The 12 best hotels in Canberra

For a true five-star experience, you can’t go past one of Australia’s oldest and most treasured hotels. The Hyatt has been a home away from home to rock stars, royals and politicians for almost 100 years, with the property celebrating its centennial year in 2024. Nostalgia echos throughout the heritage-inspired setting and perfectly manicured gardens, with attentive service making it all feel like you’re officially Canberran royalty. The Art Deco rooms are spacious, private and exceedingly clean, which is exactly what you’d expect from a Hyatt property. The spacious marble bathrooms are a standout (especially the deep bathtubs). Don’t you dare skip breakfast, either. The Hyatt’s Promenade Café puts on an impressive buffet spread with all the fixings.

Comfort with a capital C is what you can expect at this boutique hotel set smack bang in the centre of town, within walking distance from ANU, the National Museum of Australia and the hip Lonsdale Street strip. The hotel’s design is best described as luxury chic, but with added political sensibilities – or “politique” as QT likes to call it. There’s Gough Whitlam on your room key, Fidel Castro and Julia Gillard are on the way to the bar, and Barack Obama’s in the mirror. Reserve one night for dinner at Capitol Bar and Grill next door, where the dry-aged Berkshire pork is a narrow order over the wood grill minute steak. 

You may know the name of this designer hotel chain from its outposts in Melbourne and Sydney, but Ovolo Nishi has swiftly become a firm favourite for both Canberrans and travellers alike. Taking over the bones of the former arty establishment Hotel Hotel in 2018, Ovolo Nishi is a true guest-first hotel. Lap it up in one of Ovolo’s 68 stylish rooms, individually furnished with timber, concrete, eucalypt and salvaged Tasmanian tree ferns. Then, max out on the perks, including complimentary continental breakfast, a 24-hour gym, Canberra’s only fully vegetarian restaurant, and maybe most importantly, a free in-room mini bar for those midnight treats. 

If your Instagram feed has been looking a little lacklustre lately, we have a surefire cure: take a bubble bath in a five-star hotel next to a pair of Malayan sun bears. Yes, we’re serious. This is a real, actual thing you can do at Jamala Wildlife Lodge, inside Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium. An overnight stay comes with all the behind-the-scenes perks you’d hope for from a sleepover at the zoo, including a guided afternoon tour; pre-dinner drinks featuring Moët, canapés and a pair of surprisingly adorable hyenas; an African-influenced dinner party next to the aquarium; and lots of Insta-worthy animal encounters.

From the outside, the Little National seems to be mostly a carpark, wearing a hotel as a jaunty cap. Inside though, they’ve managed to create an exceptionally comfortable hotel that is pitch-perfect for business travel. The rooms aren’t huge, but their clever, Japanese-influenced design means you never feel cramped. Automated blackout curtains mean that your sleep is deep and undisturbed, in no small part thanks to the very soft mattress that feels like you’re sleeping on a bed of warm, rising dough. Plus, thoughtful details like ambient lighting, speedy Wi-Fi, free gym access and a 24/7 public library show that this truly is an experienced hotel group.

A short walk from the hip and happening Lonsdale Street, this luxury hotel has the perfect set-up for both pleasure and business travel. It’s all about first impressions at the Deco Hotel, with guests warmly welcomed into the dramatic double-height lobby featuring statement paintings and abstract sculptures. From here, you can ascend into the spacious, light-filled one- or two-bedroom apartments that are fitted with all the modern comforts, including rainfall showers, decked-out kitchens, separate work desks and movies-on-demand. 

When the clock strikes twelve, you’ll want to be fast asleep under the luxe linen sheets at Midnight Hotel. Each guest room features a bespoke custom artwork by New York-born artist Thomas Bucich, a walk-in rain shower and a complimentary mini-bar stocked with boutique food and beverages. Style takes centre stage downstairs too, where you’ll find a large central garden atrium, cascading water feature, complete wellness centre and sophisticated diner, Braddon Merchant, serving modern Australian dishes paired with an award-winning wine list.  

Plan a Canberra adventure with some pals and set up camp inside this cool New York-inspired hotel. Situated a stone’s throw from the hip suburb of Braddon, Avenue Hotel is as cosy as slipping into flannelette pyjamas, but with luxurious touches you wouldn’t expect. With 213 spacious rooms, you can take your pick from no-nonsense king rooms, one-bedroom apartments that boast floor-to-ceiling views of the CBD, two-bedroom apartments with private balconies or a wheelchair-accessible room. Each is fitted with plush ‘Bliss Beds’, dreamy rainfall showers and a fully equipped kitchen in the apartments. You can even splurge on Avenue Hotel’s super-luxe spa suite, which comes complete with a spacious two-person bath.

Barely a 15-minute walk to the door of Parliament House, Hotel Realm’s sense of power is in more than its name. Like a good wool suit, it’s classic, comfortable and formal enough for all occasions. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to get ready for a visit to the halls of influence – coffee pods, Smart TVs and free Wi-Fi. Stay in a suite, penthouse or two-bedroom residence, and you’ll also get a spa bath to warm up in after a long day. Realm is one of the rare Canberra properties to offer 24-hour room service, as well as playing host to the onsite bistro and wine bar Louis Dining, and Canberra dining institution Chairman and Yip.

The corridors and gardens of this historic, Art Deco hotel are steeped in the capital’s political history. For almost a century, the property has served as an interstate base for pollies and public servants, and is best known in the capital for being PM Ben Chifley’s home from 1945-49. The whole place has a kind of refined country club vibe, with a charming courtyard and Garden Pavilion-style building with long, meandering wings that are lined with black-and-white portraits of our nation’s former PMs. Hotel Kurrajong’s 147 guest rooms have been beautifully refurbished with luxe add-ons, including private balconies, alfresco terrace areas, breakfast in bed and high tea at Chifley’s Bar and Grill.

With all bases covered, Burbury Hotel and Apartments boasts a mixture of schmick, classic hotel rooms, fully equipped apartments, smaller studios for bigger groups and wheelchair-accessible rooms. Close enough to the action that you can practically taste it, Burbury shares amenities with its sister hotels across the street, five-star Hotel Realm and Little National Hotel, including their health club, day spa, hair salon and restaurants. Bike hire is available, as are front-row seats at one of Canberra’s best rooftop bars, Leyla, where you can take in sweeping skyline views with a creative cocktail in hand. 

Part of the urban village that is the NewActon Precinct, Peppers Gallery Hotel has set up shop in a renovated 1926 apartment block. The perfect base for exploring the city or for a quick business trip, Peppers’ contemporary rooms range from standards to suites and deluxe rooms with deep baths, plush bedding, rain showers, marble finishes and easy access to Lake Burley Griffin. The hotel also has an impressive sculpture garden, fully-equipped gymnasium, 24-hour room service, library bar and a homestyle Italian trattoria, Bicicletta, right on site.