The hot list: The best hotels opening in Australia in 2024

After six years of construction, one of Brisbane's biggest developments, Queen's Wharf, will begin its staged opening in August. With that comes the premiere of The Star Grand and its 340 luxuriously appointed rooms, overseen by design studio Hassell and spread across the two crescent-shaped towers. Floor-to-ceiling windows that capture the view, Calacatta Viola marble that mimics the ripples of the Brisbane River below and botanical artwork reminiscent of the resort's subtropical surrounds are just some of the details thoughtfully curated to ensure guests experience the ultimate high-end escape. All rooms are located above the 100-metre-high Leisure Deck, which promises to be Brisbane's newest hot spot, with lush public gardens, a runway of restaurants and bars, and three swimming pools.

Central Queensland will get its first five-star property when Peppers Gladstone opens in the middle of the year. Each of its luxurious 32 rooms, from studios to two-bedroom apartments, feature complimentary mini bar and fully equipped kitchen. Peppers will merge with the neighbouring Mantra Gladstone to offer guests access to a heated outdoor swimming pool, complimentary drinks at the pool deck bar, access to Peppers' eight-seat cinema room, a well-appointed gym and a choice of two onsite restaurants. Gladstone is at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, so is perfectly located for diving, snorkelling and island adventures.

At the gateway to Cape York, about 20 minutes from Cooktown, is Rossville Retreat. Surrounded by nature, it's a favoured spot for camping, fishing, birdwatching, hiking and disconnecting. In May, it will welcome its bush lodges, a number of eco-friendly raised safari tents with ensuites and private decks. Kuku Nyungkal traditional owners will also begin offering Indigenous tours and activities this year.

The original party hotel brand is finally coming to Melbourne, but with a tweak. Guests at the StandardX, opening in February in the buzzing neighbourhood of Fitzroy, will be greeted by epic public areas, minimalist rooms and creations from local artists and designers - Sarah Parkes of Smalltown has wrapped columns in the foyer in macrame, for example. Plus, there's a guests-only secret rooftop hideaway with epic views and Mexican food.

Those familiar with the architecture of the restaurant and cellar door at Yarra Valley winery Levantine Hill will see the similarities in the new hotel wing when it opens towards the end of 2024. Designed by Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis using raw, natural materials, it will comprise 33 rooms, including a bridal suite.

TFE Hotels is taking the chance on certain visitors wanting to avoid the CBD and instead stay closer to Sydney's vibrant neighbourhoods. Its September-opening offering, The Eve, sits on the border of Redfern and Surry Hills. Part of a mixed-use development, the designer digs will have 102 rooms, and rooftop bar and dining. On the edge of Darlinghurst and Paddington, Australia's first 25hours hotel will throw open its doors in December. Its 109 rooms will be part of a transformation of a heritage building on Oxford Street that was once a brewery, theatre and 1990s hotspot, Grand Pacific Blue Room. There'll be a ground-floor cafe, a restaurant and bar, four levels of accommodation and a rooftop bar that overlooks the eastern suburbs and harbour.

The waterfront Honeysuckle entertainment precinct will welcome Little National Newcastle in April. The rooms, which have the beds set squarely in front of a picture window, are surprisingly spacious and this location is second to none.

If you like to be beside the seaside, get excited for a duo of openings. The Bonobo by Raes, with its Miami-meets-Morocco chic, is set right on Byron Bay's main drag and serves up two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments with all the services you can expect from a hotel. The holiday village of Crescent Head will welcome the new venture from hoteliers George Gorrow and Cisco Tschurtschenthaler (of Bali's The Slow) next summer. Gorrow describes Sea Sea as a "surf-club hotel", with the 1970s brick structure being turned into 24 retro-inspired rooms, with pool, restaurant, bar, lounge and event space.

Adelaide GPO has been a city landmark for more than 150 years, and in May it will become home to the Marriott Adelaide and its 285 guestrooms in a newly constructed 15-storey tower. There'll be three different dining venues onsite, as well as an 18-metre indoor swimming pool.

The cream of Western Australia's design, creative and gourmet talent has come together to create The Lodge Wadjemup, a low-impact development at Thompsons Bay on Rottnest Island. There'll be varied levels of accommodation, from bunk rooms to family lodgings, the first of which will open in September. Accessible to all island visitors will also be two dining venues, including one that is relaxed but focused on delicious local ingredients.

The west will host a new hotel brand from late in the year with the opening of Hyde Perth. Its 120 rooms are described as bohemian chic, but the focus is on connection. Guests can enjoy a variety of innovative dining concepts, a beach club, and public spaces filled with lounges and long tables. Throughout the day, the hotel's entertainment spaces will come to life with a program of live music and performances catering to a fun, festival-loving crowd.

Read more on Explore:

Get back to nature at The Rookery on Peggy's Point in Bicheno. To ensure minimum damage to the environment, including penguin nesting sites, the developers of the former Silver Sands resort site undertook five years of planning. The result is 12 two-storey luxury "nests" on a reduced footprint, all linked by timber boardwalks and surrounded by restored native landscaping with embedded penguin nest boxes.