Prison, bubble? Unique Aussie holiday homes to make you froth

Holidaymakers are spoilt for choice when it comes to quirky accommodation options this summer, from a former prison to luxury ‘reef suites’, an underground cave, even a ‘bubble’.

YHA Freemantle Prison is an option

Holidaymakers are spoilt for choice when it comes to quirky accommodation options this summer, from backpacker-style accommodation in a former prison to luxury ‘reef suites’, an underground cave, even a ‘bubble’.

With the help of booking website Booking.com, and through our own searches of unique stays and short-term accommodation portals, here is a bit of inspo to take your holiday home up a notch this summer.

QUEENSLAND

1. Sleep with the fishes at Reefsuites, Australia’s first underwater accommodation on the Great Barrier Reef. With just two underwater rooms available, competition is fierce and they have a price to match, starting from $1095 per person for a double room with all meals and beverages and reef activities included.

Helloooo dinner!

2. If vino is your thing, here is your to chance to literally sleep in the wine barrel. Adults only Barrel View Luxury Cabins is located in Ballandean and features three barrel cabins set on 40 acres starting from $475.

3. The Polish Place at Mount Tamborine has been rated “superb” by guests on Booking.com and features self-contained European-style chalets set on the escarpment with 180-degree views. Sanctuary by Sirromet at Mount Cotton was also a top pick by the booking website for holidaymakers escaping to the Sunshine State.

VICTORIA

1. Say yes to HOTEL NO in Melbourne, which features six 1970s Airstream trailers decked out as designer accommodation on top of a city carpark. One of those trailers even includes a spa overlooking Flinders Lane. One night will set you back north of $350.

2. For the adults only travellers, glamping is on offer at Goldfield Camping in Clydesdale in Victoria.

3. Not for the faint-hearted, the recently redesigned The Pole House on the Great Ocean Road is suspended 40m above Fairhaven Beach.

Stay away, Antarctic storms. The Pole House, Victoria

4. Forget the old saying, get out of your bubble. At Bubble Retreats, you get to sleep in one at Wilsons Promontory. The winner of Airbnb’s Global ‘OMG’ category for its award-winning star gazing bubbles, it is adults only.

Bubble Retreats lets you sleep under the stars

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

1. Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy is the only international underground hotel, and includes both above and below ground stays, a cafe, opal interpretive centre and an undreground bar and gaming room. It has featured on bucket list must-do places to visit.

Pretty sure this is not what opal miners had

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

1. One of Booking.com’s top picks is backpacker-style YHA Fremantle Prison in Perth, where four nights for two adults and a child costs around $1000.

“Built in the 1850s, with the first convicts occupying it in 1855, all the way up until 1991, YHA Fremantle Prison has rooms with private bathrooms or access to shared bathroom facilities. Most rooms have air-conditioning. Linen is provided,” the listing says.

Despite its dark history, the experience has been rated “very good” by those who have dared to sleep in its confines, which is rumoured to be haunted.

YHA Freemantle Prison is, umm, cosy?

According to The Little House of Horrors, the sound of rattling keychains, disembodied footsteps, voices and visitors who take pictures with the gallows tend to appear headless when they look at it later.

2. At The Lily Dutch Windmill Stirling Range there is a range of unique accommodation to choose from. These include the windmill and an converted yet original 1944 Dakota plane, which costs from $315 a night.

The Lily Dutch Windmill Stirling Range has a plane you can stay in

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

1. If you want to get your blue blood flowing, Thorngrove Manor is more fairytale castle than Frogmore Cottage. Located in Stirling, it features a selection of unique rooms but is only suitable for those who can climb stairs. Rates start from $1599 a night.

Calling all Lords and Ladies ... maybe even Prince Andrew :(

2. In the City of Churches, why not stay in, well, a converted 1858 church.

Located in the Adelaide Hills is Under the Oaks in Hahndorf, you can meader through the historic village and discover the array of shops, wineries, restaurants, galleries and cafes from your heavenly abode.

TASMANIA

1. Picnic Island is 800m offshore from Coles Bay and the Freycinet National Park and just around the corner from the world famous Wineglass Bay. It features five cabins linked to a communal building for meals and get-togethers. The island was a convict stone quarry and is home to penguins, according to the site. It is listed from $1478 per night on Booking.com.au.

Hire an island????

2. Or for just $202 a night on Airbnb, you could stay in a renovated 1820s barn just minutes from Hobart.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

1. Head to the desert and check out Dusty Dog Paradise, which has views of the east MacDonell Ranges.

“Accomodation is a 70’s caravan that has been renovated to be open and spacious,” the Airbnb listing says. “There is an outdoor shower in an old water tank and a composting loo.” It may not be luxe, but it is very NT.

Very NT. Dusty Dog Paradise.

2. We will let it slide (this time) that Bluey is a Queensland creation, but this tiny home in Coconut Grove is pretty sweet.

“This unique and cosy abode features an open plan layout downstairs, offering a kitchen, dining table, sofa and a TV,” the Airbnb listing says.

“Upstairs, a kids’ loft-style bedroom is accessible by ladder, while a paved outdoor area means you can cook up meals to enjoy alfresco on balmy evenings.”

And it will only set you back around $480 dollar bucks for two nights.

Bluey Tiny House in Darwin

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glamping in the goldfields.

Booking.com has released its Booking.com Holiday Home Outlook Report: The Design Edition, which surveyed over 1000 Australian holiday seekers in August 2024.

Three quarters of those surveyed said they were keen to book a house for the summer, but the research found that not every home has been created equal.

Now in its third year, real estate property guru Andrew Winter, interior designer and host of Australia’s Best Home Brie Turton, and interiors addict Jen Bishop, all weighed in on the report, which unpacks the booking decision making process from general factors through to more aesthetic preferences.

Three in ten (31%) survey respondents reveal that they stay in holiday homes regularly, including 10 per cent who indicated they always stay in a holiday home.

A majority of travellers (76%) said that they use holiday homes as a base to explore the surrounding destinations, with almost a quarter (24%) booking a holiday home with the intention to spend most of their time inside the property itself.

And there are plenty of unique stays to create memories ... or maybe nightmares.

Among the quirkiest offerings is a stay at YHA Fremantle Prison in Perth, where four nights for two adults and a child costs around $1000.

“Built in the 1850s, with the first convicts occupying it in 1855, all the way up until 1991, YHA Fremantle Prison has rooms with private bathrooms or access to shared bathroom facilities. Most rooms have air-conditioning. Linen is provided,” the listing says.

Despite its dark history, the experience has been rated “very good” by those who have dared to sleep in its confines, which is rumoured to be haunted.

According to The Little House of Horrors, the sound of rattling keychains, disembodied footsteps, voices and visitors who take pictures with the gallows tend to appear headless when they look at it later.

For a more chilled out experience, Yallingup Villas, also in Western Australia, might be a more sane option.

Over in NSW is Promised Land Retreat in Bellingen, which is set on a stunning 100-acre property with three self-contained chalets.

In Tasmania, among Booking.com’s top picks is Bay of Fires Bush Retreat in Binalong Bay which features a range of accommodation styles including glamping tents.

Also in the Apple Island is Touchwood Cottages, which situated in a historic building in Stanley, and Blackwood Park Cottages Mole Creek, which features several cottage types including one called Hobbit Cottage.

Up north in Queensland,

Finally, Sky House Kangaroo Island was the top pick for South Australia, which offers four luxury homes.

The Booking.com.au research found that the top five interior design styles for holiday homes, as ranked by respondentsm were modern (68%), farmhouse (62%), rustic (56%), mediterranean (55%), and craftsman (48%).

It revealed that there was ongoing strong demand for holiday homes this summer, with 75 per cent of respondents, or roughly equivalent to 14.9 million people, intend to choose this accommodation type when taking a domestic trip.

Three in ten (31%) reveal that they stay in holiday homes regularly, including 10 per cent indicating they always stay in a holiday home.

A majority of travellers (76%) said that they use holiday homes as a base to explore the surrounding destinations, with almost a quarter (24%) booking a holiday home with the intention to spend most of their time inside the property itself.

But the research revealed that it is what is inside that counts.

A majority of travellers (85%) said they make a booking based on the interiors of a home, compared to 15 per cent who book based on th exterior.

As a result of that finding, the report looked at key elements within home interiors, including styles and features.

That analysis found that the top five

interior design styles ranked for holiday homes were:

Modern (68%)

Farmhouse (62%)

Rustic (56%)

Mediterranean (55%)

Craftsman (48%)

In terms of features, ‘cosy and inviting’ topped the list for the most appealing interiors for most travellers (75%), followed by ‘natural and organic elements’ (74%) and ‘minimalist design’ (69%).

Of interior home styles, two-thirds of travellers (68%) indicated that they are most likely to book a modern home that ‘boasts clean lines and open spaces’.

Interior designer and host of Australia’s Best Home Brie Turton said: “As highlighted through Booking.com’s research, we are seeing holiday goers prioritising contemporary, bright spaces that are rich in natural materials and tactile, livable textures.”

“It’s no surprise that this clean interiors aesthetic is popular as more often than not we are looking for homes that showcase the landscape, aspect or coastline of the location,” she said.

“Visually-stimulating spaces of maximalism - rich patterns, colours, layering and textures that draw the eye inwards contrast with how Aussies want to experience a Holiday.”

The research also found colour is an important factor for travellers when booking (71%).

Jen Bishop, founder of Interiors Addict, shared the hues that will be trending over the year ahead.

“2025 will see a wash of warm tones ranging from sunny to moody,” she said.

But colour isn’t just important for interiors, as over half of travellers (51%) also indicated a home’s exterior palette is important when making a booking.

The report also looked at living spaces, architectural style and types of holiday homes.

As a nation that loves the outdoors, it’s no surprise that travellers are drawn to outdoor living spaces and layouts.

A majority (77%) stated the number one reason they would book a holiday home over another is if it had better outdoor living spaces such as a terrace, balcony or courtyard.

Top of mind was outdoor living spaces, such as a terrace, balcony or courtyard (77%), natural light optimisation through skylights or strategically placed windows (70%), large windows or glass walls offering panoramic views (64%), open plan living (63%) and architectural harmony with the surrounding natural environment (48%).

Australiana extends to preferred exterior design styles, with ‘Contemporary Australian’ homes (47%), followed by the classic ‘Queenslander’ (40%) and ‘20th-Century Modern’ (39%) as the most appealing architectural styles.

In terms of home types, the quintessential Aussie ‘beach house’ remains the most desirable holiday home for the second year in a row for half of travellers (50%), followed by ‘country cottages’ (37%) and ‘city apartments’ (35%).

But across all ages, travellers are looking for nostalgic stays, with over half of Gen Z (59%) saying they are most interested in booking a 2000s style home, and over a third of Boomers (37%) most interested in booking a 70’s style home.

The 80s were the least favourite decade of home styles at just 13 per cent preference across all ages.

Younger travellers are more likely to embrace modern amenities, with Gen Z (42%) and Millennials (44%) ranking smart home tech in their top five property features, compared to Boomers (25%).

Travellers are bringing back more than just memories from holidays, with a majority (73%) saying they look for and gain inspiration for their own home from what they have seen in properties they have stayed in.

Interestingly, this was more the case for men compared to women (29% vs 19%).

Originally published as Prison, bubble? Unique Aussie holiday homes to make you froth