If you are planning a holiday of a lifetime then Australia has to feature pretty much top of your list as your choice travel destination. There’s no doubt that Australia is choc-full of experience that will make your holiday unforgettable, here are just a few things to do whilst on holiday in Australia. But why not raise the stakes? Your accommodation, whilst nice, is usually just there to provide a bed for you to flop down in once you’ve filled your day with activities. Now your accommodation can really be something to write home about if you choose any of the places featured below. So don’t just have an Australian holiday, have an Australian experience of a lifetime without even having to set foot outside your hotel door!
The Desert Cave Hotel
Ever wondered what it would be like to live ina  cave? We’ve all had those fantasies as children where we make our own little ‘caves’ and pretend to be cavemen. Well now you can make that fantasy a reality – apart from the caveman bit of course, that’s entirely optional! The hotel is situated on the site of a large opal mining area, some of which are still in use. Visitors can also try their luck at mining for opal, said to be more beautiful than diamonds! The Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, SA allows you to experience life in an underground setting. Not only will your rooms be underground, but also shops and bars making it the ultimate underground experience!
One of the plush rooms at the Desert Cave Hotel
But just because your setting may be ancient doesn’t mean that the facilities will be – all rooms come with mod cons such as in-house movies, mini-bar and refridgerator, WiFi etc. The hotel also has a pool, the world’s only underground bar and gaming area and plenty of shops and opal display areas where you can marvel at the opal that used to be mined here as well as purchase your own souvenir of a very unique experience.
Rooms are large and airy and past customers have commented on how they’ve had the best night’s sleep of their lives!
Wilson Island
We’ve all had the dream of being shipwrecked on our very own desert island – it’s the place we go to inside our heads when our lives become a stressful blur. Wouldn’t it be lovely if it were to come true? Imagine, your very own beach, just you and nature, no sound except the lapping of the sea on the sandy shore. Wilson Island is the place where those dreams come true! This island paradise is just above the Tropic of Capricorn and is surrounded by the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef. You could choose to have the island all to yourself, or you could organise a group of you, perhaps for a hen/stag party or a wedding. The island is kitted out with 6 permanent tents complete with hammocks, an open kitchen where you can help yourself to snacks, a large dining area – all meals are of course included and a social area.
This is seclusion of the very best kind – don’t take your mobile phone or laptop – as this is about escaping from the trappings of the modern world and rediscovering what’s really important. You won’t ever want to leave the island and will return home with a whole new perspective on life. Nature lovers will also not want to miss the magical moment when loggerhead turtles lumber out of the sea to lay their eggs – or later in the season, the tiny baby turtles hatching and flapping their way into the ocean. You can also explore the Great Barrier Reef with a spot of snorkelling, or you can just lie in your hammock and feel all those stresses lift away.
This really is a unique experience that most of us only get to dream about. It’s yours to experience!
Canopy Tree Houses
If you like getting close to nature then you can’t get much more up close and personal than this – a tree house in the middle of the Australian rainforest! The Canopy Tree Houses accommodation comes in three options; 2 bedroomed treehouses made from timber and glass that come fully kitted out with kitchen, spa bath, hammock and BBQ; a large three-bedroomed tree house perched on the highest point of a ridge giving the most amazing view of the valley below and again, with all mod cons and thirdly, for those who aren’t keen on heights there s the Rainforest Unit which is built on ground level and comes with two bedrooms, wood burning stove, fully equipped kitchen, laundry and BBQ.
One of the tree houses nestled in amongst the rainforest.
The entire accommodation is situated amongst 100 acres of ancient rainforest in the Cairns Highlands that is reserved for the use of guests only – your own private nature reserve teeming with wildlife that include the elusive platypus, rare Lumholtz Tree Kangaroos, Green Possums and many more. You don’t even have to go out looking for these creatures as many of them will come to you, all you have to do is wait! And whilst you are waiting why not avail yourself to one of the many spa packages on offer that will leave you feeling refreshed and revitalised.
This is a perfect sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the city; a place where you can re-charge your batteries and lose yourself in the natural wonders of the Australian rainforest.
Mount Gambier Jail
Now most people do whatever it takes to avoid being sent to jail, but in Mount Gambier in South Australia the locals will do anything to get sent there! That’s because The Mount Gambier Jail is now a unique hotel where the cells have been fitted with a few more basics to turn them into double or single rooms.
The accommodation largely caters for backpackers and travellers as it’s too small to offer any luxury accommodation. There are 2 double rooms, 19 twin cells and the rest are dorms. There is a large kitchen for self-catering guests but if you don’t feel like cooking you can visit the Jail’s restaurant and eat to your fill for as little as $10 for a 3 course meal – there will be no slops on offer here! A fine A la carte menu is available.
There is also a games yard where the inmates used to take their own recreation. Now you can have a game of cricket, soccer, pool or darts. It might not be 5 star accommodation but it certainly rates highly with us in terms of originality! For backpackers it’s a must have experience! But be warned, once in the Jail, there may be no way out!
Kooljaman Camping
Now for those of you who are familiar with a spot of camping – what are your camping memories? Leaky tents? Blocked communal toilets? Freezing shower facilities? Well now why not exorcise those camping ghosts once and for all with a bit of luxury camping. Yes I know, the words luxury and camping do not go together easily, but there is one place where they fit together as perfectly as bread and cheese – and that place is Kooljaman.
These are not tents in the traditional sense!
Kooljaman is north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia. It is, quite frankly, a slice of paradise. Deep blue waters lap around golden sandy beaches and the only sounds you hear are those of birds. This is as remote as it gets and consequently as perfect. Kooljaman is Aboriginal owned and therefore unspoilt and protected by the people who care for it. As is in their culture, the Aboriginal people opened up a wilderness camp here to share their stunning landscape with others.
The tents here are set on raised timber decking high on the hillside to give you the very best views of the stunning blue ocean which shimmers like diamonds. These are not ordinary tents however, all of them come equipped with one queen bed and two single beds, plus a bathroom, fridge/freezer, private balcony and BBQ. Well you can’t slum it in paradise can you? If you still can’t stomach the idea of staying in a tent – and we use the term ‘tent’ loosely here as these are not the kind you’d find in any camping store – you can choose to stay in one of their ensuite cabins right on the beach’s edge and again, all facilities are provided for; or you can choose a log cabin. Other options include campground units or mini safari tents – yes these are real tents!
On site you have a superb restaurant with ocean views that offers the very best in bush tucker – if bush tucker happens to be steak and seafood that is! And if you simply cannot drag yourself away from your own private balcony then the restaurant provides a Bush Butler who will take your order and deliver your food to you. There is also a shop on site that provides basics as well as snorkels and fishing gear should you wish to participate in any other activity besides lying back on the beach sipping cocktails.
Crocodile Holiday Inn
In the Northern Territory there lurks creatures that put fear into any animal alive. A beast so ferocious that human encounters with it in the wild rarely have a happy ending. I am talking of course about the crocodile, a throwback to the dinosaur era. But instead of fearing this great beast the Australians have embraced it so much they’ve dedicated a hotel to it! It’s ok, no live crocodiles are involved in the hotel which is situated in the ‘croc capital’ of Australia – however the hotel is, well, crocodile shaped. Gagudji Crocodile Holiday Inn is situated in the heart of Kakadu National Park’s wilderness and is uniquely shaped like a giant crocodile!
This crocodile is the only one that doesn't bite!
There are no nasty surprise attacks with this hotel though, it is completely full service and has a lovely shaded courtyard and poolside area which we are assured is completely croc free! The hotel also has a restaurant in the complex where kids eat absolutely free! The menu is inspired by the outback but we’re not sure if crocodile steak will be on the menu.
The hotel is perfectly located to enjoy all that Kakadu National Park has to offer, a World Heritage Site that is owned and managed by local Aboriginal tribes and is unsurpassed in its beauty!
Now we could have included so much more that the ones above, Australia is full of delights and surprises and that includes places to stay. The above are just a taster of what you can expect when you book an Australian holiday, that and the friendliness of the locals of course! More information about these places to stay in Australia as well as more unusual locations can be found on the tourist information sites listed below. The friendly staff will, upon request, provide recommendations for you of accommodation in their local areas.
Don’t just have an Australian holiday, have an extraordinary Australian holiday and take back home some memories of a lifetime!
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One Response to “Unusual Places to Stay in Australia”
Pingback by Links To Travel By | A Cool Link — October 4, 2010 @ 9:13 pm
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