Australia’s best hotel rooms: Crown Towers, Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, JW Marriott
Who doesn’t dream of a suite escape, with private butlers, designer furniture, chefs on call and amazing views?
Who doesn’t dream of a suite escape? Private butlers, designer furniture, chefs on call, amazing views. Australia’s leading hotel suites range in size and price, from a few hundred dollars a night to the sky’s the limit, but all promise privacy and plenty of luxury extras. These are the most expensive hotel rooms in Australia.
The Sydney Suite, Park Hyatt Sydney
When the Park Hyatt added a new suite a decade ago, builders had to crane in the custom-made bathtub and hefty marble coffee table. What they didn’t need to reconfigure were those views, arguably the best and most intimate in the Emerald City. The Sydney Opera House squats almost within arm’s reach; a soak in the tub provides a fascinating peek up into the Harbour Bridge’s underbelly; a large outdoor terrace affords near 360-degree city vistas. The details: two bedrooms, 1000 thread-count sheets, dry sauna and steam room, fancy Japanese loo and Aesop unguents. It's no wonder it makes the list of the most expensive hotel rooms in Australia.
Presidential Suite, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa
A top-to-toe, $35m, eight-month renovation by the building’s original designers, Australian design studio DBI, has delivered bright and breezy rooms with an “elevated” aesthetic: natural timbers, local stone and a soothing palette of pale blue and grey. Long popular with families, the rebranded resort now has broader appeal. The Executive Suite includes separate living and dining areas and a balcony overlooking the resort’s lagoon pool and out to sea. The premium Presidential Suite is even larger, the master bathroom featuring a whirlpool tub. That famous meandering lagoon pool with rocky waterfalls and white sand beaches remains at the heart of resort life.
Crown Presidential Villa, Crown Towers Melbourne
Australian hotel design specialist Blainey North let opulence be her guide in reimagining Crown Towers Melbourne’s top-flight suite. A dramatic gallery-style entrance foyer with French panelling sets the scene. Rambling across more than 1000sq m, this high-rise high-roller bolthole is a showcase for Australian art and fancy fittings: bar stools inspired by the interiors of luxury sports cars, bedheads that follow the lines of a superyacht. It goes without saying there is also 24-hour butler service. These luxe details are just some of the reasons that put Crown Towers Melbourne on the list of the most expensive hotel rooms in Australia.
The Grace Villa, Eos By Skycity, Adelaide
The smartest new suite in the city sprawls across 305sq m, offering slick entertaining spaces with long views across the River Torrens and Adelaide Oval to the Adelaide Hills in one direction, the distant sea in the other. The light-filled rooms (and outdoor terraces) embrace a pared-back Japanese aesthetic featuring a palette of soft greys, wabi-sabi style ceramics and stylish light fixtures. There are two bedrooms, big TVs and tubs, a private gym and sauna, and butler’s kitchen with secret entrance (so there’s no need for chef to interrupt guests). The dining table seats 14; a team of on-call staff is at hand to help make any stay extra special: mixologists, stylists, personal trainers and spa therapists.
Crown Presidential Villa, Crown Towers Perth
Arguably the country’s poshest suite, this vast and luxurious pad spans two storeys and 715sq m. Of course, this is on the list of the most expensive hotel rooms in Australia. The double-height great room has a white baby grand and stunning bespoke carpets and furniture commissioned by sought-after Texan designer Michael Fiebrich. Everything is oversized, from the striking, 2.5-tonne contemporary chandelier to the squishy sofas and ginormous bathtubs. There are four bedrooms with freestanding Jacuzzis, a pool room (of the balls and pointy sticks rather than aquatic variety), study, massage room and private butler’s kitchen, plus Perth’s best views from floor-to-ceiling windows and a wraparound balcony. This month, the new Crown Towers Sydney at Barangaroo will unveil an even larger suite, split level with an outdoor swimming pool off the master bedroom and 360-degree views taking in the Bridge, Opera House and Walsh Bay.
Private Pavilions, Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania
At the acclaimed Saffire Freycinet lodge at the gateway to Freycinet National Park on the island’s east coast, every suite is special, affording long views across blue waters to the mountains. Pick of digs, however, are the four Private Pavilions, each with separate living area and kitchen, and chef on call if you fancy a private dinner. A secluded courtyard has a small plunge pool.
Presidential Suite, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
From the 34th floor of this well-loved hotel, tucked between The Rocks and Circular Quay, the two-bedroom Presidential Suite offers stunning harbour vistas from every room through floor-to-ceiling windows. Extras can include a private dinner whipped up by Francesco Mannelli, head chef at the hotel’s Mode restaurant, or a cocktail masterclass led by Grain’s chief bartender, Adam Lau. Almost anything can be delivered by dialling room service but bespoke breakfasts and canapes and cocktails are also available in Lounge 32, two floors down.
John Olsen Penthouse, The Olsen, Melbourne
For the art lover, a 14th-floor penthouse combining a great outlook over the Melbourne skyline with original works by beloved Australian artist John Olsen makes the perfect South Yarra retreat. Poised above Chapel Street, the suite features a large terrace and impressive eight-seater spa. Two ensuite bedrooms are augmented by three large televisions, a well-stocked kitchen, dining table for 10 and a cosy gas fireplace, perfect for Melbourne’s chilly winter evenings. Guests are welcome to borrow one of the hotel’s gratis Smart Cars, just the thing for navigating those snug laneways.
The Ritz-Carlton Suite, The Ritz-Carlton Perth
With a large furnished balcony overlooking the Swan River and city skyline, the 18th-floor Ritz-Carlton signature suite is all about old-school, five-star style: Frette linen, goose-down pillows and a swish marble bathroom with deep tub set at the window, rainforest shower and dainty Asprey unguents. With towering windows throughout, the suite has a separate living room and study, dining room and kitchenette.
Roaring Tom’s Apartment, Ship Inn Stanley, Tasmania
Snugly settled on Tasmania’s northwest coast overlooking the oft wild waters of Bass Strait, this charming 1849 inn was reimagined as a cosy, contemporary retreat about 18 months ago. Two new suites have been added this year: Van Diemen’s, with fantastic ocean views, and Roaring Tom’s, named for the bellicose seafarer Thomas Holyman. Tom’s pad is the perfect foil to those chilly Tassie winter (and sometimes summer) days, featuring a large stone fireplace and proper log fire, thick stone walls and charming light-filled kitchen. With the inn’s trademark vintage Scandi-cum-old-sea-dog interiors, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment has plenty of alfresco areas, including an upstairs patio with great bay views.
Extreme WOW Suite, W Brisbane
W suites are custom-designed for the cashed-up millennial entertainer, and the group’s Brisbane outpost is no exception. Think mirrored ceilings and sexy black timber floors, long low seating, a large fully equipped bar (and requisite powder room), oversized TVs and top-notch sound system. The theme is Aussie nature, complete with quirky cushions, boomerang-shaped coffee table and a metallic bathtub “reminiscent of a 10-gallon drum”. And a level-33 position provides great views through a wall of glass to the city, river and mountains.
Midnight Suite, Midnight Hotel, Autograph Collection, Canberra
Part of a mixed-use development designed by Fender Katsalidis, the aptly named Midnight Hotel tends towards moody interiors; bathroom soaps are black and premium suites claim a palette of rich blues, burgundies and slate grey. Overlooking an internal atrium, and with custom works by acclaimed artist Thomas Bucich, the living area features a guest bathroom if you’re entertaining. The complimentary minibar is stuffed with local goodies: Nick O’Leary Wines and ale courtesy of neighbouring microbrewery BentSpoke. Personalised stays are part of the suite experience; if you have a favourite gin or whisky, you’ll likely find it in your bar.
Lenna Penthouses, Lenna of Hobart
The penthouses atop the Lenna of Hobart, off Salamanca Place, offer sweeping views of the city’s historic waterfront and across to Mount Wellington. Sliding doors from the bedrooms and living areas open on to a private wraparound balcony. The suite can be booked with two, three or five bedrooms and includes a fully equipped kitchen.
This story was originally published in April 2021 and has since been updated.