15 of the best places to stay in Warrnambool

Jo Stewart Jo Stewart
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From a bayside resort to an ultra-modern beach house and quaint pub accommodation, Warrnambool has plenty of incredible places to stay.

Travellers are often surprised by this city at the end of the Great Ocean Road. Home to a population of just over 35,000 people, Warrnambool has all the ingredients for a relaxing break by the sea, minus the hefty price tags that come with some of the hyped holiday hotspots on the coast. When it comes to accommodation, Warrnambool has options ranging from beachside caravan parks to comfy pub stays and beyond. Read our guide to Warrnambool’s best accommodation to find the perfect place to bed down next time you’re in town.

Hotels

1. Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs

Desperate for a truly relaxing break? The answer is booking into this hotel that boasts a hot springs sanctuary, indoor bathhouse, swimming pool, day spa and infrared sauna.

a room with a balcony at Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs, Warrnambool
Retreat to your ocean-view room with a balcony.

Check in to an ocean view room to wake up each morning to sea vistas or splash out on a deluxe spa suite to slide into your own private spa bath each evening.

the pool at Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs, Warrnambool
This hotel boasts a hot springs sanctuary for a truly relaxing break.

A weekend soaking up some geothermal goodness is just what the doctor ordered!

an aerial view of Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs, Warrnambool
Sweeping coastal vistas abound.

Best for: Spa breaks and wellness weekends

Address: Worm Bay Rd, Warrnambool 

2. Best Western Olde Maritime

This welcoming, centrally located hotel has rooms ranging from compact budget twin rooms to spacious split-level family rooms. With a restaurant, bar and gym, this hotel has everything you need on site if you prefer to stay close to your room.

a look inside one of the rooms at Best Western Olde Maritime, Warrnambool
Best Western Olde Maritime is a welcoming retreat in Warrnambool.

Alternatively, Warrnambool’s restaurants and attractions are just a stroll away, with the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village just across the road.

a bedroom with a window and a fireplace at Best Western Olde Maritime, Warrnambool
Each room is minimal and elegant.

Best for: A great all-rounder for families, groups, couples and business travellers.

Address: 110-116 Merri St, Warrnambool 

3. Quest Warrnambool

A great all-purpose accommodation option located opposite the Warrnambool Art Gallery and around the corner from some cracking pubs and restaurants, Quest Warrnambool ticks the boxes for all types of travellers. These spacious, open-plan serviced apartments have kitchens or kitchenettes if you like preparing your own meals.

a room with a balcony at Quest Warrnambool
The apartments are modern and spacious.

There’s an outdoor pool to enjoy in warmer weather too. Corporate facilities like meeting rooms make this hotel a good choice for business travellers, while wheelchair-friendly rooms make travelling easy for people with accessibility requirements.

the living area at Quest Warrnambool
Quest Warrnambool is a prime destination for business travellers.

Best for: Solo travellers, business travellers, families and people who require accessible rooms.

Address: 15-19 Liebig St, Warrnambool 

4. Warrnambool Gallery Apartments

Stay at these boutique apartments and you’ll be right in the heart of the action. Choose from a studio, one or two-bedroom apartment, or a deluxe spa suite to finish the day soaking in your own spa. You’re just a short walk from some great pubs, restaurants and cafes here. Prefer making your own meals? Each apartment has a fully equipped kitchen so you can stock up on provisions and enjoy a self-catered break.

Best for: Couples and solo travellers

Address: 206 Lava St, Warrnambool

5. The Cally

Many people visit this Fairy Street stalwart for a pub meal and a beer, but you can book a basic room upstairs too. If you’re on a budget and want to stay somewhere in the middle of the city, these neat and simple rooms will do the trick. Bonus points for being able to wander downstairs for a meal and an ale.

Best for: Groups and families on a budget break

Phone number:  (03) 5561 3932

Address: 112-114 Fairy St, Warrnambool

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Resorts

6. Lady Bay Resort

If want to experience a relaxing slice of cruisy resort life, this large property located just outside of the Warrnambool city centre is a top pick.

the exterior of Lady Bay Resort with water views
Lady Bay Resort treats guests to picturesque water views.

From spacious rooms to a swimming pool, spa and restaurant, lounge and bar, everything you need for a chilled-out break is here in one place.

the living space interior of Lady Bay Resort Warrnambool
The coastal resort offers plenty of areas to relax.

If you fancy waking up to magnificent coastal views, followed by a leisurely wander along the beach promenade, then spending the afternoon by the pool, this resort delivers all you need for a slow-paced getaway by the sea.

the blue-painted Lady Bay Resort Warrnambool
The blue painted exterior echos the coastal surrounds.

Best for: Couples and groups longing for a quiet break with water views

Phone number: (03) 5562 1662

Address: 2 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool

Airbnbs and holiday homes

7. Warrnambool Retreat

These stylish, self-contained retreats named Henna and Merri are like walking right into a designer home magazine spread. A sympathetic renovation has enhanced the beauty of these units without betraying its heritage, with many original features retained.

a room with a bathtub at Warrnambool Retreat
These design-led units have modern furnishings.

Luxuriate in the freestanding bathtub, curl up by the fireplace with a glass of wine and kick back in the courtyard with a good book – Warrnambool Retreat truly is a home away from home.

the fireplace at Warrnambool Retreat
Keep warm by the fireplace.

Best for: Couples and groups keen for a private getaway.

Address: 1 Henna Street, Warrnambool, VIC

8. 1 Beach House

If you want to spoil yourself with a luxurious beach break, go no further than this blockbuster beach house. A chic, four-bedroom smart home with all the bells and whistles (chef-grade kitchen, European appliances, ultra-wide smart televisions) you’ll be all set up for a memorable getaway here.

garden views from the window at 1 Beach House, Warrnambool
This deluxe abode is all about recharging.

If you can tear yourself away from this deluxe abode, wander (or use the complimentary bikes) to the Logans Beach Whale Viewing Platform to try and spot migrating whales that visit the area between May and September each year. Driving an electric car? A free Tesla destination charger is available here too.

the outdoor seating area at 1 Beach House, Warrnambool
The landscaped garden is the perfect spot to relax.

Best for: A very special break to remember with friends and loved ones.

Address: Logans Beach Coastal Village, Warrnambool.

Caravan Parks & Campgrounds

9. NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park

This peaceful holiday park right on the Hopkins River has facilities and amenities galore, making it a top spot for families and people who love staying active while on holiday. Have fun in the lagoon-style outdoor pool, swim some laps in the heated indoor pool, putt your way around the mini-golf course or visit the book exchange to borrow a page-turner to read at the beach. There are campsites, powered caravan sites, cabins and villas at different price points here. If you’re travelling with your pooch, you’ll be pleased to know this park welcomes four-legged guests too.

the NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park
Kids can run around the outdoor playground.

Best for: Families and people travelling with pets.

Address: 125 Jubilee Park Rd, Warrnambool

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10. Surfside Holiday Park

As the name suggests, this large, council-run holiday park is just a short stroll from the beach. The location is so convenient, that you could easily forget about your car for days and get around on foot or bike instead. Choose from basic cottages, brand-new beach chalets and powered or unpowered sites if you’re a camper or have embraced van life.

the Surfside Holiday Park, Warrnambool
Surfside Holiday Park boasts a convenient beachside location.

Best for: Beach lovers

Address: 120 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool

11. Shipwreck Bay Holiday Park

This beach-facing holiday park is also run by the local council and mostly operates during peak holiday periods. A top location to pitch a tent or set up your caravan, this holiday park’s coveted beachside location makes it a popular place during summer – book your spot early.

Best for: Campers and caravanners who love to surf and swim

Address: 42 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool 

12. Warrnambool Holiday Park and Motel

This holiday park that’s just off the Princes Highway has everything from basic studio apartments suited to solo travellers or couples, to premium apartments for groups and families. Travelling with your boat in tow? This holiday park is the ideal place to stay since there’s free boat storage and bait and ice available for sale at reception.

Best for: Anglers and people travelling with boats

Address: 83 Simpson St, Warrnambool

13. Discovery Parks – Warrnambool

This dog-friendly park has stacks of amenities to keep everyone happy. There’s a pool, playground, movie room, pedal karts and fun activities like scavenger hunts and art workshops for the little ones. Choose from cosy cabins, powered sites for your van or unpowered sites for your tent or swag – there’s accommodation to suit different preferences and price points here.

Best for: Families and people travelling with pets

Address: 25 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool

14. BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks – Warrnambool

This pet-friendly holiday park is just a 10-minute walk to the city centre. Book a cabin, unit or suite, set your tent up on a grassy site or roll into a powered site if you’re in a van or motorhome.

the outdoor deck with barbecue grill at BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks Warrnambool
Whip up a delicious barbecue feast on the spacious outdoor deck.

While there is plenty to do in Warrnambool, you’d be mad not to make use of the swimming pool, infrared sauna, tennis court, basketball court, games room and playground here.

the indoor pool at BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks Warrnambool
Make a splash in the indoor pool.

Best for: Families with kids of all ages and people travelling with pets.

Address: 33 Lava St, Warrnambool

15. Warrnambool Holiday Village

This village’s location right near several supermarkets makes it a top location for people who enjoy self-catered, budget breaks. Each cabin has a kitchen, so you’ll be set to whip up your own breakfast, lunch and dinner here. There’s also air conditioning, free wi-fi and a barbecue area for preparing al fresco feasts.

Best for: Travellers who value a convenient, central location

Address: 81 Henna St, Warrnambool

Discover the best things to do in Warrnambool.

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Jo Stewart
Jo Stewart is a freelance features writer who pens stories about nature, pop culture, music, art, design and more from her home in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria. When not writing, you can find her trawling through vinyl records and vintage fashion at op shops, antique stores and garage sales.
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Farm fresh produce to a trail of lights: the ultimate guide to Mildura

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
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    The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

    From the moment you arrive in Mildura, the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

    Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura.
    Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

    Taste Mildura’s produce

    It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

    Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey. Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

    Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers, a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

    Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

    Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

    Hatted dining & Italian history

    Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

    To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s. Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

    Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel.
    Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

    Discover a thriving culture scene

    The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

    The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

    Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project. Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

    Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

    Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery.
    Find culture around every corner.

    Wonder at ancient landscapes

    The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

    The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

    Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

    Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park. Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

    Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity.
    Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

    Meet your home away from home

    On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

    Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama. A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

    When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats. Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

    A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura.
    Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

    Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com.

    The Best Warrnambool Accommodation | Australian Traveller