Off to Queensland, Australia? Here’s our rundown of the best places to stay in Brisbane!
Capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, Brisbane is a conurbation of 2.177 million inhabitants (2014) 950 kilometers north of Sydney, crossed by the river of the same name and at the foot of the Australian Cordillera. It isAustralia ‘s third-largest city by population, behind Melbourne and Sydney. A major port city on the island-continent, the city derives great economic wealth from the export of the state’s natural resources (coal, silver, lead, zinc).
The cultural and tourist center of Queensland, Brisbane is close to the famous Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and, to a lesser extent, the Whitsundays to the north: paradise-like tropical beaches, party towns, year-round warmth and a pleasant city in which to live and work.
Where to rent accommodation in Brisbane? Accommodation is plentiful, but expensive, as is often the case in Australia: apartments, hotels, shared accommodation, homestays, backpacker hotels… Here’s where to stay in Brisbane.
Brisbane City
Photo credit: Flickr – Jorge Láscar
In the heart of the CBD – the Central Business District – Brisbane City is the business center and the bustling area where most of the city’s social activity takes place: hemmed in between the banks of the Brisbane River winding its way between bridges and skyscrapers, parks and botanical gardens, the center is noisy, bustling, touristy and pleasant all at the same time.
A plethora of stores of all kinds can be found here, from the underground shopping mall to the clothing boutiques attached to pubs and breweries. A number of monuments and museums can be found here, such as the Brisbane Museum.
This is an ideal and very central area to stay in Brisbane, as the central train station is not far away. But you’ll either have to book in advance, or spend a lot of money on accommodation, or both!
Southbank
Photo credit: Pxhere
Not the bank of the south, but a bustling cultural district in Brisbane’s south, separated from the CBD by the Victoria Bridge. Southbank abuts the southern banks of the river.
A number of museums are well worth a visit, including the Queensland Museum, the Queensland Marine Museum and the Docklands Museum. Nearby, several art centers and numerous bars and restaurants, especially around Melbourne Street and Boundary Street. Don’t miss a breath of fresh air in the midst of lush tropical vegetation, near the Wheel of Brisbane along the waterfront: a lovely shady urban stroll with a view of the skyscrapers. Or how to find accommodation in Brisbane close to the city center.
Fortitude Valley
Photo credit: Flickr – JAM Project
» The Valley » is located north of the city center, and is the district for young backpackers and party-goers. A small Chinatown is also located here. Between Ann Street and Wickham Street, there are almost more bars and pubs than houses. It stretches to the north of Story Bridge, offering a singular view of the CBD skyline.
When we visited in 2012, it was in this area that we chose a youth hostel to stay in Brisbane. A word of advice: don’t choose Fortitude Valley if you’re not a night owl: in the evening, the streets are transformed to welcome the many party-goers ready to spend the night in the district’s countless bars and nightclubs.
Find a hotel in Fortitude Valley
West End
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons – Kgbo
To round off our tour of Brisbane’s central neighborhoods, here’s West End, a great place to live. Do you like trendy little bars and cheap restaurants where you can eat on the go, farmers’ markets, organic food stores and alternative lifestyles? Together, they sum up the eclectic, cosmopolitan West End.
Map of hotels and accommodation – Brisbane,au