Travel

18 Of Adelaide’s Best Hotels For Your Next City Escape

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– Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Editor | Urban List

Adelaide is one of Australia’s less-visited capital cities but it shouldn’t be—it’s bursting with award-winning restaurants, events and entertainment—and you just need the best hotel to stay at.

World-famous wine regions are only minutes from this city and incredible cultural experiences are at your fingertips. Adelaide punches well above its weight when it comes to dishing up the best, but don’t just take our word for it—it’s time you paid this southern gem a visit.

From heritage-listed mansions to luxe modern escapes, we’ve done the hard work for you and slept around to give you Adelaide’s best hotels to visit in 2025.

226 South Terrace Hotel Alba

A view of the pool at Hotel Alba one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Hotel Alba | Booking.com

You’d be forgiven for thinking you were somewhere much more tropical at Hotel Alba, thanks to the stunning pool area and outdoor terrace. This new entrant to the Adelaide hotel scene is found on the funky South Terrace, so it’s an easy walk to the CBD and attractions like the Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia and more, plus it's got its own food and wine scene in the surrounding streets. If you're addicted to closing those loops, the fitness centre is well-equipped and perfect for working up a sweat before a swim.

Rooms here range from bright and comfy king rooms to a full one-bedroom studio (with accessible options), and every room either faces the tranquil park that surrounds Adelaide's CBD or overlooks that gorgeous pool area (and a surprise appearance from David Bowie). Add in an end-of-day drink or meal at in-house Mediterranean restaurant Ela, and you’re guaranteed a great stay in SA.

108 Currie Street Sofitel Adelaide

A view of the pool at Sofitel Adelaide one of the best hotels in Adelaide
Image Credit: Sofitel Adelaide | Booking.com

Mixing old world charm and modern design with a whimsical twist, when booking your next vacay to Adelaide, you can’t go past the Sofitel Adelaide. The five-star digs boast 251 stunning rooms—featuring French colonial style interiors adapted to a modern contemporary aesthetic, a subtle reference to the history and character of Adelaide.

These decadent touches are prevalent throughout the hotel, including a striking, flowing red wine-inspired chandelier and an original piece by Australian fine-art photographer, Alexia Sinclair, in the lobby. Foodies will want to make sure they book into Garcon Bleu restaurant and bar, Adelaide’s newest gourmand destination, turning traditional French fare on its head with local produce and a cuisine contemporary philosophy. 

45 King William Street Mayfair Hotel

The rooftop bar at Mayfair Hotel one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Mayfair Hotel | Instagram

Setting a new standard for luxury accommodation in Adelaide, the Mayfair Hotel offers a five-star experience like no other. Breathing new life into an iconic, heritage-listed building, it’s located just 200 metres from the Art Gallery of South Australia and overlooks Rundle Mall. That’s what we call prime location.

You know the hotel is luxe when each of the Mayfair’s 170 rooms features hand-crafted South Australian furnishings, custom-made beds and premium hotel facilities. Adelaide is renowned for its thriving foodie culture and the Mayfair lives up to this with its signature Mayflower Restaurant and Bar, which focuses on local, sustainable produce and even uses honey from the hotel’s own beehives. Soak up the stunning views of the CBD at the rooftop bar, Hennessy, then wander downstairs to the secretive The Den, possibly one of the city’s best underground hotel bars.

120 North Terrace The Playford

A view of a spiral staircase and lounge in a room at The Playford, one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: The Playford | Instagram

If your idea of luxury is more classic opulence than minimalist modern, prepare to fall in love with The Playford. Situated in the heart of Adelaide’s cultural precinct, The Playford brings together a rich tapestry of Australia’s food, wine and art culture with stunning architecture, polished service and a sprinkle of luxury in every facet.

Spoil yourself with a stay at Australia’s most awarded boutique hotel (that’s saying something), while you explore the vibrant streets of West End, Rundle Mall and the Adelaide Oval, which are located within a few minutes' walk. Despite the attractions just out your front door, The Playford is one of those hotels you barely need to leave: The Playford Restaurant offers innovative, European-inspired fare and boasts an award-winning breakfast, while The Playford Lounge Bar slings impressive cocktails in stylish Art Nouveau surrounds. 

23-29 Market Street Hotel Indigo

A view of the colourful bar area at Hotel Indigo one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Hotel Indigo | Instagram

Adelaide’s Hotel Indigo was Australia’s first iteration of the InterContinental Hotels Group brand—and boy does it pack a punch. The colourful rooms with copper fixtures are seriously stunning, and the hotel is conveniently right in the heart of the city (and right by Adelaide Markets, might we add).

On the ground floor, you’ll find the ‘grammable Market & Meander Bar and Eatery, while up on the roof is the vibrant Merrymaker, a raw food and cocktail bar. Oh, there’s also a heated rooftop pool for when you’re not busy exploring the city. 

Festival Drive Eos By Skycity

A glamorous guest stands by the pool at Eos by Skycity one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Eos By Skycity | Instagram

It’s not often you get to kick back and enjoy the finer things in life. We’re talking room service, rooftop bar and restaurant, on-call cocktail mixologist and personal trainer. No, we’re not dreaming, this is the reality at the  five-star Eos by SkyCity. Discover a destination where subtle gestures underpin indulgent experiences and your every need is considered (yes, you can even choose your own pillow from their premium pillow menu).

This is one for the pleasure seekers—each of the spacious rooms is tastefully styled and offer sweeping city views and Eos by SkyCity is situated an easy 200 metres from the Adelaide Convention Centre. Picture this: floating in the rooftop swimming pool, drink in hand, before wining and dining at one of the world-class restaurants and finishing up at the in-hotel casino. A top pick for one of the best hotels in Adelaide.

16 Holdfast Promenade Oaks Glenelg Plaza Pier Suites

A room with a sea view at Oaks Glenelg Plaza Pier Suites one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Oaks Glenelg Plaza Pier Suites | Website

We’re just going to come right out and say it. There's more to Adelaide than the CBD and if you don’t visit Glenelg, you’re missing out. Oaks Glenelg Plaza Pier Suites is the epitome of beachside accommodation, located literally on the beachfront and boasting picturesque ocean views. 

The award-winning hotel offers simplistically styled rooms and spoils you with fully-equipped designer kitchens and private balconies with ocean or park views. You can unwind in the swimming pool, but why bother when the ocean is literally at your doorstep? Explore Adelaide’s historic beachside community or fill your belly at the three restaurants and two bars, all with prime views of the rolling ocean. Our top pick for one of Adelaide’s best just-off-the-beaten-track stays.

1 Mawson Drive Mount Lofty House

The view and pool at Mount Lofty House one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Mount Lofty House | Instagram

If you’re after old-world charm, nothing touches Mount Lofty House. Built in 1852, the heritage boutique hotel oozes timeless elegance, with its beautifully restored period rooms and gorgeous cottages. Nestled in the famous Adelaide Hills wine region, the hotel is surrounded by botanic gardens, boutique wineries and is only an easy fifteen minutes away from the Adelaide CBD.

Once you’ve lusted over the opulent hotel fit-out, relax on the 18 acres of native gardens and English rose gardens, or check out the swimming pool, croquet lawn and tennis courts. You’ll find us reclining on the stunning verandah, overlooking the gardens—vino in hand, of course. Speaking of vino, indulgent fine dining has been taken to a new level at Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, a three-hatted eatery that specialises in valley-to-verandah degustation delicacies. Boasting one of the best wine lists in the country, this is one culinary journey you can’t miss and secures Mount Lofty House’s spot as one of Adelaide’s best hotels.

55 Waymouth Street Peppers Waymouth Hotel

A room with a city view at Peppers Waymouth Hotel one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Peppers Waymouth Hotel | Instagram

Treat yourself to a central Adelaide stay with the best added extras of an indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna. Peppers Waymouth Hotel offers modern rooms with epic views across the city, and if a splash in the pool isn’t enough, you can go hard on the cardio in the fully-equipped fitness centre.

Once that’s all done, you can take a long soak in your marble en-suite, either in the deep bath or under the separate shower. Afterwards, you might fancy sipping on something fancy on your own private balcony, or perhaps taking a trip to the on-site restaurant where you can dine on local South Australian produce and sample some excellent wines. Prefer to head out and about? You’re just five minutes’ walk from Central Market and Rundle Mall.

16 Hindmarsh Square Pullman Adelaide

A lounger by the pool at Pullman Adelaide one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Pullman Adelaide | Instagram

Its prime location and great deals grabbed everyone’s attention when Adelaide’s newest large-scale hotel first popped up (and trust us, it’s warranted). Pullman Adelaide is located on Hindmarsh Square, an easy 15-minute walk from Rundle Street’s famous boutiques and lively cafe culture. The 308 light-filled rooms overlook the leafy gardens of Hindmarsh Square and boast modern decor complemented by deluxe amenities.

Pullman’s Salt Restaurant and Bar infuses impeccable service with a modern dining experience featuring the best of Adelaide’s seasonal local produce. It’s the perfect place for chance encounters, let’s-make-a-deal dinners or wind-down drinks. And heads up, they’re all about free WiFi and buffet breakfasts. Pullman Adelaide is ticking all the boxes of one of Adelaide’s best hotels.

King William Road Oval Hotel

A bathroom with a view at the Oval Hotel one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Oval Hotel | Instagram

If you think luxury hotels are pretty much all the same, we’re about to shake things up for you. Situated at the historic Adelaide Oval, Oval Hotel is a one-of-a-kind accommodation experience anywhere in the world. Wrapping gently around the eastern façade of Adelaide Oval and interfacing seamlessly with the existing structure, each of the 138 rooms offers stunning views of the surrounding heritage-listed parklands.

The opulent boutique hotel is a design-savvy traveller’s dream—think natural textures contrasted by contemporary custom touches, all wrapped up with luxurious amenities. If that wasn’t enough, the personalised service is the pièce de résistance. You’re greeted with a complimentary welcome drink on arrival and can expect thoughtful extras throughout your stay (no, we’re not just talking chocolate on your pillow). World-class food and wine comes thanks to Oval's four signature restaurants; Five Regions, Bespoke Wine Bar & Kitchen, Malt Shovel Taphouse and Koffee Ink Cafe. 

27 Frome Street ​Crowne Plaza Adelaide

A view of the pool overlooking the city at ​Crowne Plaza Adelaide one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Crowne Plaza Adelaide | Instagram

Adelaide’s brand-new CBD hotel is throwing up all the goods and we’re here for it. This place practically breathes corporate luxe. Crowne Plaza Adelaide is centred around creating the perfect space for work and rest and this resonates through their simplistic yet tasteful styling—including floor-to-ceiling windows and an espresso machine in every room—and unrivalled location with East End, North Terrace and Rundle Mall right at their doorstep.

Take your stay to the next level and expand your culinary horizons at Koomo, an urban-cool East End rooftop restaurant and Luna10, Crowne’s chic rooftop bar with stunning cityscape views. Effortlessly shift from work to play at one of Adelaide’s best new hotels.

18 Currie Street The Chancellor on Currie

A woman walks through the entrance to Chancellor on Currie one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Chancellor on Currie | Instagram

Step past the fancy columns at the entrance to this central Adelaide hotel, and you’ll find a whole heap of luxe awaiting. Your four-star stay is in a near century-old Neo-Georgian-style building, and it’s the best mix of modern and historic. Take a seat in the on-site bar and bistro and you can look out over Currie Street and from the enormous arched windows. You’ll be spoilt for choice when you dine here as it’s got a big a la carte menu and a wide variety of Australian wines including local drops from the Barossa and McLaren Vale.

Prefer to eat out? With the food scene on Leigh and Peel Streets on your doorstep we don’t blame you, and you’re close to the Adelaide Oval, The Convention Centre, Festival Centre, Rundle Mall, Sky city Adelaide Casino, the Adelaide Central Markets, and the riverbank too. Throw in the on-site heated pool, hot tub and fitness centre and frankly, you’ll struggle to find the time to do all the good stuff.

141 King William Street Adelaide Marriott Hotel

A room with a view of the city at Adelaide Marriott Hotel one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Adelaide Marriott Hotel | Instagram

Treat yourself to a five-star stay at the Adelaide Marriott Hotel and you’ll find yourself in the iconic General Post Office building smack bang in the centre of the city within a gentle stroll of all the fun stuff. Prepare the credit card because we can just hear Rundle Mall and the Central Markets gently calling your name.

When you’re not out filling those shopping bags, we reckon you’ll be exploring one of the three eateries back at base. They include a modern Australian restaurant and an all-day bar with outdoor seating for those afternoon cocktail sessions. Once you’re done indulging you can make use of the hotel’s 24-hour fitness centre and maybe swim a few laps in the tempting 18-metre indoor pool.

92 Franklin Street The Franklin Hotel

A yellow door opens into a quirky bedroom at The Franklin Hotel one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: The Franklin Hotel | Instagram

If you like your hotels full of character, then look no further than The Franklin Hotel. With a black colour palette, funky lighting, vintage touches and salvaged bits and pieces like actual street lamps and stained glass windows, it’s gram-worthy dream stay.

Book a Premium or Superior room to score yourself a deep bath, perfect for soaking in after wandering the city all day and thank us later. The colourful bar and courtyard are top places to chill with a glass of something spesh.

202 Tynte Street Majestic M Suites

A room with a view at Majestic M Suites one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Majestic M Suites | Website

Need the best hotel in Adelaide where you can work and play? Majestic M Suites offer spacious rooms with private bathrooms and fully-equipped kitchens. Each room has a work desk in case that inbox needs clearing in a hurry, and there’s two on-site meetings rooms you can join to create a larger space too. 

Described as an “aparthotel”, this place gives you the freedom of apartment living, but with the convenience of some pretty useful extras: think a fitness centre, coffee shop, picnic area, plus a bar and pretty restaurant serving Mediterranean fare if you don’t fancy cooking at all. We love the outdoor courtyard and garden, where you can relax with a coffee and, once the boring work is done, you’re just a few minutes from all the fun stuff in central Adelaide.

2 Flinders Street Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury

An exterior view of the historic Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury | Booking.com

Location, location, location. A commanding presence overlooking Victoria Square, the vibrant heart of the city, Adina Apartment Hotel Treasury occupies the heritage-listed former Treasury Building. Timelessly elegant, the hotel seamlessly blends the building's historic charm with modern comforts, easily making it one of the best hotels in Adelaide.

The impressive rooms are lavishly decorated with Italian furniture and the spacious, fully self-contained apartments mean you can cook up a storm in your own kitchen or step out the door and dine in one of Adelaide’s best restaurants. Whether you’re exploring the stalls of the famous Central Market, feasting at a top-notch restaurant or wandering the Adelaide Art Gallery, everything you want is at your fingertips. 

North Terrace Intercontinental Adelaide

Breakfast on a bed with a view of the river at Intercontinental Adelaide one of the best Adelaide hotels
Image Credit: Intercontinental Adelaide | Instagram

Would you really expect a roundup of Adelaide’s best hotels not to include the InterContinental?  In classic InterContinental style, each of the hotel’s 367 rooms is beautifully decorated, offers postcard-perfect city views and boasts a luxurious, marble bathroom. The InterContinental Adelaide lives up to the international hotel brand’s world-class reputation and situated on the banks of the River Torrens, it’s an easy walk to the Adelaide Festival Centre, Convention Centre and Adelaide Casino. Perhaps too close to the casino…

The hotel’s signature restaurant, Riverside, is a destination in and of itself, as is the awarding-winning Japanese restaurant, Shiki. We recommend grabbing a drink (or a few) at the atmospheric Atrium Lounge, then bar-hopping through the nearby cosy wine bars and hidden joints, all temptingly close.

Image Credit: Hotel Indigo | Booking.com

Contributors: Katherine Davison

Editor's note: Urban List editors independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. Urban List has affiliate partnerships, and if you purchase something through the links in this article, we will earn a commission from those partners. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.

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