of a break fuelled by great food and wine, interspersed with nature-based activities and accommodation that feels like home? Here are some of the best Airbnbs on Kangaroo Island.

Read more
Luxurious Stowaway Pod on Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island

The best luxury accommodation on Kangaroo Island

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

Read more
hero media

7 pinch-me moments I had at the new Monarto Safari Lodge

    Katie Carlin Katie Carlin
    Continue
    Monarto Safari Resort’s new Safari Lodge delivers so much more than a memorable stay; it’s packed full of unforgettable moments.  

    Just a year after the 78-room Monarto Safari Resort opened, the new Safari Lodge brings a more intimate and exclusive overnight African safari experience to Australia just outside of Adelaide. But just how similar is it to an African safari?

    Consider these pinch-me moments I had during my stay and decide for yourself. 

    1. Cheetah sightings at check-in

    monarto safari lodge cheetahs
    Spot cheetahs before you even check in.

    Safari Lodge is set within the Wild Africa precinct of the expansive, open-range Monarto Safari Park. I expected to see animals, but I didn’t expect to see two cheetahs stalking the fenceline just behind my tent at check-in.

    I cross the paddock to get a closer look. Both are now perched like a sphinx on a hill overlooking the 20 premium tents that make up Safari Lodge. I stand here, locked in place, waiting to see if they make a move. After 10 minutes like this, I turn to get settled into the tent but throw a final look in their direction; they’ve slinked back down, now barely visible in the grass. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about this encounter later tonight. 

    2. Sipping champagne as a giraffe sips from a waterhole

    giraffes at monarto safari lodge
    Enjoy champagne while meeting the locals. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    The all-inclusive stay includes a 2.5-hour Sunset Safari that takes guests into the Wild Africa precinct onboard a purpose-built Safari Land Cruiser for a chance to see free-roaming herds of African animals up close.

    The safari drive culminates in a champagne and canapé stop in a fenced and sheltered viewing area of the precinct. A chance to watch the sun set as animals gather around one of the many waterholes. And we’re in luck! Two giraffes are stripping leaves from a nearby tree as three white rhinos graze to my right. One giraffe starts galloping, in that funny head-bobbing way giraffes do, to the water’s edge. It splays its legs and bends its long neck down to start slurping up water. I find giraffes endlessly entertaining, and sipping champagne while watching the scene play out is the icing on the cake. 

    3. A rain shower with views of a waterhole where African animals gather

    monarto safari lodge King Safari Tent
    Enjoy views from the King Safari Tent.

    I am staying in tent 17, one of the best positioned tents for animal encounters, due to its proximity to the waterhole. Not only does the spacious 71-square-metre King Safari Tent feature a king bed, lounge area, separate dressing room with kitchenette, coffee machine, kettle and fully stocked mini bar, and ensuite bathroom. But you can even glimpse the waterhole from the rain shower. It’s thoughtful details like this that keep you connected to the safari experience no matter where you are located.  

    4. Feeding lions from within a caged dome

    Lion 360 experience at monarto safari resort
    Step into the Lion 360 experience. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    Monarto Safari Park isn’t a zoo. Set across 1500 hectares of South Australian bushland, it’s an expansive safari experience. It’s been designed to support complex social groupings, natural behaviours and long-term species management. Entry is included for guests, but I’ve decided to upgrade my experience with tickets to Lion 360. 

    Senior Keeper Rachel Hemming herds 15 of us into a domed cage for the unique lion feeding experience. She leads Monarto’s care and conservation breeding programs for their iconic big cats. “Make sure you don’t get too close to the edge of the cage; the lions like to mark their territory,” she warns. 

    She starts making cat-like calls to Kubwa, Kashka and Kito, the three male lions lazing somewhere out of sight behind the tree line in the distance. The promise of food eventually lures the lions over. I’m in awe of their size as they pace back and forth, pausing to take the meat as it’s fed to them via tongs.

    In her excitement, one lady has inched too close; a lion takes aim and hits his mark before she realises her mistake. I see her leaving the gift shop with a new jacket not long after the tour ends. 

    5. A swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board

    Monarto safari Lodge swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board
    Tuck into a poolside treat. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    The Safari Lodge reception is also home to a restaurant and bar, heated swimming pool and several private plunge pools available to book. After a morning spent at Monarto Safari Park, a dip in one of the private plunge pools sounds too good to skip.

    I change into my swimmers and make my way to the lodge. A generous charcuterie board arrives shortly after I slip into the pool. I’m told floating trays are already on order, but picking at the selection of cheeses, meats, nuts and fruit while perched on the edge sipping champagne is just as indulgent as it is having it float in the water. I never make it to the gym or pickleball court beside the lodge, but I have no regrets. 

    6. A front-row seat to a male rhino rejected by two females

    male rhino grazing
    Watch a rhino’s unlucky day. (Credit: Lucas Alexander)

    Louis Tonkin, our Wild Africa Tour host, is giddy with excitement when he spots the three white rhinos on our Sunset Safari drive. He has an inkling that we’re about to get a show.

    He pulls to the side and tells us what terrible eyesight white rhinos have, struggling to spot a motionless animal or object even from a short distance. However, they make up for it with acute hearing and an incredible sense of smell. Which explains why the larger male rhino is methodically creeping towards the two disinterested females grazing metres in front of him, then suddenly freezing on the spot. He’s hoping one will be open to mating with him. He takes another wary shuffle forward and suddenly the smaller of the two turns and charges towards him, butting him hard with her head. It’s a firm no. The male, denied, sheepishly backs away. 

    7. Watching a dazzle of zebra from the comfort of a luxury safari tent

    monarto safari resort zebra
    Wildlife encounters abound.

    Rain clouds loom, and the wind is howling, but thankfully it hasn’t deterred the zebras. I’m brewing a cup of Monarto’s Serengé-T – a vanilla rooibos blended with Daintree black tea and butterfly pea flower when I spot them. Six zebras are prancing across the plains for a drink at the waterhole. I watch their antics from the deck of my King Safari Tent, wrapped in a merino blanket made by Australian-owned Grampians Good Co. and marvel at the fact I get a front-row show to these wild animals. 

    After they disappear from view, I sit with the sketch pad and pencils I find in the cupboard and start drawing some of my most memorable animal encounters from the weekend – starting with the two hippos I saw ravenously munching on grass at dusk as we made our way out of the Wild Africa precinct last night. This really is as close to an authentic safari experience as you can get outside of Africa. 

    Start planning a wild stay in the luxurious Safari Lodge at monartosafariresort.com.