Hotel recommendations in the nation’s capital

Ahead of an upcoming trip to Canberra, one member asks for advice on hotels in the national capital from our community.

I will be travelling to Canberra early May to receive an posthumous award on behalf of my father. I need somewhere central to stay, nice but not too expensive if you understand.

It is not always possible to find cheap accommodation in Canberra, though prices can vary considerably depending on whether or not parliament is in session. Some good deals can be found if parliament is not sitting or during holiday periods.

While our member seeks a hotel in a central location, this is not as easy as it sounds in Canberra. The city is quite spread out, so finding a hotel near everything is almost impossible. However it is noted that as long as our member has a car, getting around should not be too difficult. There is little traffic in Canberra and the roads are reasonably well-maintained, almost making up for the poor public transport system.

Canberra is really not well serviced by public transport, and its quite spread out, so a car is almost essential. That being said, driving is very easy, no traffic to speak of and good roads with (usually) clear signage. Parking is normally not an issue and much cheaper than Syd/Mel city.

Our member is looking at staying at the Burbury Hotel, which is usually quite expensive, however it is under consideration as a heavily discounted rate is available. The hotel certainly gets a positive wrap from respondents.

Burbury is part of Hotel Realm. Great property. The only real competition to Park Hyatt.

A wealth of other hotels are also given the tick of approval. Some include QT, Hotel Hotel, the Crowne Plaza and Avenue Hotel.

In terms of rooms, I prefer Burbury (although there is very little light), but as a place to stay, I prefer QT. I found Burbury’s breakfast to be so-so, with a nice view. QT’s breakfast, and their Speakeasy bar (through the barber shop!) to be really cool.

The East Hotel also gets a mention as a funky, modern hotel in a good location close to Manuka and Kingston, some of Canberra’s trendiest spots.

[The East Hotel] is pretty good. Built in 2012 (?) so modern and new feel. It goes for the funky hipster vibe in the lobby but the rooms are nice modern hotel suites (ours had a nespresso machine too). Cafe/bar/restaurant is good (hotel prices) but Kingston and Manuka are so close with plenty of choices. Good option if you want south Canberra.

Do you have a suggestion, or perhaps an upcoming trip to Canberra? Join the discussion HERE.

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

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