The $80 stays you never knew about

Desperate for a local weekend away, but don’t want to blow too much cash? There’s a clever solution you may not have considered.

The local road trip is the hottest travel trend of 2020, thanks to that pesky coronavirus.

Luckily we’re blessed with a broad range of accommodation options in Australia, and we’d like to take a moment to focus on a little gem you may be overlooking.

The great Aussie pub stay.

It has a heck of a lot going for it. If you choose well, you can settle in by an open fire or bags the best spot in a beer garden, eat top notch grub, not worry about a designated driver or Uber, and rarely spend over $100 for the night’s accommodation (in fact, rooms start as low as $73 at the moment).

It really is the perfect weekender for those who don’t want to blow heaps of cash.

So here are some quaint, stylish and classic pubs from around the country that are well worth considering for your next mini break.

Grand Hotel, Kookynie, Western Australia

The Grand Hotel in Kooynie. It’s hard to imagine a more authentic outback pub stay.

For a true outback experience, visit Kookynie – a living gold rush ghost town with a quintessential goldfields pub right in its heart. It’s a bit like stepping back in time.

Check out the hotel’s collection of historic photographs, antique bottles and memorabilia and before going to bed make sure you step outside and drink in the incredible stars you can see from this part of the world.

Tanswells Commercial Pub, Beechworth, Victoria

Beechworth is one of the prettiest places in Victoria, and has great food and wine everywhere you look. This gorgeous country hotel is a great place to base yourself, with reasonably priced rooms, great pub grub and old-school hospitality.

The Tamworth, Tamworth, NSW

Settling in for a session at The Tamworth.

In Australia’s country music capital, this traditional rural pub is loved for its delicious local fare created using award-winning local produce. Surrounded by rolling green countryside, the pub has a packed live music program year round, ensuring there is entertainment just beyond the door of your cosy room.

Hahndorf Old Mill Hotel, Hahndorf, South Australia

Head to the Adelaide Hills and the adorable Euro-style town of Hahndorf, where you can settle into the Old Mill Hotel and really make a weekend of it. The kitchen uses top quality local produce in their meals, and there are some great beers behind the bar.

At the back of the hotel is a range of rooms overlooking a quaint tree-lined creek. A great little peaceful weekender.

St Bernards Hotel, Tamborine Mountain, QLD

Drink in the views from this gorgeous accommodation at Tamborine Mountain.

Located on the escarpment over looking Guanaba gorge, northern Gold Coast and out to Stradbroke Island, St Bernards offers breathtaking views, cool mountain atmosphere and old world charm. The food is excellent and the onsite accommodation at Edges Lodges is exquisite. If you’re lucky you’ll get to pat the two resident Saint Bernards, Molly and Syrah.

Tea Gardens Hotel, Tea Gardens, NSW

This is a little slice of paradise about three hours north of Sydney. Set on the picturesque Myall River, the hotel boasts modern Australian food, boutique accommodation and a view to die for.

Healesville Grand Hotel, Healesville, Victoria

Country pub charm in Healesville, Victoria.

With great food, and plenty of top wine from the local Yarra Valley region, The Healesville Hotel is a great spot for a weekend jaunt. The newly renovated hotel rooms are furnished with fresh decor, crisp white linen, and filled with unique character.

Denmark Hotel, Denmark, Western Australia

This is a seriously beautiful part of the south coast. Nab a room at this grand old hotel right on the river and soak up the old school atmosphere. This has been the favoured watering hole for locals since first opening in 1926. You can play pool, eat hot chips, have a beer overlooking the river, and explore the nearby beaches and nearby forests.

Pub in the Paddock, Pyengana, Tasmania

This is one of the oldest pubs in Tasmania, having opened in 1880. You’ll discover rich local history on every wall of the pub, friendly locals, a menu full of pub classics, and lush scenery everywhere you look. Accommodation is basic, but clean and cheap. There’s also a pig on the property named Priscilla (the queen of the paddock) who drinks diluted beer from a stubby. Not a word of a lie.

And that right there is proof.

Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

People travel from miles around to experience the iconic Prairie Hotel.

The Prairie Hotel’s “feral food” menu has been widely spruiked as an unmissable outback experience. To give you a little taste, the “feral mixed grill” boasts kangaroo fillet, emu mignon and camel sausage with red wine native pepper leaf jus.

You can sleep off your robust meal in the Prairie’s outback lodge – a great place to base yourself and explore the nearby Flinders Ranges.