Incredible Luxury Getaways from Brisbane
If you fancy a glam getaway close to home, you’re in luck.
If you fancy a glam getaway close to home, you're in luck. Brisbane is blessed with loads of dreamy destinations within a credit card's throw of town, ideal for blissed-out breaks with your partner or posse.
Concrete Playground has teamed up with boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith to round up some of the best luxury hotels and self-catering stays in Australia and New Zealand, including everything from sexy city stays to romantic rustic retreats. And don't worry, we've got you covered for spa hedonism, winery wandering and island hopping, too.
So grab your your wallet and your girl or boy, and go.
Byron Bay Villa
Where: above Wategos Beach, Byron Bay (address details shared on booking), NSW
Even if it wasn't languishing above one of Byron Bay's most blissful beaches (the wonderful Wategos), Byron Bay Villa would get our vote. A double-decked diva of a beach house, this boho pad offers open-plan, white-on-white contemporary interiors with hip retro touches.
Kenzo-striped sofas and cheery patterned cushions stop the styling getting sterile, as do seductive Asian sculptures. Killer Pacific Ocean views are a given (admire them from the lap pool or spa), so look out for dolphins year-round or whales if you're here between June and November. This glam abode sleeps up to eight, with a knock-out kitchen. Then again Bryon Bay's mellow cafés and restaurants are always pretty tempting too.
Spicers Balfour Hotel
Where: 37 Balfour Street, New Farm, Brisbane, QLD
There's nothing like a lazy brunch and a rooftop bar, and we're pretty partial to the petite one at Spicers Balfour Hotel in Brisbane. With skyline city views, it's a sultry spot for an evening rendez-vous – try the Scarlett O'Hara, a moreish mix of Southern Comfort, cranberry and lime.
The Balfour Dining Room is open daily for breakfast and champagne high tea, too, with chef Tyson Buchanan whipping up seasonal, organic fare, best sampled on the breezy Queenslander veranda. Thread counts are high in the nine bedrooms, where tactile sheets by lustworthy Italian label Society ensure a good sleep. Night owls are well catered for, too; New Farm and nearby Fortitude Valley are the Brisbane neighbourhoods du jour, so get out and play.
Capella Lodge
Where: Lagoon Road, Lord Howe Island
Set in an incredible location, elegant escape Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island may be a two-hour flight away, but it definitely ticks the 'getting away from it all' box.
There are a lot of birds here, but you don't have to be a binoculars-toting twitcher to get on a natural high. Soak up views of tropical peaks, turquoise lagoons and coral reefs from the hotel's nine stylish suites, the dreamy infinity pool or the terrace bar, where cocktails and sunset go together like sunglasses and Stevie Wonder. Grab a free bike to tour the island's beaches before returning for some fine dining and spa pampering.
Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa
Where: 2600 Wolgan Valley Road, Blue Mountains, NSW
So, you need a country fix, but don't want to schlep too far from civilisation? Lovers of all things rural will go ga-ga for Blue Mountains boutique hotel Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa.
A luxe eco-retreat set in over 4,000 acres of Jurassic Park-style wilderness, it's less than three hours' drive from Sydney. Once there, work the cowboy look with a spot of horse-riding, mount a mountain bike or just hit the seductive pool or spa. Then again, it's hard to tear yourself away from skinny-dipping in your own plunge pool, which come as standard in the 40 swish, standalone suites. Cate Blanchett and The Sartorialist fashion blog crew are all fans of Wolgan's just-remote-enough charms.
The Cullen
Where: 164 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC
Flex your art muscles at The Cullen boutique hotel in Melbourne, a stylish homage to Aussie art's 'enfant terrible', Adam Cullen. Hip, modern interiors in the lobby and 119 sleek bedrooms are decked out with Adam's vibrant, cartoonish paintings and prints, including iconic Ned Kelly bushranger images.
The ground-floor is a sociable spot to hang out, with brunch and casual bites at the Terrace bistro by day, and Chinese dumplings galore at Hutong by night. Prahran Market is right opposite if you feel a Melbourne foodie moment coming on, and Chapel Street's fashion-savvy shops are a stroll away. For eco-chic exploring, hire one of the bespoke red Swedish pushbikes or a Smart car for the day.
Hotel DeBrett
Where: 2 High Street, Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand is well within mini-breaking distance, so consider going trans-Tasman when you next get out of town. Just a three-hour flight from Brisbane, Hotel DeBrett in Auckland's CBD is the perfect place to roost, just a skip away from convivial Vulcan Lane and High Street's fashion-forward stores (handy for scoping NZ labels such as Kate Sylvester, Zambesi or Karen Walker).
This stylish haven has long been popular with in-the-know locals, who throng the intimate, speakeasy-style Housebar come evening. Brunching at in-house restaurant Kitchen has become a hot weekend ticket, too, and as a guest you'll have first dibs. Bring your shades as the stripy rugs in the 25 rooms are ultra bright; art deco goes Pop.
The Farm at Cape Kidnappers
Where: Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
What do you get when you combine a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle farm with jaw-dropping Pacific Ocean views, a glam golf course and soothing spa? Luxe boutique hotel The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, on New Zealand's dramatic Hawke's Bay in the North Island.
