Spicers Balfour Hotel

In some cities a hotel this small could get lost in the shuffle, but it’s key to Spicers Balfour’s success that it’s perfectly matched to the scale of Brisbane itself. You’re just around a bend in the Brisbane River from the central business district, and yet tucked quietly away in New Farm, in a stylish little nine-room boutique. The feeling is at once cosmopolitan, close to the heart of the action, and quietly residential, no surprise given the construction — this is an archetypal Queenslander, an elevated, veranda-wrapped format that was used for well over a century in the region’s private homes.

The rooms are crisp and contemporary in design, without lapsing into that faceless international style — you don’t want Brisbane to look just like Berlin or Barcelona, and to that end there’s something decidedly Pacific Rim about the textures and colors, not to mention the occasional Asian antique piece. Subtle high-end comforts abound, from Bose sound systems to fine Italian linens. The complimentary breakfast is highly regarded, as is the tea service, for that matter, and the bar’s view of the Story Bridge certainly sets a mood.

How to get there:
Spicers Balfour Hotel is approximately a 30-minute drive from Brisbane Airport.