Travelogue: A Retro Motel With Palm Springs Vibes and More Travel News This Week

Flights: news, sales and special deals

Fiji Airways has launched a flight sale to Japan and Canada. Snap up return tickets to Tokyo from $899, or to Vancouver for $1599, across a range of dates extending to June 2027. With these routes travelling via the airline's Nadi hub, you could even add a Fiji stopover – lock it in before the sale ends on July 14.

Virgin is offering a new direct route from Canberra to Bali. The airline will operate three weekly return flights between Canberra and the Indonesian island, removing the need to travel via Melbourne and Sydney. Start planning your escape.

Hotels: news, deals and openings

Sydney | New South Wales

Just over an hour from Sydney, Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury Valley sits on eight hectares of tranquil gardens, with views to the Blue Mountains. The hotel is set to launch a luxury bathhouse and contrast therapy circuit that rivals anything you’ll find in the capital cities with the new Aura Spa & Bathhouse. You’ll find mineral pools, an outdoor cold plunge and barrel sauna, a traditional cedar sauna, steam room and a dedicated float room with two tanks set beneath a ceiling dotted with twinkling lights that recalls a sky full of stars. Aura Spa & Bathhouse opens September 1.

Adelaide | South Australia

Taking over the former Hilton site in Adelaide’s CBD, Amora Adelaide has opened after a $73 million transformation. The redesigned lobby features soft tones of sand, eucalyptus and ochre, with banquette seating and ample spaces to meet, work and dine. In the months ahead, the hotel will unveil further transformations across the building’s 19 floors, with guest rooms and food offerings – including all-day dining spot Victoria’s Table and the fire-focused Coal Cellar & Grill – also set for a refresh.

Boutique stays: news, deals and openings

Sydney | New South Wales

The South Coast has scored a revamped boutique stay with Dolphins Motel in Mollymook. With 10 studios and a family-friendly three-bedder on offer, this retro charmer is a stone’s throw from the beach and an ideal base to immerse yourself in the town’s unhurried pace. On-site, there’s a pool to dip in, a breezy cafe that has you covered for breakfast all the way through to afternoon drinks (order to your room or poolside, if you like), plus complimentary cruiser bikes, soft-top surfboards to take down to Mollymook Beach, and garden table tennis. Look for the four-metre illuminated motel sign: it’s Palm Springs meets classic Australiana.

Hobart | Tasmania

In lush coastal bushland on Tasmania’s east coast, Saffire Freycinet inspires deep immersion in the surrounding landscape. Now, a beguiling new offering invites you to look up and discover the galaxies, meteorites and nebulae visible in Tasmania’s dark skies with Saffire After Dark, a guided tour of the cosmos led by an astronomer. Worlds away from the light pollution of the capital cities, you can enjoy peak Milky Way visibility, a look into deep space aided by high-powered telescopes and the potential for breathtaking aurora sightings. Available as a complimentary activity to guests staying at Saffire.