powered by logo alt
travelsupermarket.com

Search for your hotel

Questions marked with a * are required.

 * Help

Choose your accommodation

 *
 *
 *
 Help

Pick your dates

 *
 *

Advertisement

Brisbane hotels

Overview                    Prepare                    Get Around                    Highlights

Your hotel in Brisbane will perfectly place you for attractions such as the Mt Coot-tha lookout (offering views of the entire city), the sandy beaches of South Bank, the Koala Sanctuary and the Tangalooma Wild Dolphin resort. Brisbane is also just a 45 minute road trip from the Gold Coast, the premier family destination in Australia.

 the sandy beaches of South Bank, the Koala Sanctuary and the Tangalooma Wild Dolphin resort.........

The city does host several major events each year and it is always best to book well in advance to ensure that you find Brisbane hotels appropriate to your taste and budget.  By comparing prices, you can secure a room at one of the cheap hotels in Brisbane, many of these being the simple and affordable accommodation mainly used by backpackers.  Most Brisbane hotels are in the Central Business District and room rates are usually very reasonable, whether for five star luxury hotels or for more simple mid range hotels.

If you like to shop, aim to stay near the Queen Street Mall.  If it is nightlife that appeals, book a hotel in Fortitude Valley, and if you've come to see the sights, stick to the main Brisbane isthmus and stay within walking distance of South Bank and the botanic gardens.  In Kangaroo Point, there are great views and great prices to match, so look here for a bargain hotel room.

 

Overview

Overview

Brisbane is positioned as 'Australia's New World City'. Blessed with a lush subtropical climate and smiling insouciance, Brisbanites know how to enjoy themselves, and the feeling is contagious.

See

Explore the city centre's attractions of City Hall, the City Botanic Gardens and the Conrad Treasury Casino. Slip across the Brisbane River to the South Bank with its beach and market and soak up some culture in the excellent Gallery of Modern Art (aka GoMA), Queensland Museum and Queensland Art Gallery. Meet Australia's favourite animals at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and hand-feed koalas, kangaroos or hold a snake.
Spend

Brisbane's climate and affluence make air-conditioned shopping malls perennially popular. Pick up designer fashion at the Queen Street Mall, in the designer precinct of Ann Street with Easton Pearson, Akira, Sass & Bide or at nearby Queens Plaza. Brisbane's markets such as the South Bank Arts & Craft Market are a great place to hunt down arts, crafts and souvenirs, from the kitsch to the downright beautiful.
Get Out

Brisbane's City Botanic Gardens lounge alongside the river and bring Brisbane's tropical identity to leafy life; there's more lush vegetation at the vast Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens. Go rock-climbing up Kangaroo Point Cliffs. The former shunting yards for the city's cargo trains have been reinvented as the Roma Street Parklands. Spot herons at the Boondall Wetlands Reserve edging Moreton Bay, or drive 20 minutes out of town for Brisbane Forest Park – 50,000 hectares of pristine, undulating bushland. Catch a live game of Rugby League, Rugby Union or Australian football depending on the time of year.

Culture

There's one place to go for culture in Brisbane - the Queensland Cultural Centre on the South Bank, home to the Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art or GoMA, State Library and Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Major theatres in the city include the Brisbane Arts Theatre and Powerhouse.
Eat & Drink

For the fusion flavours of modern Australian fare at its finest, try the restaurants in the city centre and surrounding suburbs. Relaxed alfresco dining typifies the eateries dotted throughout Fortitude Valley and New Farm. Experiment with cross-cultural vegetarian and organic foods in the West End, or dig into bacon and eggs in Milton or Paddington. Alternatively visit Woolloongabba for a range of cafés and restaurants to suit all tastes.
New Perspective

The CityCat ferry service links the city centre to the suburbs, but it's also a great way to take in the Brisbane vibe from a cooling riverine perspective – with the added charm of the CityCat's speed; cats depart every 15 minutes and take 1 hour, 10 minutes from end to end. Alternatively, take a 30-minute 'flight' in the Wheel of Brisbane in the South Bank precinct for unrivalled views.

Prepare

Prepare

Bring your beach clothes, a hat, some suntan lotion and a suitcase full of friendliness.

Brisbane Year

Tap your toes at the Brisbane Blues Festival in March, and watch the Brisbane International Film Festival flicker to life in late July. The annual Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival is held in August. A highlight of the Brisbane calendar is the August Royal Queensland Show, better known as 'Ekka', short for Exhibition. The fun continues in September with Brisbane Festival, a colourful array of diverse events set over three weeks across the city. Hear some spoken-word performances in the same month at the Brisbane Writers Festival.
Public Holidays

New Year's Day (1 Jan), Australia Day (26 Jan), Good Friday (Mar/Apr), Easter Monday (Mar/Apr), Anzac Day (25 Apr), Labour Day (early May), Queen's Birthday (Jun), Royal Queensland Show Day (Aug), Christmas Day (25 Dec), Boxing Day (26 Dec).
Weather

Brisbane's climate is subtropical year-round. Winter nights (Jun-Aug) can be unexpectedly chilly and in summer (Dec-Feb) high temperatures can climb up to 40°C. Average summer temperatures are a comfortable 25°C to 30°C, but the humidity can be stifling. Spring and autumn are the most meteorologically blessed times of year, with cool, sunny days and mild nights.
Electricity

240V AC, 50 Hz, three-pin plugs are standard (two flat angled pins and one vertical).
Dialling Code

+61 (national), (0) 7 + eight-figure number.
Money

Australian dollar (AU$) is the currency.
GMT

GMT +10.
Brisbane Tourist Info

Brisbane Tourist Board website

The Visitor Information Centre website

Fit In

Casual-tropical has always been the Brisbane style. Once that would have meant safari suits and knee-high socks; these days, think street and casual wear. Rare is the occasion when you will be made to feel under-dressed in Brisbane.

Highlights

Highlights

Brisbane's great, green and often very cuddly outdoors appeals to the sun-starved, while the aircon-dependent can take advantage of myriad indoor attractions.

Several of Brisbane's most prominent attractions are in the thick of the city. Once working class, the South Bank is now a colourful and leafy area of manmade beaches, restaurants and bars. Almost directly opposite, on the fringe of the city centre, is the Conrad Treasury Casino, housed in the impressive confines of the former state treasury, appropriately enough. Spot them all from above as you climb the Story Bridge day or night.

The City Botanic Gardens are a green haven amongst the Central Business District, while the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art are two of Australia's most dynamic exhibition halls. If that all sounds too much like hard work, take a brewery tour through the behemoth that is the XXXX Ale House.
Sightseeing Tips

Book tickets to events at the Queensland Cultural Centre at the Qtix box office at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Many of Queensland's major museums don't charge an entry fee.

Content provided by Frommer's Unlimited © 2009, Whatsonwhen Limited.



RedDot