highlightCategory: Stay

Where to rest your head at night

Ovolo Hotel launches its Summer Concierge

You probably don’t need any more convincing to book a little holiday season getaway, but in case you’re still on the fence, Ovolo Hotels is throwing its newly launched Summer Concierge initiative into the deciding factor mix.

Not only will you get 20% off your room stay at any of Ovolo’s hotels (think The Valley, Nishi, Laneways by Ovolo etc) from December through to February, but you’ll also get bonuses, special discounts and exclusive benefits at over 70 participating tour operators, wellness facilities, local restaurants and top attractions.

All you have to do is flash your Ovolo Hotels room key like it’s an all-access pass, and you can explore Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne or Sydney like a true local without paying full price for anything.

If you’re thirsting for a drink and you happen to find yourself near one of Sydney’s finest waterfront restaurants China Doll, you’ll be sipping on their complimentary house cocktail ‘Sampan’ before you can say, “We’d like a table with a view”. They’ll even chuck a dessert at ya free of charge.

Or if Melbourne’s weather ever sorts itself out long enough for you to think boating down the Yarra River is a good idea, Go Boat is giving 10% off every booking (and 20% off on weekdays) for those with an Ovolo keycard.

There’s a little something for everyone from the beauty-obsessed teen (The Lab in Canberra is offering 20% off treatments) to the ultimate foodie (Middle Eastern vegetarian hotspot ZAZATA in Brisbane is promising Ovolo Hotel guests 15% off their entire bill), so the only logical next stop is picking which hotel you want to stay at.

Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel

Prepare your Lion King-loving heart and pack your bags for a stay at the recently opened Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel. It might not have a catchy name, but it is the place where luxury meets the wildest adventure of your life – anything you post on Instagram post your stay here is guaranteed to be way less cool.

Nestled in the heart of the wild, this Zimbabwean beauty is set to make all your ‘I need a holiday, asap’ dreams come true, thanks to its prime location only 15 minutes from the epic UNESCO World Heritage-listed Victoria Falls. Its coordinates definitely shoot it to the top of the world’s must-stay-at list, but the property itself is nothing to sneeze at.

Featuring 16 suites (the intimacy!), a gourmet restaurant (the food!), a lounge and bar (the cocktails!), complimentary Wi-Fi (the connection!) and a garden swimming pool flanked by shaded loungers (the relaxation!), this hotel is like something straight out of a safari storybook.

And for the adventurous at heart, this place is the ultimate playground. You’re so close to the falls that you can literally do anything you want – think thrilling helicopter rides, sunset boat trips, zip-lining, wildlife-spotting cruises, swimming in the Devil’s Pool, game drives and black rhino conservation experiences.

You’ll be exhausted after all that and the hotel knows it. So, there’s an on-site spa to de-tense your muscles after you said yes to every activity but somehow forgot you hate heights (we’re pretty sure there’s a signature treatment for that).

If that doesn’t convince you to bring up booking.com immediately, we don’t know what will.

Stay in style at The EVE Hotel Sydney

They already have the Harbour Bridge. They’ve got the Opera House. And now, from Feb 2025, Sydney’s beefing up its impressive touristic lineup with The EVE Hotel (lucky ducks).

It’ll be located in the heart of the city, convenient for when you’ve gorged yourself on wood-fired bread and drank too many Neapolitan Sours from Totti’s, and will showcase a bold new vision of boutique luxury thanks to its makeup of art, culture and culinary experience.

This place has it all – think vaulted ceilings, curated interiors, immersive art installations, rooftop gardens, a 20-metre rooftop pool and a mouthwatering restaurant with views overlooking the trendy suburbs of Surrey Hills and Redfern.

It might seem like you’ll have to sell both kidneys to stay here, but the sales team are doing each and every one of us a solid by celebrating the hotel’s opening with a specially designed package.

The package will include one night’s stay in your room of choice (presidential suite, here we come!), a signature cocktail at Bar Julius and a bespoke take-home gift you can’t get anywhere else, starting from AU$519. For Sydney?! That’s a bargain in today’s hotel economy.

But let’s back it right up because Bar Julius won’t just be The EVE’s hotel bar, it’ll be the trendiest watering hole in the whole city (you heard it here first). It boasts an all-day dining concept, food bursting with fresh and bold flavours, dynamic interiors and a cocktail menu filled with ‘Crystal Mimosas’ (served tableside) and ‘Bar Julius Negronis’.

Kicking off the new year in a new way sounds pretty good right about now.

CHOLE MINJI

Mafia Island, off the south coast of Zanzibar in East Africa, conjures images of men in black suits with brown paper bags and guns walking up and down beaches. But fear not, there are no guns here; just stunning lagoons, a tropical climate, and a penchant for sleeping in trees.

Each tree house at Chole Minji took between six months and a year to complete, because they were built completely by hand, using traditional tools and materials sourced only from traders who were living there. The word unique is thrown around pretty loosely these days, but there is a level of dedication that has gone into making these treehouses that makes them literally impossible to replicate.

Sandy paths lead to houses built into and around ancient Boab and Tamarind trees, all with views of mangrove-lined shorelines. The only way to get closer to nature is probably a Greenpeace protest.

From AU$222 per night

Click for A TREE FOR-REST

Rastrello gains B-Corp status

The enchanting Rastrello hotel in Italy’s Umbria/Tuscany region has just snagged its first ever B Corp certification – in layman’s terms, it’s doing the planet a solid. This prestigious certification means Rastrello’s facing issues of sustainability, social impact and transparency head on and, to be fair, receiving eco-warrior status is no easy feat.

There’s plenty of hoop jumping involved including comprehensive assessments that are more intrusive than every first date you’ve ever been on – “So, tell me about your environmental practices?” – and rigorous review processes before you can wear that B Corp badge with pride.

And this charming hotel wears it really well, it did take them 9 months to receive its coveted status after all. They’ve swapped out single-use plastics for reusable goodies, have changed all bedding to feature organic linen and supplied each bathroom with eco-friendly toiletries (your hair can tell the difference).

They also boast a farm-to-table dining experience that would make even the pickiest eater salivate, with fresh local produce on the menu. We’re talking vegetables, herbs and fruits all from the onsite organic garden. The property even has multiple olive groves for efficient extra virgin olive oil production (B Corp certified too, of course).

Sustainability stuff aside, Rastrello promises exclusivity thanks to its modest nine rooms but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in beauty. A comfy but chic vibe oozes out of the property’s rugged stone walls and its stunning countryside views simply can’t be beat. Bravo Rastrello, bravo.

The Clown Motel

Coulrophobics, look away now. Your worst nightmare is coming true.

Welcome to the Clown Motel, the only place where you can check in with a smile and wake up having had the worst sleep of your life – if you even wake up, that is. Its location in the heart of Nowhere, Nevada (Tonopah) adds to the eerie atmosphere you’ll likely experience here, and so do the creepy clowns that litter every possible surface of this joint.

Seriously, they’re everywhere: waiting to greet you behind the concierge desk, smiling down at you from the ceiling of your room, hiding underneath the toilet seat, and popping out at you from the mini fridge to give you the biggest fright of your clown-hating life. Okay the last couple might not be true, but you get the gist.

But while the clowns themselves don’t actually seem all that terrifying, The Clown Motel isn’t for the weak (or the young and easily impressionable). There’s a lot of paranormal activity that goes down here, from dark silhouettes roaming the hallways to slamming doors and tingly sensations. You might even hear, ‘Wanna play a game, Georgie?’ as you’re drifting off to sleep*.

If that’s not enough to have you running and screaming in the opposite direction the second you pull into the Motel’s driveway, learning about the local cemetery and the ghosts that haunt it certainly will. And if you do stay, remember to take pics, you’re gonna want proof you survived the ultimate circus-themed sleepover. Say ‘cheese’!

*Highly unlikely.

Travel to outer space

Three, two, one…blast off! No, you’re not watching Buzz Lightyear propel himself off Andy’s chest of drawers. You’re on a real-life spaceship designed for, well, space. Except you’re not an astronaut, just a normal human being who wants to venture somewhere literally out of this world.

Let’s rewind. Vast is a privately owned aerospace company developed to get people like you out of Earth and into space. It’s been fully funded to design, manufacture and launch the world’s first-ever commercial space station. And it’s bloody close to succeeding.

Enter Haven. It’s no piece of IKEA flat-pack furniture. This thing is the real deal. It’s sleek, it’s futuristic, and it’s got plenty of room to lounge, sleep, and munch on zero-gravity snacks. It even has a large domed window perfect for looking at the Milky Way up close and making eyes at passing aliens.

The mind-blowing bit? You won’t just visit space. You’ll be living in it. For up to 30 days. That’s 30 days of taking insane photos your grandkids won’t be able to get over. 30 days of watching the most epic of sunsets, and 30 days of figuring out whether the moon might just be made up of cheese after all.

Now, we’re not going to pretend an adventure like this won’t set you back some serious coin (because it definitely will), but if you’ve ever dreamed of swapping your mundane routine for something a little more cosmic, you simply have to get onboard.

Alright, it’s time to watch Interstellar again.

*Images courtesy of Vast.

Palm Springs in inner Sydney

Stepping into the Adina Apartment Hotel in Chippendale is like falling into a rabbit hole and landing smack in the middle of Palm Springs—minus the desert, but with all the style. Think mid-century vibes, retro palm tree wallpaper, and a pool that looks like it’s auditioning for an Instagram influencer’s next post. You half expect to see Frank Sinatra lounging in a cabana, martini in hand. But no, it’s me instead, clutching a hazy IPA and wondering how the hell I ended up in this chic little oasis in the heart of inner Sydney.

Chippendale is one of those suburbs that’s equal parts gritty and glamorous, with a dose of “why haven’t I heard of this place before?” The area’s got its fair share of converted warehouses that scream “cool creative types live here.” Locals sprawl across Chippendale Green, picnic baskets in hand. Just nearby is Central Park Mall, sleek, shiny, and futuristic, the kind of place where you could spend an hour deciding between artisanal gelato or fusion tacos.

But what really makes Chippendale buzz is its art scene. Around Abercrombie Street, you’ll find contemporary galleries packed with pieces that’ll either blow your mind or make you think, “Am I not getting this?” The creative energy is palpable. Then there’s Kensington Street, which is like the food truck of your dreams came to life, packed with hawker-style Asian joints and alleyways with cafes that pumping out flat whites at record speed.

Back at the Adina the rooms are a step up from your typical city hotel—spacious enough to stretch out like you’re on a mini-holiday, but with the convenience of being smack in the middle of everything. You could literally walk past this place if you didn’t know where it was. It’s got all the trimmings: kitchenettes for whipping up a snack, a gym for pretending you’ll work off all that hawker food (spoiler: you won’t), and that iconic pool for when you want to channel your inner Palm Springs cool.

If you’re looking for a stay that’s equal parts chill and chic, with Chippendale’s cutting-edge charm right on your doorstep, the Adina’s got you covered. Now excuse me while I lounge by the pool, pretending I’m not in Sydney but somewhere between 1960s California, an art gallery opening and a craft beer bar.

Rock N Roll in West Hollywood’s Hotel Ziggy

I’ve stayed in my fair share of fancy hotels, but Hotel Ziggy in West Hollywood? It’s like a rock ‘n’ roll fever dream that somehow serves cocktails with way too much swagger. You walk in and immediately think, “Am I cool enough to be here?” Spoiler alert: you’re not. But that’s part of the fun.

The lobby feels like you’ve just wandered into a Rolling Stones album cover. Vinyl records line the walls, and there’s more neon lighting than a dive bar at 3 a.m. It’s got that “I don’t care what time it is, let’s party” energy, which is exactly what I was going for. Except, you know, with a side of West Hollywood glam.

The rooms? Let’s just say I felt like I was crashing in Mick Jagger’s guest room – if Mick had Wi-Fi and a minibar stocked with artisanal gummy bears. There’s a vinyl player in the room (obviously), and they practically encourage you to blast it. I half-expected a roadie to knock on my door and hand me a setlist for the night’s gig.

But let’s be honest: you’re not staying at Ziggy for the thread count on the sheets. You’re here because this place bleeds personality. The rooftop pool is where it’s at – perched above the Sunset Strip, it’s got that laid-back, sun-drenched L.A. vibe, complete with inflatable unicorns. You’re up there sipping cocktails with names like “Hotel California” while pretending you don’t notice that actual celebrities might be tanning a few loungers away. No big deal.

Downstairs, B-Side Pizza is doing its thing, serving pizza so good it could convince you to give up all other food groups. You’ve got to appreciate a place that gives you pizza, booze, and vinyl – it’s a triple threat that just makes sense. It’s loud, unapologetic, and just the right amount of indulgent.

So yeah, if you’re in West Hollywood and looking to sleep where the vibe doesn’t quit, Hotel Ziggy is your backstage pass. Just don’t expect a peaceful retreat – this place is pure, amplified chaos.

Southside R[evolution]

If you thought hotel rebranding was all about slapping on a new logo and calling it a day, think again. Ovolo has gone full throttle with a r[evolution] in Hong Kong, launching Southside by Ovolo—a cheeky new chapter in the city’s first warehouse-turned-hotel saga. Forget the usual fluff; this is where designer luxury meets raw, unfiltered Hong Kong culture, right in the heart of the ever-so-hip Wong Chuk Hang.

This isn’t just a facelift; it’s an all-out experience overhaul. Southside by Ovolo isn’t just a place to crash; it’s a playground for those who like their stays with a side of attitude and a dash of rock ‘n’ roll. Think Rock Star Suites that Freddie Mercury would have approved of—built-in bar, custom art, and views that make you forget you’re just a hop away from Ocean Park and Water World.

Speaking of hops, let’s talk about Flat Iron Deluxe, the new steakhouse that’s thrown its hat into the Southside ring. We’re not just talking steaks; we’re talking the best cut you’ve probably never heard of—the Flat Iron—served up alongside club sandwiches that might just change your life. Oh, and did we mention the weekend brunches, cooking classes, and a kids’ menu that’ll make you the hero of family outings? Yup, they’ve got that too.

Now, before you get too comfy, know that this r[evolution] is all about the details. There’s the Wonder Bar, a quirky spot where you can grab a drink, shoot some pool, and even snag curated goodies for your room. And because Ovolo knows how to keep things fresh, they’ve thrown in themed rooms that’ll make the kids go wild—hello, B. Duck! Yep, the beloved Hong Kong character now has his own room, complete with play tents and enough cuteness to melt even the most jaded hearts.

But wait, there’s more. Book direct and you’re in for the Ovolo Standard, which is code for, “We’ve got your back.” Think up to 15% off, flexible cancellations, and even a cheeky free drink during Apero Hour. And because Ovolo likes to keep things moving, they’ve relocated reception to the third floor—no more awkward lobby encounters, just a warm, inviting space that makes check-ins as smooth as your last cocktail (or mocktail, if you’re into that sort of thing).

Southside by Ovolo is also the perfect playground for events, from product launches to rooftop cocktails. With versatile spaces like G.i.G and The Terrace, you’re covered no matter what you’re planning. And let’s not forget the dog-friendly VIPooch experience, because who wouldn’t want to share their staycation with their four-legged bestie?

So, if you’re ready to dive into the Southside R[evolution], pack your bags (and maybe your dog’s too) and get ready to experience Hong Kong like never before. Because this is more than just a hotel—it’s your new local.