We’re so excited that many of you are travelling to celebrate with us in Brisbane. Whether you're visiting for the first time or making a holiday out of the trip, we’ve put together a few of our favourite places to stay, eat and explore.
Love,
Liyana & Noah
Travel & Stay
And Things To Do!
Where
To Stay
Our wedding will be in Hamilton, Brisbane, which is close to the river, the city, and the airport. Staying nearby will make getting to the venue easy.
Here are some hotels we love and recommend that are central and nearby the wedding!
The Calile Hotel
Fortitude Valley
One of Brisbane’s most iconic and stylish hotels, located on James Street in Fortitude Valley. The design is famous for its pastel tones, palm trees and beautiful pool area, giving it a relaxed “urban resort” vibe. The surrounding precinct is full of great restaurants, boutiques and cafés, making it a fantastic place to stay if you want to experience Brisbane’s best dining and nightlife.
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Around $450–$700 per night depending on room type
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Amazing atmosphere, great food nearby, and one of the most stylish hotels in the city.
The Emporium Hotel
South Bank
A five-star boutique hotel located in South Bank, Brisbane’s cultural and dining hub. The suites are beautifully designed and the hotel is known for its rooftop infinity pool and terrace bar overlooking the city skyline. South Bank Parklands, museums and restaurants are all within walking distance
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$420–$650 per night, with luxury suites available for more.
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One of Brisbane’s most luxurious hotels with amazing rooftop views and great access to restaurants, parks and the river.
The Westin Brisbane
Brisbane City
A beautiful five-star hotel located right in the Brisbane CBD, just a short walk from the Botanic Gardens, Queen Street Mall and many of the city’s restaurants and bars. The hotel has a very polished, modern feel with spacious rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows and Westin’s famous Heavenly Beds designed for extra comfort
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$300–$450 per night depending on room type
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A luxurious and comfortable hotel in the heart of Brisbane, perfect if you’d like to stay in the city while still being only about 15 minutes from the wedding venue in Hamilton.
W Hotel
Brisbane City
The W Hotel is one of Brisbane’s most modern and luxurious hotels, located right on the Brisbane River in the heart of the city. It’s known for its bold design, beautiful river views and lively atmosphere. The hotel features a large pool deck, stylish cocktail bar and several great restaurants.
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Around $350–$550 per night
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A fun and vibrant luxury hotel right in the centre of Brisbane, with great river views and plenty of restaurants, bars and shopping nearby.
Alcyone Hotel Residences
Hamilton
This is actually where we’ll be staying on the night of the wedding. We chose it because it’s literally right next to the venue, so it’s by far the most convenient option if you want to be super close and not worry about travel after the celebration.
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$260–$300 per night depending on room type
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If you want the absolute easiest option for the wedding, this is it. You’ll be right next to the venue, surrounded by restaurants and only about 10–15 minutes from Brisbane Airport, making it especially convenient for guests flying in
Crystallbrook Vincent
Howard Smith Wharves
Located right under the Story Bridge at Howard Smith Wharves, this stylish hotel sits right in one of Brisbane’s best dining precincts with incredible river and bridge views. There are plenty of great restaurants and bars right outside the door.
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Around $320–$500 per night.
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Amazing location right on the river with great food, bars and city views. This entire area (Howard Smith Wharves) is a must-visit place is Brisbane!
View Brisbane
Hamilton
A relaxed riverside hotel located in Hamilton, just a short drive from the airport and close to the wedding venue. Many rooms overlook the Brisbane River, and the hotel has a resort-style pool, gym and restaurant on site. It’s a great choice if you want something comfortable and convenient without being right in the middle of the city
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$170–$230 per night depending on the room
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Very close to the venue and airport, great river views, and good value compared with many city hotels.
Getting
Around.
Brisbane is a very easy city to get around, and most places are only a short drive from each other. Whether you're staying near the venue in Hamilton or in the city, travelling around should be simple and convenient.
From The Airport.
Brisbane Airport is very close to the wedding venue and many of the recommended hotels.
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• Hamilton / Portside Wharf
About 5 minutes
• Fortitude Valley / James StreetAbout 15–20 minutes
• Brisbane CBDAbout 20 minutes
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Uber and rideshare services are very common in Brisbane and are usually the easiest way to travel.
Typical fares:
• Airport → Hamilton: $20–$30
• Airport → Brisbane City: $35–$45Taxi
Taxis are available directly outside both airport terminals if you prefer a traditional taxi.
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Hiring a car is also a great option if you’re visiting Brisbane for a few days. Rental cars are usually very affordable from Brisbane Airport, and having a car makes it easy to explore the city and surrounding areas at your own pace.
We would definitely recommend renting a car if you’re planning to make a bit of a trip out of your visit.
With a car, you can easily explore places like:
• The Gold Coast – beautiful beaches and great restaurants, about 1 hour south
• The Sunshine Coast – stunning coastline and relaxed beach towns about 1 hour north
• Mount Tamborine & the Scenic Rim – gorgeous hinterland areas with wineries, nature walks and great viewsMost major car rental companies operate directly from Brisbane Airport, making pickup and drop-off very convenient.
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Brisbane’s airport train connects directly to the city and South Bank. From there, you can easily catch a short Uber or taxi to your hotel.
Best
Areas To Visit.
If you're staying a few days, Brisbane has some beautiful areas worth exploring. Here are a few of our favourite places around the city.
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One of the most iconic spots in Brisbane, located right underneath the Story Bridge along the river. This precinct has a fantastic selection of restaurants, bars and breweries with amazing views of the city skyline and river.
It’s a great place for a relaxed lunch, sunset drinks, or dinner by the water.
Why we love it:
The views of the Story Bridge are incredible, and it’s one of the best places in Brisbane to enjoy food and drinks by the river. -
South Bank is one of Brisbane’s most popular areas to visit. It sits right along the river and is home to beautiful parklands, walking paths, restaurants and bars.
It’s also where you’ll find Streets Beach, Brisbane’s famous inner-city lagoon and swimming area.
You’ll also find the Queensland Museum, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Brisbane Wheel here.
Why we love it:
A great mix of river views, restaurants, culture and beautiful green spaces. -
James Street is one of the most stylish areas in Brisbane and one of our favourite spots for food and shopping. The street is lined with great restaurants, cafés, designer boutiques and bars.
It has a really relaxed but upscale atmosphere and is a great place to spend an afternoon walking around.
Why we love it:
Amazing food, great cafés and one of the nicest areas in Brisbane to wander around. -
One of Brisbane’s most beautiful parks located right along the river. It’s a lovely place for a walk, picnic or coffee by the water.
Nearby you’ll also find great cafés and the Brisbane Powerhouse, which often hosts markets, events and performances.
Why we love it:
A peaceful riverside park with beautiful views and a relaxed Brisbane vibe. -
The Kangaroo Point Cliffs offer some of the best views of the Brisbane skyline. It’s a popular spot for sunset walks and you’ll often see people rock climbing on the cliffs.
You can also walk along the river and enjoy the views across to the city.
Why we love it:
One of the best sunset views in Brisbane. -
If you’re looking for nightlife, bars and clubs, Fortitude Valley is Brisbane’s main entertainment district. It’s the best place in the city for late-night venues, live music and dancing.
You’ll find everything from cocktail bars and rooftop venues to nightclubs and live music spots. Many of Brisbane’s biggest artists and DJs perform in the Valley, and it’s where most of the city’s nightlife happens.
It’s also right next to the James Street precinct, so it’s easy to combine a nice dinner with a night out.
Why we recommend it:
If you want to experience Brisbane’s nightlife and have a fun night out, this is the place to go. -
Mount Coot-tha offers one of the best panoramic views of Brisbane, overlooking the entire city skyline, river and surrounding mountains. It’s a beautiful spot to visit, especially around sunset.
At the top you’ll find a lookout, café and restaurant where you can relax and take in the view. It’s also the starting point for a number of walking tracks if you enjoy nature.
Just nearby is the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha, which are also lovely to walk through if you have some time.
Why we love it:
One of the best views of Brisbane and a perfect place to watch the sunset over the city.
Our
Favourite Restaurants.
Liyana is a huge foodie, so discovering great restaurants is very much her specialty. She’s always finding amazing new spots, so this list is very much her curated selection of some of our favourite places to eat in Brisbane.
If you’re looking for a great meal while you’re visiting, these are some places we’d definitely recommend
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A small unassuming, unpretentious spot that you could easily walk past, but it’s one we keep coming back to. They’ve got a whole menu dedicated to korean fried chicken (and it’s all so good), but honestly, the real reason we go so often is for their spicy chicken feet.
Why we love it:
The spicy chicken feet is bold, addictive, and once you’ve had them, you’ll keep craving them.
Our fave order: We like to get the spicy chicken feet set, change the stir fried rice to rice ball, add a half fried chicken and add a side of jalapeno mayo to dip. DELICIOUS. -
Now, this is one that has newly opened and if we could describe it in one word, it would be indulgent. Every single dish we had (we went for the banquet of course) had amazing flavour and texture. It was unreal. We highly recommend the banquet, though we felt like the first few fried dishes could be a bit too much. We also hear the roast duck is amazing and we will keep you updated when we try it!
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If you love Asian food, Sunnybank is definitely worth visiting. Located about 20 minutes south of the city, Sunnybank is known as Brisbane’s main Asian food district and is packed with incredible restaurants.
You’ll find Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Thai restaurants all in one area, with everything from casual noodle spots to amazing BBQ and hot pot restaurants. There are easily hundreds of restaurants to choose from, so it’s a fantastic place to explore if you're a foodie.
Why we recommend it:
An amazing variety of authentic Asian food and one of the best places in Brisbane to go for a food adventure.
We especially love Satay Boss (malay mixed rice), Master Malatang (get the fried chicken skewer!), Little Hong Kong (comfort food for Liyana), Mr Tall Pork Noodles (the dry ban mian is TO DIE FOR) -
Biànca is a gorgeous Italian restaurant in the James Street precinct known for its handmade pasta and warm, stylish atmosphere.
Why we love it:
Incredible pasta and one of the nicest dining spots on James Street.
What to order? Definitely the banquet to try everything! -
Honto is a hidden Japanese restaurant tucked away in Fortitude Valley. It’s a little harder to find, but that’s part of the charm. The food is fantastic and the whole place has a really cool vibe.
Why we love it:
Amazing food and a unique hidden-gem atmosphere.
What to order? Always the banquet! -
If you're staying in Hamilton or Portside Wharf, Eat Street Northshore is definitely worth visiting. It’s a vibrant outdoor food market made up of colourful shipping containers filled with food stalls from all around the world.
You’ll find everything from Asian street food and burgers to desserts, cocktails and live music, all in a really fun atmosphere right on the river.
It’s a great place to wander around, try different foods and soak up the atmosphere.
Why we recommend it:
A really fun spot for casual food, drinks and live music, and it’s right near Hamilton, making it very easy to visit if you're staying close to the wedding venue.
Gold Coast
Day Trip.
If you're staying a few extra days and feel like exploring beyond Brisbane, the Gold Coast is a fantastic place to visit. It’s about an hour’s drive south of Brisbane and is famous for its beautiful beaches, relaxed coastal vibe and great restaurants.
It makes for a perfect day trip or overnight stay if you want to turn the wedding weekend into a little holiday.
Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Queensland and a great place to experience the classic Gold Coast vibe. The area has a beautiful long beach, plenty of restaurants, bars and shopping, and lots of entertainment.
It’s a lively area and a fun place to spend a few hours walking along the beach, grabbing a meal or enjoying the nightlife.
Why we recommend it:
Great beaches, lots of food options and a fun atmosphere right in the heart of the Gold Coast.
Theme Parks
The Gold Coast is also famous for its major theme parks, which can be a really fun day out if you're visiting with family or just feeling adventurous.
Some of the most popular parks include:
• Warner Bros. Movie World
• Dreamworld
• Sea World
• Wet'n'Wild
They’re all located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast and are easy to reach by car.
Why we recommend it:
A fun day out and one of the most well-known attractions in Queensland.
Burleigh Heads
Burleigh is one of our favourite spots on the Gold Coast. It has a beautiful beach, a relaxed coastal atmosphere and lots of great cafés, restaurants and bars nearby.
You can take a walk through Burleigh Head National Park, swim at the beach, or enjoy lunch with ocean views.
Why we recommend it:
One of the most beautiful beaches on the Gold Coast with great food and a relaxed vibe.
Tallebudgera Creek
Tallebudgera Creek is a stunning swimming spot where calm turquoise water meets the ocean. It’s perfect for swimming, paddle boarding or just relaxing by the water.
Because the water is calm, it’s one of the nicest places on the Gold Coast for a peaceful swim.
Why we recommend it:
Crystal-clear water and one of the most beautiful swimming spots in the region.