Are you looking for Where to stay in Brisbane? The best areas to stay in Brisbane are Downtown, Spring Hill and South Brisbane. In addition to these, there are other very interesting ones, which may even be a better option depending on what you are looking for. Know them!
Brisbane lies reclining on the banks of the river of the same name, on the coast of the Coral Sea. The state capital of Queensland, the third largest city in Australia, is cheerful, dynamic and cosmopolitan; a city in which nature and modernity coexist in total harmony.
The Australian capital can boast of having a privileged subtropical climate, which gives it an average annual temperature of 17 ° C. A temperature that allows you to stretch the summer to unimaginable limits and live an atypical winter and very different from.
Brisbane is a different city and you have to go with an open mind because it always breaks the patterns of who visits it. If you are thinking about packing your suitcase or have already booked your flight and need ideas and information about what are the best areas to sleep in Brisbane, we provide all the information you need to make your stay “to ask for a visit”.
Where to stay in Brisbane?
Brisbane is one of the largest cities in the country, so it has a wide range of accommodation and also quite varied. Among its neighborhoods, here called suburbs, you can find from modest 2 and 3 star Bed & Breakfast hotels, hostels and backpackers (accommodation for backpackers) to luxury hotels and resorts with an infinity of services and amenities.
As it happens in all cities, the closer you get to the center, the more expensive the accommodation will be. The most expensive suburbs are the Downtown District, Spring Hill and South Brisbane. The average price of accommodation does not fall below 90 to 100 us dollars.
Also, the most economical neighborhoods are New Farm, Fortitude Valley or Kangaroo Point. As an added advantage, they have a good offer of hotels for backpackers or backpackers, which allow saving a few US dollars to those seeking to stay in cheap Brisbane.
Each suburb has its own attractions and charms, its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we tell you all the information you need to know about each of them.
1. Central or Central Business District
This suburb covers a good part of the city center. As its name suggests, a good number of companies and business centers are concentrated in its streets, many of them specialized in financial services, information technologies and public services.
It is vertebrated by The Queen Street Mall, a long pedestrian street that brings together more than 700 shops, shops of international designers, as well as a good number of bars, restaurants and cafes.
This district is also known for hosting numerous shopping centers, such as Queens Plaza, one of the most exclusive, Wintergarden or Myer, which contains more than two hundred stores, making it the largest in the city.
From here there is also little distance to the historic center, where the City Hall, the Brisbane Museum, the popular King George Square or Treasury Casino are located. Also, other points of interest are nearby, such as the Botanical Garden or the Queensland University of Technology.
The street map of this neighborhood can be traversed without problem on foot, which is also the best way to know the ins and outs of this Australian city. But it is also possible to do it by public transport, in the Loop Bus.
It is free, it is taken at the stops marked in red and goes through the neuralgic points of this area. It has some interesting stops from the tourist point of view, such as the Botanical Garden or the town hall.
Staying in Brisbane in this area is a good option for travelers who want to be close to the main tourist attractions, dispense with public transport or feel the throbbing and bustle of the city. Fortunately, the accommodation offer is very wide, although the prices are high. The average is around 90 US dollars per night.
2. Spring Hill
This neighborhood is about two kilometers north of the Central district. It houses one of the oldest residential areas of the Australian city, as a good account of it is given by the luck of beautiful original houses of the nineteenth century that decorate it. Although, with the renovation of the city, these are mixed with buildings and other houses of new construction that give it a very eclectic air.
In this suburb, where a more tranquil environment reigns, nature takes on a leading role. And in the eastern part, you’ll find Roma Street Parkland, one of the largest subtropical gardens in the world, full of paths, fountains, themed gardens and even an amphitheater.
You will also find other places of interest, such as the Old Windmill, the oldest building in the city which houses an old windmill, or the Spring Hill baths is the oldest in the state.
The advantage of this district is that it is less than twenty minutes by car from Brisbane Airport and less than two kilometers from the center, so it can be reached by taking a walk. But if you need to resort to public transport, you can use the Loop Bus route 30, which, in addition to being free, arrives at the center. Remember that buses on this line use a yellow badge.
Spring Hill is an excellent choice for sleeping in Brisbane, especially for travelers fleeing the hustle and bustle of downtown, but who also do not want to be too far from the urban heart. Being a central district, prices are still high. But, if you are a forecaster, you can get a 4-star hotel for around 70 US dollars.
3. South Brisbane (South Bank)
This district stretches along the south bank of the Brisbane River, close to the heart of the city. In a few years, it has become one of the most dynamic and popular areas of this Australian city.
The reason is that its streets were the headquarters of the Exhibition of 1988, which meant a huge transformation of the neighborhood. The old factories and the old houses disappeared and an endless number of modern cafes, restaurants and hotels appeared.
But the great attraction of South Brisbane is Southbank, a gigantic recreational area that includes a wide range of points of interest, such as Parklands, which houses the Peace Pagoda, Grand Arbor, a gazebo with more than one km in length, the Ferris wheel, the Maritime Museum of Queensland, the artificial beach of Streets Beach or the convention and exhibition center.
Also, lovers of art here can recreate with the church of San Andrés or with the old municipal chambers. It is excellently connected to the Centro district through several bridges – Victoria, Goodwill and Kurilpa. In addition to speeding up (it does not take more than ten minutes walking) your routes to the center, offer a nice walk.
You can also get to the heart of the city by ferry, by bus to the South Bank Busway and Cultural Center stations or by train, either to the South Bank Station, very close to the Parklands, or to South Brisbane, near the museum. Queensland
It is a good option to stay in Brisbane. Being a central area and with great dynamism, the accommodation offer is wide and is not excessively expensive. In fact, the average price of hotels is 80 US dollars.
4. Fortitude Valley
Popularly known as “The Valley”, it is located in the northwest part of downtown Brisbane. It is one of the most unique suburbs, because in its street there coexists a very sophisticated environment with a more grunge one.
This aspect is very visible in the numerous alleys decorated with peculiar and striking graffiti, which you can discover on your own or through a tour.
It is also one of the epicenters of leisure and night entertainment. A good account of it gives the numerous discotheques, bars and premises with live music, like Judith Wright Center of Contemporary Arts.
As an added incentive, here is Chinatown Mall, which, as the name suggests, is an ode to China. It is full of shops, stalls, shops, markets, bars and restaurants of Chinese tradition where you can find the unimaginable.
This suburb houses the Fortitude Valley train station, where all urban and suburban lines stop, including the one that connects to the airport.
It is one of the most interesting areas to stay in Brisbane, especially for those who seek to enjoy and live the most festive face of the city and, at the same time, be close to the center.
As in the rest of Brisbane, the accommodation offer is generous. In addition, the prices are very reasonable being able to find in low season offers in hotels of 4 stars for little over 60 US dollars.
5. New Farm
This neighborhood is next to the Brisbane River, just over two kilometers from the center and very close to Fortitude Valley. Known as “little Italy”, as it is the home of many Italian immigrants, it has always been one of the favorite areas to enjoy active tourism and relax, as it hosts an endless number of green areas.
An example is New Farm Park. This huge green lung extends to the southeast and is the place chosen by locals and visitors to enjoy Mother Nature. Another attraction of this neighborhood is The Powerhouse, a popular building that offers a wide range of activities, concerts, exhibitions …
As we have said, this suburb is not far from the urban center, so you can get there by taking a nice walk. But if you want to use public transport, you have several alternatives: ferry, which is caught in Brunswick, and CityCat boat, which stops at Sydney Street and New Farm Park.
Here, the offer of hotels is not as generous as in other parts of the city. The advantage is that it allows you to stay in Brisbane cheap, much more than other suburbs near the center. If you book in advance, you may be able to book a hotel for around 45 US dollars per night.
6. West End
This neuralgic neighborhood, located very close to the South Bank, is one of the most eclectic and with more personality than many make up the heart of the city.
Among its streets are mixed cafes and local hipsters and unique art galleries, which exhibit works of local artists, with boutiques, street markets, in whose stalls sell a wide range of organic products, and with a kind of restaurants, in which It is possible to taste any type of gastronomy.
Like all suburbs of Brisbane, West End is well connected to the center by public transport. The 199 BUZ, 192 and 198 bus lines and the CityCat ferries. You can take on Orleigh Street, will leave you in the heart of the city in a few minutes.
Perhaps, the hotel offer in this neighborhood is the most limited in Brisbane. Predominant accommodations for backpackers or backpackers, which come out cheaper. As regards the rest of the lodgings, they tend to have prices that are not suitable for scarce budgets. As a general rule, prices start at 90 US dollars per night.
7. Kangaroo Point
East of the Brisbane River, between Fortitude Valley and Downtown District, you’ll find this downtown neighborhood. It is lively, modern and also keeps some of the most special corners of the city, such as the cliffs.
They are located just across the river and allow you to enjoy some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city, especially beautiful when the sun is picking up. Here you can also do climbing, abseiling, cycling, savoring a barbecue or simply enjoy the views. Also, you can recreate with the beautiful views offered by the viewpoint, which do not disappoint and leave in your eyes an image to remember.
Undoubtedly, one of the surprises that this neighborhood has is Story Bridge. It is one of the few bridges that can be climbed. Of course, our recommendation, for safety and to enjoy much more of the experience, is that you do it accompanied by a guide. Once on top, you can see a bird’s eye view of Brisbane.
If you want to be close to nature and also to the center, this suburb is an area to consider for sleeping in Brisbane. The offer is varied and you can find from discrete 2-star hotels for about 34 US dollars per night to other 4-star hotels from 90 US dollars.