From international chains making their Australian debuts to boutique accommodation opening above sublime local restaurants, the best new hotels of 2025 all brought different strengths to the scene.

Here are the 11 best new Australian hotels of the year.

1 Hotel, Docklands, Vic

This sustainability-focused, 277-room luxury hotel occupies a historic former docks warehouse built in 1895. Some 2000 original features were restored as part of the site’s rejuvenation, including steel trusses, window frames, timber doors and bluestone pavers (plus more than 4500 square meters of reclaimed timber). The interiors are filled with salvaged materials remade into everything from grand staircases to room numbers to feature walls. There are a number of reasons to beeline here, and Bamford Wellness Spa is one of them. The British-born spa, with its signature timber aesthetic, has a dedicated following in the UK and makes its Australian debut at 1 Hotel. Another first? Celebrated Sydney chef Mike McEnearney’s maiden Melbourne restaurant. From Here champions Victorian produce across breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are 7000 plants throughout the hotel, and rooms are light-filled and peaceful – many with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out across the Yarra River and city skyline. – Katya Wachtel, editorial director

25 Hours The Olympia, Paddington, NSW

After an arduously long lead-up, international hotel chain 25 Hours expertly landed the plane for its Aussie debut. The Olympia in Paddington weaves the heritage charm of the West Olympia Theatre into a designer hotel that feels thoroughly of-the-moment – featuring 109 rooms inspired by the dreamers and renegades of cinema. Smartly, 25 Hours has installed former Kiln head chef Mitch Orr to lead the Sydney outpost of London’s The Palomar. As always, he’s bringing the fire. – Daniel Cunningham, food and drink features editor

Australia Street Suites, Newtown, NSW

How often do you find yourself sitting at the table at a restaurant and wishing the meal would never end? Thanks to the new trend of boutique accommodation opening in conjunction with local restaurants, you can quite literally stay at the restaurant all night. The Paisano and Daughters crew runs a string of uber-successful Sydney restaurants, which sit side-by-side in four heritage-listed terraces on Australia Street in Sydney’s inner west.

Earlier this year, the team opened three two-bedroom apartments above those restaurants, which are collectively known as the Australia Street Suites. The apartments are beautifully kitted out with custom-designed Jardan furniture, AH Beard beds, pieces from local artists Toni Clarke and Kyle Murrell, McMullin & Co mirrors, Sheridan linen and Leif products in the bathroom. They’re generously sized, too, with each suite sitting between 207- and 213-metres-square and sleeping four. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Elysium Noosa Resort, Noosa, Qld

In 2025, we saw a huge investment in Queensland’s hospitality and tourism scene. As the state gears up to host the world in 2032, its hotels are stepping up. This summer, Sofitel Noosa was reimagined as Elysium Noosa Resort. After a major makeover, the hotel includes 175 rooms and suites which each have their own private balconies. In-room toiletries now come courtesy of Australian brand Grown Alchemist. The pool area has been reinvigorated with 120 new sun lounges, a poolside dining menu and a swim up bar.

As part of the rebrand, Sydney hospitality power couple Alessandro and Anna Pavoni are opening their first interstate venues at the hotel. Cibaria Noosa, an offshoot of Cibaria Manly at the Manly Pacific (which is Elysium's sister resort). The Pavonis' dishes will also be available at Bar Capri. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

The Eve, Redfern, NSW

When The Eve hotel opened in Redfern in February this year, there was a flutter of excitement. The Wunderlich Lane precinct, which had been slowly unfurling over months, was finally complete. The SJB-designed boutique hotel features 102 rooms, each with its own private balcony. Bathrooms include lush Saarde products. A 20-metre rooftop pool lined with sun lounges is a huge drawcard.

Sitting at the intersection of Redfern and Surry Hills, The Eve is near a whole host of killer bars, restaurants and cafes, but even without leaving the hotel you’ll be able to sample some of Sydney’s best. Lottie, from top chef Joe Valero, sits on the hotel’s roof and serves some of Sydney’s best contemporary Mexican fare. Downstairs, lobby bar and all-day diner Bar Julius sports one of Sydney’s best ceilings. The precinct itself is also home to Hot Listed venues like Olympus as well as Island Radio, R by Raita Noda and Baptist Street Rec Club. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Grand National Hotel, Paddington, NSW

It wasn’t enough for Josh and Julie Niland to scale up their influential Paddington fish eatery Saint Peter. The restaurant’s new and much bigger address – a former neighbourhood pub – also came with enough real estate to open a handsome boutique hotel upstairs. The couple collaborated with Studio Aquilo on 14 individually designed rooms that pay tribute to the building’s heritage. Each is complete with fish-fat candles, ceramics crafted from fish bones, pieces from well-known local artists (curated by Olsen Gallery), statement wallpaper and more. This is a Niland joint through and through – so you know it’s world class. – Daniel Cunningham, food and drink features editor

Hannah St Hotel, Southbank, Vic

“If you’d taken one of the grand buildings of New York and renovated it again and again over the decades – you’d end up with something layered, something refined. That’s what we’ve done here,” says David Flack, the designer behind the lush interiors of this new Southbank hotel. “It’s the definition of modern nostalgia. It feels old and contemporary.” Brass, steel, and stone are plentiful across this 188-room, $150 million hotel, which will officially open this month in the 62-level Queensbridge Building. Guests have access to a 19-metre lap pool as well as a steam room and sauna. Nathan Toleman’s Mulberry Group (Hazel, Molli, Lilac) runs Hannah Street’s five food and drink venues, as well as room service. The rooftop garden terrace is a must for dusk cocktails. – Katya Wachtel, editorial director

Intercontinental Coogee, Coogee, NSW

The Old Crown Plaza in Coogee is now the five-star escape it was always meant to be. A dramatic facelift unveiled more than 198 rooms and 22 suites wrapped in neutral tones, with an ocean-facing infinity pool and rooftop bar still on the way. Until then, smash some bubbles at Rick Stein’s ground-floor diner with a plate of sashimi. This is barefoot luxury at its best. – Daniel Cunningham, food and drink features editor

The Lodge Wadjemup, Rottnest Island, WA

Move over quokkas, there’s a new icon on Rottnest Island. Co-owned by a group of Western Australian families, The Lodge Wadjemup opened in December 2024, significantly increasing the capacity of accommodation offerings of the island. It describes itself as a “shoulders down escape”, the sort of place where you’re able to shake off your worries and just commit to exploring the island and taking a load off. There are 109 rooms, pools heated to a balmy 28 degrees and on-site restaurants Sunsets and Pelican. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Mondrian Hotel, Gold Coast, Qld

Australia’s first Mondrian hotel opened in June with 208 rooms, including 132 studios and 76 suites as well as private beach houses and a penthouse. Each boasts stunning views out to the Pacific Ocean, Burleigh headland or the nearby hinterland.

The whole thing is lush and designed to meet the needs of every traveller. Studios are designed for couples. One- and two-bedroom suites offer a home-away-from-home feel with full kitchens, living and dining areas and laundry facilities. Two- and three-bedroom houses are set over two floors and include alfresco dining, direct beach access and plunge pools. Then there’s the Sky House, which has its own floor, three bedrooms, a private chef-ready kitchen, a mixologist-ready bar and bathrooms stocked with Le Labo Santal 33. An Italian diner and lobby bar, a seafood-focused grill and a pool club complete the picture. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

The Sundays, Hamilton Island, Qld

Sun, sand and seafood. It’s a winning combination. The Sundays serves up all three in serious quantities. Sitting on Catseye Beach in the heart of Great Barrier Reef, the hotel is the family-friendly alternative to adults-only Hamilton Island retreat Qualia. All 59 rooms can be converted to accommodate families.

The hotel’s food and beverage offering was designed by the Nilands, whose Sydney hotel Grand National also impressed this year. One of the world’s best seafood chefs, Niland is known for his fin-to-tail approach, which uses everything from fish eyes to crushed bones, but at Catseye Pool Club he’s cooking kid-approved dishes to great success. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Additional reporting by Lucy Bell Bird, Nick Connellan, Gitika Garg, Grace Mackenzie, and Che-Marie Trigg.

The Best of 2025 is proudly presented by Square, Kia, NAB and Four Pillars. The hotels in this article were selected independently by Broadsheet's editors.