Brisbane

Brisbane’s hotel scene is in the throes of an almighty transformation. A fresh wave of boutique and resort-focused properties now reflects Brisbane’s newfound status as a true destination for travellers, and The Calile Hotel was arguably the most anticipated opening of them all - and for good reason.

48 James St, Fortitude Valley

Turning the heat up in Australia’s Sunshine State, W Brisbane is in the heart of the city, on the edge of the iconic Brisbane River. Bask in exceptional design and contemporary luxury in spacious guest rooms and suites designed to reflect Queensland’s savoir-faire, matched with supreme amenities.

81 N Quay, Brisbane City

The Westin Brisbane is a unique luxury urban retreat with a wellbeing focus located in the garden end of Brisbane’s CBD. The hotel offers exceptional health and wellness amenities, three superb dining outlets, and resort-style facilities, including Brisbane’s first swim-up pool bar, Nautilis.

111 Mary St, Brisbane City

Located in Brisbane’s CBD, the Brisbane Marriott Hotel overlooks the iconic Story Bridge. Celebrating an extensive refurbishment, the hotel features an onsite restaurant, fitness centre, and an outdoor swimming pool. The hotel offers easy access to the Queen Street Mall, Eagle Street Pier, and Chinatown.

515 Queen St, Brisbane City

Located in Brisbane’s CBD, the Hilton is a two-minute walk from Queen Street Mall, ten from South Bank Parklands with the famed Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) nearby. Guests can enjoy an onsite tennis court, fitness centre, and the restaurant Vintaged Bar + Grill, which serves modern Australian cuisine, while the Vintaged Bar offers guests innovative cocktails.

190 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City

The original Emporium Hotel in Fortitude Valley was Queensland’s first luxury, and most awarded boutique hotel in its ten years of operation. Now a new chapter has arrived with the opening of the Emporium Hotel South Bank. On level 21, you will find a spectacular 23m infinity-edge pool and bar with magnificent views over South Bank Parklands, the Brisbane River, and beyond.

267 Grey St, South Brisbane

Located in Brisbane’s CBD, the 5-star Sofitel Brisbane Central features a day spa, outdoor pool, indulgent rooms, and an a la carte restaurant, Thyme2. Brisbane City Hall, Treasury Casino are within a fifteen-minute walk of the Sofitel, and the City Botanic Gardens are twenty minutes away. Stephanies Spa Retreat offers several health and beauty treatments, including their signature cleansing treatment, the Opal Rasul Temple.

249 Turbot St, Brisbane City

A stunning presence beneath the iconic Story Bridge, the Crystalbrook Vincent (formerly Fantauzzo) is a masterful blend of architecture, nature, and art. Inspired by acclaimed Australian painter Vincent Fantauzzo, the six-story hotel immerses creativity and contemporary luxury on every level. Original artworks and giclée prints feature throughout with complimentary art tours, in-room art channels, and libraries.

5 Boundary St, Brisbane City

The eclectic, sophisticated, and curious Ovolo Inchcolm in Wickham Terrace was first constructed in the 1930s, with this being the foundation to drive the artistic concept behind the hotel. Think Gertrude Stein’s Paris salon, where Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso, and Matisse would comfortably rub shoulders while trailblazing ideas and indulging in gourmet food & wine.

73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill

Taking inspiration from New York's famous Flatiron Building, the cutting edge architectural design of FV by Peppers is matched by thoroughly modern facilities, such as indoor cinema, private lounges, an outdoor tropical lounge, skyline pool, yoga studio and gym.

191 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley

The project by acclaimed global architecture firm Woods Bagot - the award-winning designers behind the revitalization of Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves - will take Ovolo The Valley into the new era with a hotel theme inspired by the eclectic culture and iconic history of Fortitude Valley. The interior design for the new hotels 103 rooms focus on creating a whimsical oasis for guests, replete with playful and colourful elements and commissioned art pieces, including custom wallpaper and eclectic furniture and illustrations.

1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

Set in Spring Hill, on the doorstep of Brisbane’s CBD, this Art Series hotel is a luxury boutique hotel unlike any other. Taking its cues from Sydney-born abstract artist Michael Johnson, its self-contained and open plan suits and elegant penthouses offer sprawling views of Brisbane’s romantic skyline.

477 Boundary St, Spring Hill

Spicers Balfour Hotel is an award-winning boutique hotel just minutes from the Brisbane city centre and Howard Smith Wharves, offering luxuriously distinctive rooms and suites that provide a welcoming sanctuary. It’s the perfect space for a city escape, with a chic and stylish interior to match.

37 Balfour St, New Farm

Dan Arnold worked for a year at L’Esperence by Marc Meneau (3 Michelin stars) and six years as sous-chef of Restaurant Serge Vieira (2 Michelin stars). Now back in Australia, Dan and his wife Amelie opened their restaurant in July 2018 in Fortitude Valley. Since then, Dan and his team have been creating tasting menus using ingredients sourced from small producers and local farms.

10/959 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

The food at Otto Ristorante is delicious and unashamedly simple – modern Italian celebrating regional produce. An á la carte menu is offered, together with a tasting and vegan menu and a wine list by Alan Hunter, inspired by a love for Italian varietals. Otto Ristorante was named Wine List of the Year in the National Good Food Awards 2019 and Best Wine List in Queensland in the 2020 Gourmet Traveller Wine Awards.

Sidon Street, South Ban, South Brisbane

Are we to believe that a tiny Brisbane laneway restaurant run by just two people, that seats just 10, and offers only a no-choice menu that is served to everyone at the same time, is the New Restaurant of the Year? Believe it. Joy happens to be the bravest, most single-minded, driven and personal package of all the talented newcomers to grace the Australian dining scene in the past 12 months.

Shop 7/690 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

Prepare for a skip down George Street, where the old heritage-listed bankhas been completely transformed. In its place, you’ll find Donna Chang, a sprawling pink dining room lit with chandeliers, marble tables, and perfectly symmetrical round booths. They will capture your attention with Seinfield-inspired fortune cookies, or reel you in with fresh rock lobsters, crispy duck, and passionfruit custard buns.

Shop 3/171 George St, Brisbane City

If there’s one name that deserves a ranking, we can’t go past Queensland’s Restaurant of the Year. If we’re honest, though, it’s not about the awards, it's the beauty inside that has everyone entranced. Within the gorgeous Calile Hotel, this Brisbane poolside restaurant is a continuation of their signature authentic Greek fare. With a commitment to fresh produce and a curated selection of wine, it’s the perfect place to gather, whether it be alfresco dining or poolside bites with a glass of wine in hand.

Level 1/48 James St, Fortitude Valley

GOMA Restaurant’s philosophy is to deliver a dining experience as contemporary and creative as the artwork that surrounds it. Like the best artists, their menu strives to tell stories. With a focus on local ingredients, working with growers and suppliers to source produce at its peak, profile new ingredients and rediscover forgotten ones. The Gallery aims to minimise its environmental impact by using sustainable, organic, and local ingredients where possible. A similar ethos is applied in selecting their wines, each chosen to matchthe food perfectly or be enjoyed on its own.

Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Pl, South Brisbane

Discover opulence inside Montrachet restaurant. Large windows enclose a lavishly furnished space, creating intimacy for a world of luxury inside; white tablecloths, silver cutlery, rich timbers, and a well-stocked bar are all redolent of a charming Parisian brasserie, and perceptive waitstaff are attentive in fulfilling culinary desires. Brought to life in 2004, Montrachet has continuedto provide an enticing menu filled with refined French cuisine. Delve into either a four or seven-course degustation or take a journey through the a la carte menu, with entrées like pan-roasted scallops, King brown mushroom, mint, and basil pistou and hazelnut sabayon.

Shop 1/30 King St, Bowen Hills

Combining various textures and flavours in pure, refined, exhilarating culinary delights, Deer Duck Bistro invites you to a journey of innovative and deeply satisfying culinary adventure. Hidden away in a little suburb known as Auchenflower, Deer Duck Bistro brings a unique fine dining and degustation experience, served up in a quirky and artistic environment, thoughtfully decorated with French Renaissance furniture, old silver cutlery, crystal whiskey decanters, and antique paintings.

396 Milton Rd, Auchenflower

Parked on the podium of Rydges South Bank, Bacchus doubles as head chef Massimo Speroni’s gastronomic playground. The Italian-born Speroni deals in a rarefied cuisine with its origins in the Mediterranean but ranges far and wide for its inspiration. Champagne lobster is finished at the table with a vibrant green fresh pea foam, while local quail leg and foie gras looks like impressionism on a plate with its flashes of pumpkin and dried flowers. Sommelier Andrew Giblin’s enormous wine list, with its significant Coravin selection, is just as inspired. Bacchus is a hotel restaurant, but not as you know it.

Podium Level, Rydges South Bank, Glenelg Street & Grey Street, South Brisbane

Heritage buildings are hard to find in Brisbane, so just sitting in 1889, Enoteca is a treat. The old 1890s-era Moreton Rubber headquarters is now a brick, wood, and marble-lined tribute to Roman cooking. Enoteca recently celebrated ten years in business; over that time, it’s become a touch more casual but also more authentic. The floor these days run by a bunch of imported pros. Serving up a mains menu of elevated Italian food and exceptional pasta such as a thick-cut pappardelle and the restaurant’s now-iconic pork and fennel sausage gnocchi.

10-12 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba

Alchemy Restaurant and Bar not only offers a luxurious dining experience but also has stunning views as it overlooks the Brisbane River. Alchemy offers both an inside and outside bar, a cheese room for a more intimate feel, and a private dining area to soak up the Brisbane River's sights. The views are amazing, and Alchemy Restaurant and Bar is known for its use of liquid nitrogen in both their drinks and dishes - making it a unique and a special way to dine.

175 Eagle St, Brisbane City

Blackbird is the glamazon of the Riverside Centre, occupying curvaceous upper floor premises that command royal box seat views of the Story Bridge. The third and biggest venture from the owners of swish long-time bar eatery Byblos, Blackbird incorporates an indoor-outdoor cocktail and whisky bar, luxuriant private dining room, and a restaurant that revolves around a giant wood-fired grill that is the only one of its kind in Australia.

Riverside Centre, 123 Eagle St, Brisbane City

Black Hide exudes an intimate and relaxed dining experience that offers something special to local and international diners seeking a memorable culinary experience.

36 Caxton St, Brisbane City

More like a wine bunker, Mr. Chester is changing the typical Brisbane wine bar experience. Every visit is a series of pours punctuated by an ongoing dialogue with the sommelier. They also have a full menu, including cheese and charcuterie, that’s all designed to pair with something in their cellar.

2/850 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

Savile Row is a Fortitude Valley hidden treasure that is hands down one of Brisbane’s best bars – an opulent speakeasy-style vintage lounge bar hidden behind a closed orange door. Step into a darkened entry foyer and part the black curtains to enter a mysterious dark wood-panelled parlour lit by candles, leading to the stunning main bar area, which looks as if it may have been here since Prohibition.

667 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

A highlight of the development of Howard Smith Wharves, Mr. Percival’s has quickly become a new local treasure. The DJ has a bird’s eye view of the venue, perched on a tower in the center of the bar. Witha bug roll in one hand and a spritz in the other, you could spend hours on the deck or pop into the bar for a pre or post-dinner drink.

5 Boundary St, Brisbane City

The small 42-seat venue has moody, darkened tones: wooden tables and chairs, a long black booth, and a mixture of timber and tile flooring. The dominant feature is the open kitchen and an accompanying long, marble bar. Take a seat at the latter, and you can have a good chat with the chefs.

Shop 3/109 Melbourne St, South Brisbane

These guys take their whiskey seriously. One of the few pure whisky bars in Brisbane, Cobbler boasts Scottish, Irish, Japanese, Australian, and Canadian varietals, and the experts behind the bar can discuss the merits of every single dram. The atmosphere here is just right too: walls of recycled brick, moody pendant lights and a huge solid timber bar.

7 Browning St, West End

Winner of the World Luxury Spa Awards 2020 & 2021, The KAILO team is comprised of doctors, wellness practitioners, and paramedical skin therapists to ensure your treatment is personalised to your needs, helping you to reveal your best sense of self.

Level 1/48 James St, Fortitude Valley

Located on level five of the W Hotel is the Away Spa. This sleek and modern spa is a city haven and offers a variety of experiences. Swim in the vitality pools, enjoy the rain showers and aromatherapy steam rooms before you have your treatment of choice. Their offering is broad and you can choose from many treatments including lip treatments, massages, paraffin hand treatments and facials.

81 N Quay, Brisbane City

Heavenly Spa by Westin is located within The Westin Brisbane. Replenish your mind and body with a personal sensory experience from indulgent relaxation massages and cleansing facials to invigorating body therapies. With 5 treatment rooms including 2 couples treatment rooms and a steam room, the Heavenly Spa by Westin is a calming oasis in the heart of Brisbane.

111 Mary St, Brisbane City

Stephanies is a French-inspired Spa Retreat, located within the luxurious surrounds of the Sofitel Brisbane Central. The retreat contains eleven purpose-built spa therapy suites, including the Opal Rasul Temple, the sensory spa lounge which caters for group bookings, and a couples day spa suite. Treatments range from manicures, pedicures, and massages to high-performance facials and exfoliation treatments.

Level 3/249 Turbot St, Brisbane City

Healing Stone Day Spa is a place to relax and rejuvenate. This Japanese spa offers a unique blend of services including ganbanyoku, shiatsu, oil massage, facial acupoint and reflexology.

Level 21/267 Grey St, South Brisbane

If you have time to venture out of Brisbane in the name of wellness, then we recommend Gwinganna. The largest spa in the Southern Hemisphere, it is recognised as one of the most innovative wellness destinations in Australasia. Choose from a range of packages like the seven night Detox, a two night Wellness Weekend or specialty retreats that focus on stress, nutrition, women’s health, sleep or mindfulness.

192 Syndicate Rd, Tallebudgera Valley

The Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) is a single institution located across two adjacent riverside buildings in the Cultural Precinct at Brisbane's South Bank. Its vision is to be the leading institution for the contemporary arts across Australia, Asia, and the Pacific. QAGOMA holds over 17,000 works of historical, modern and contemporary art, and stages a dynamic program of Australian and International exhibitions.

Stanley Pl, South Brisbane

Riverside playground Howard Smith Wharves precinct on the city fringe plays host to a stash of new venues to explore and river views to rival all others. Sip cocktails at Mr Percival's, craft beer from Felons microbrewery, or indulge in a modern Greek feast at Greca.

5 Boundary St, Brisbane City

With its impressive neo-classical façade, mosaic tiles, stained-glass windows and soaring ceilings, Brisbane’s heritage-listed City Hall is at the heart of the city. Discover the secrets of this heritage-listed building with a guided tour, or head upstairs to visit the Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City Council’s leading history and art museum, where you can experience the city’s vibrant culture.

Level 3, Brisbane City Hall, 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City

The Story Bridge is Brisbane’s most iconic structure, experience a unique perspective of the city and its surrounds, from the Glass House Mountains in the north to Moreton Bay in the east and stretching towards the Scenic Rim Mountains in the south, along with the best views of the Brisbane skyline and its surroundings.

170 Main St, Kangaroo Point

Nestled on Brisbane River's beautiful banks, the former power station has become a distinct landmark, both as a stunning industrial creation and as a hub for everything creative. Brisbane Powerhouse boasts a flexible 400-700 seat stage theatre, an 800-viewer open platform and two restaurants.

Yagara Country, 119 Lamington St, New Farm

Eat Street Northshore is Hamilton’s iconic riverfront shipping container food precinct and market. It is also a great place to mingle, browse, meet friends, and absorb the sights, sounds, and aroma as the sun sets over the river and city skyline. Eat Street’s second incarnation is almost double the first, with 180 shipping containers peddling street food, two entertainment stages, and an outdoor cinema.

221D MacArthur Ave, Hamilton