Getting Cheap Accommodation in Australia

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Australia is a once in a life time trip for many people and one that should be planned to maximize the memories of this wonderful continent. With the Australian dollar exchange rate higher against the US dollar, US travelers can drive their travel dollar further by looking for cheap airfare here but also for cheap accommodation and lodging in Australia.

Australia is a big country and there are lots of bed and breakfasts. Unlike the USA, there are not hundreds of small discount hotel chains so bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) are often cheaper than hotels, offer friendlier service as they are typically operated by the owners and provide complimentary breakfast – which is usually cooked in a home styled kitchen. B&B’s are That’s a great way to enjoy a fair dinkum Aussie food and hospitality at a great price.

If you’re in Sydney and looking for some day or overnight trips, be sure to visit Palm Beach (1 hour north of Sydney) or the Blue Mountains (1.5 hours West of Sydney). There are some wonderful bed and breakfasts in these places. If you are traveling to Melbourne, Hepburn Springs offer the magic of hot water natural springs in a beautiful country setting or the Yarra Valley Wine districts have a wonderful range of B&Bs that are close to the famous Healsville Sanctuary to see all the Australian wildlife like Koala’s, Kangaroos, Possums, Platypus and many more native species.

It’s important to remember that motels in Australia are usually pretty basic and don’t have the same level of standardized features that US hotels have. This is often due to the smaller population and that motel chains are typically run by private operators. My preference is always a B&B over a motel when traveling out of cities.

Major hotels in Australia are plentiful in capital cities and often are cheaper than US based hotels yet in my opinion often lack the level of service that US travelers are accustomed too. This is often because the casual staff are not professional service people, they are often working through college and believe their position is temporary. Whilst “the Rocks” in Sydney is close to stay, I would stay out a little bit in say Kings Cross, Woolloomooloo or North Sydney or Manly and get a feel for the locals scene. Sydney is beautiful and you don’t need to spend a lot of money on City accommodation. Abide by the same principal in other capital cities in Australia and you’ll definitely get value for money and enjoy the local suburban street, coffee shops, beaches, etc.

Remember, unlike American cities, Australian cities are very easy to walk around and public transport is everywhere (trams, buses, ferries, trains) so you can explore everything on foot instead of driving around.

This post was written by Marc Phillips, an Australian living in San Francisco and operator of the website http://www.cheapaccommodation.com.au – a discount travel website in Australia.