The best Rottnest Island accommodation for a coastal getaway

Chloe Cann Chloe Cann
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We have cherry-picked a few of our favourite places to stay when you’re visiting Wadjemup / Rottnest Island in Western Australia.

Many West Australians have nostalgic memories that revolve around Rottnest Island. For those of us daydreaming about the barefoot luxury of an island getaway and the emotions it evokes, a visit to Rottnest Island or a stay near the ferry departure point in Perth offers the perfect opportunity to soak up some vitamin D at its beautiful beaches and bays.

Here are some of the best Rottnest Island accommodation options that will make for a memorable visit.

The Lodge Wadjemup

The Lodge Wadjemup bathroom

After a $40 million refurbishment, The Lodge Wadjemup has just opened its doors to guests, offering idyllic lakeside relaxation to all. The resort has 63 refurbished rooms with a mix of heritage and 1970s bones, but come April, another 46 sleek poolside rooms will open. Rottnest Island has been short of delivering delicious food, but the Mediterranean fare at the onsite restaurant Sunsets Bar & Dining serves fresh WA produce in the form of XO prawns, heirloom tomatoes and squid ink linguine and Rottnest swordfish with mussels, sauce vierge, and bottarga. 

Discovery Resort – Rottnest Island

Discovery Resort accommodation on Rottnest Island
Glamp by the water at Discovery Resort – Rottnest Island. (Image; Tourism Western Australia)

If you’re after a relaxing beach break, or want to create a multitude of memories with the family, you can do so in comfort at Discovery Holiday Parks Rottnest Island. From deluxe tents nestled in the dunes, to standard family tents with a private ensuite and outdoor deck, to superior family tents with kitchenettes, the holiday park located just 300 metres from Garden Lake and 200 metres from the beach has just 83 eco tents and gets the thumbs up for treading lightly on the land.

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Heritage Cottages

Rottnest Island Bathurst Lighthouse Keepers Cottage
Bathurst Lighthouse Keepers Cottage comprises two units. (Image: Rottnest Island Authority)

The majority of the original Heritage Cottages on Rottnest Island are located at the southern end of Vincent Way, in North Thomson, one of the oldest intact streets in Australia. Be transported back to the 1840s when you book a stay in one of the heritage-listed cottages which all share the same ochre hue that has become iconic on the island. Two of the charming Heritage Cottages are located close to Bathurst Lighthouse, while others with historical significance from the Second World War are to be found at Kingstown Barracks, a short bus ride from the main settlement. While they offer a historical experience, they do offer a more rustic accommodation in comparison to some of the island’s other stays.

Samphire Rottnest

Samphire Rottnest
Samphire Rottnest is the first luxury resort on Rottnest.

Samphire Rottnest is the first luxury resort to spring up on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) and it takes just 30 minutes on the ferry from Freo to get there. The 80-room boutique hotel feels like a hidden corner of Canggu without the crowds: it has a restaurant, beach club, lounge, lagoon-like pool and bar and landscaped gardens that make it irresistible as a hide-away-from-it-all hotel. Open up the doors to your suite and invite the sea breeze in or kick back with your toes in the sand for sunset cocktails at the Beach Club.

This article was originally written by Chloe Cann and updated by Rachael Thompson

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Chloe Cann
Chloe Cann is an award-winning freelance travel and food writer, born in England, based in Melbourne and Roman by adoption. Since honing her skills at City St George's, University of London with a master's degree in journalism, she's been writing almost exclusively about travel for more than a decade, and has worked in-house at newspapers and travel magazines in London, Phnom Penh, Sydney and Melbourne. Through a mixture of work and pleasure, she's been fortunate enough to visit 80 countries to date, though there are many more that she is itching to reach. While the strength of a region's food scene tends to dictate the location of her next trip, she can be equally swayed by the promise of interesting landscapes and offbeat experiences. And with a small person now in tow, travel looks a little different these days, but it remains at the front of her mind.
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Why this luxurious Broome resort is the ultimate stay

    Angela Saurine Angela Saurine
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    With its prime position on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches, lush tropical surrounds and exceptional dining, wellness and leisure experiences, Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa is the perfect base for exploring the spectacular Kimberley region.

    For many travellers, Broome is the gateway to the wild grandeur of the Kimberley – a launch point for epic 4WD journeys along the legendary Gibb River Road, rugged outback tours and expedition cruises tracing the remote coastline. Whether you’re arriving dust-covered from the red dirt or preparing to venture deep into the region’s untamed landscapes, Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa offers the perfect place to begin or end the adventure. The only fully integrated resort in Broome, the property unfolds along meandering pathways that wind through lush tropical gardens, past tranquil lily ponds and hand-carved timber sculptures that subtly guide guests towards reception.

    Location

    camel ride along cable beach broome
    Let friendly staff help you book a camel ride on Cable Beach. (Credit: Tourism WA/ Matt Deakin)

    Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa lies just steps from the famed Cable Beach, where the silhouettes of camels crossing the shoreline at sunset have become one of Australia’s most enduring tourism images. The only beachfront resort in Broome, it’s also just a few minutes’ drive to the centre of town, where guests can wander through Chinatown and peruse its pearl stores and galleries or catch a movie beneath the stars at the heritage-listed Sun Pictures.

    The friendly team at the resort’s tour desk can also help tailor your stay, whether that’s an iconic camel ride along the beach, a visit to Willie Creek Pearl Farm to discover how the gems are harvested or a guided tour to see the ancient dinosaur footprints revealed among the rust-red rocks of Gantheaume Point at low tide.

    Style and character

    Cable Beach Club Resort broome lobby
    Walk into an eclectic blend of influences and eras.

    Few resorts capture the essence of their surroundings quite like Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa. First opened in 1988, the resort is a celebration of Broome’s rich multicultural past, from its Japanese pearl divers to Chinese merchants. The result is an eclectic blend of influences and eras. The resort features wide timber verandahs, corrugated iron walls and tin roofs designed to temper the tropical climate. To keep it breezy, Broome’s signature lattice (a distinct painted timber lattice detailing iconic to the tropical architecture of the Kimberley region) has been used across the resort with two functions – allowing a breeze through while maintaining privacy.

    Scattered throughout the manicured gardens is an impressive collection of rare Asian and international artefacts. Chinese bluestone lions stand sentinel at the entrance, while terracotta warrior horses, vermillion Japanese torii gates and traditional Shishi (lion-dog) statues lend an air of quiet grandeur. Fragrant with frangipani blossoms and shaded by century-old boab and mango trees, the grounds are also a haven for native wildlife. Birds provide a constant soundtrack, while wallabies and tiny lizards rustle through the foliage.

    Rooms

    Cable Beach Club Resort broome Price Jones Suite
    Sleep in comfort and style.

    The extensive accommodation options span studios, bungalows, club apartments, villas and suites. Family bungalows draw inspiration from the grand homes of Broome’s pearl masters, translating that heritage into generous layouts, high ceilings and verandahs that open to the gardens. Studios and villas are perfect for couples and solo stays, pairing soft coastal tones with private balconies or courtyards. While club apartments and suites are designed for longer stays, offering multiple bedrooms, kitchen facilities and seamless indoor-outdoor living.

    Food and drink

    kichi kichi at Cable Beach Club Resort broome
    Tuck into an Asian fusion menu at Kichi Kichi.

    The dining scene at Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa reflects Broome’s position at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean and Asia, where coastal produce meets a tapestry of multicultural influences.

    Contemporary Asian fusion dishes – from crisp fried pork belly and roast Peking duck breast to Burmese lamb curry – deliver bold, vibrant flavours at Kichi Kichi. While the handmade tortellini filled with pearl meat and prawn served at atmospheric Italian restaurant, Cichetti, is the kind of dish that you will remember long after the final bite. Elsewhere on the menu, find effortless flair across dishes like Wedge Island octopus, market fish crudo and silky goat’s milk panna cotta.

    As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, Sunset Bar & Grill becomes the place to be. Here, guests gather over freshly shucked oysters, cured meat platters and buckets of sweet Exmouth prawns. Or, for a quieter evening in, guests can retreat to the comfort of their room and order from Cable Eats, the resort’s in-room dining service.

    Pools

    Cable Beach Club Resort broome ocean pool
    Relax by the adults-only Ocean Pool.

    Two distinct pool settings invite guests to shape their day exactly as they please. Drift into the calm of the adults-only Ocean Pool, where attentive service delivers dishes such as grilled prawn skewers and salt-and-pepper calamari straight to your cabana or sunbed well into the afternoon.

    The mood at the family-friendly Kimberley Pool – framed by a cascading waterfall, the heart of the resort’s recreational precinct – is decidedly more playful. Here, younger guests are catered for with a dedicated kids’ menu of familiar favourites including chicken nuggets, fish and chips and ham-and-cheese toasties, while parents can graze on more refined poolside fare, such as fried squid, soba noodle salad and gourmet burgers.

    Chahoya Spa & Salon

    Cable Beach Club Resort broome Chahoya Spa
    Book a treatment at Chahoya Spa.

    Chahoya Spa brings a refined sense of indulgence inspired by its Japanese name, meaning “pamper”, with signature treatments including the Kimberley Dreamtime ritual and Chahoya Pearl Massage designed to soothe tired bodies and quiet busy minds. There is also an on-site salon providing personalised cuts, colour services and restorative hair care, ensuring guests leave feeling polished and renewed.

    Other facilities

    yoga class in the buddha sanctuary at Cable Beach Club Resort broome
    Join a yoga class at the Buddha Sanctuary.

    Wellness continues at the Buddha Sanctuary, a serene open-air pavilion just beyond the main resort grounds, where yoga classes are held six days a week amid ornamental gardens and a striking 3.5-metre hand-carved crystal Buddha statue. Beyond the sanctuary, the resort caters to every pace of stay, with a children’s playground, mini golf, tennis courts and a fully-equipped gym. Guests can also browse the resort’s boutique gift shop, home to Allure South Sea Pearls – the brand behind Broome’s first dedicated pearl boutique in Chinatown.

    Book the ultimate Broome getaway at cablebeachclub.com.