5 of Australia’s Most Famous Hotels and Pubs

Australia is a vast land with some truly amazing sites and natural landscapes, but it is also home to many a fine country pub, which is something of an icon here down under!

While it’s difficult to narrow down the best pubs from around the country to a single list, let’s take a look at just a few of the most famous and renowned pubs and hotels and what makes them so special.

The Pub With No Beer

Source: www.gdaypubs.com.au

While the name of this pub in Taylor’s Arm, NSW is misleading (you can in fact enjoy a cold one here), it remains one of the most famous hotels in all of Australia in part because it shares the name with a hit from of the great country music legend Slim Dusty. Whether the song is named after the pub (or vice versa) is unknown - but there’s no doubt that the bar is special to many locals in the area and nationally. 

In fact, The Pub With No Beer is arguably the most well-known pub in Australia and world-wide and now has a brewery on the grounds.

Australian Heritage Hotel

Source: www.instagram.com/theaustralianhotel/

The oldest licensed pub in Sydney, the Australian Heritage Hotel opened its doors way back in 1824 and has been open and serving a uniquely Australian crop of food and drink ever since (although there was a relocation in the early 1900’s). This includes a fine collection of commercial and craft beers and emu, kangaroo and crocodile dishes. Not to mention the building itself is fairly impressive and registered as an icon with the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.

Young & Jackson

Source: www.instagram.com/youngandjackson/

Melbourne has a vibrant bar scene but we again give the nod to one of the oldest traditional pubs in the city, the Young & Jackson. A stone’s throw away from the world famous Melbourne Cricket Ground, this city pub is a favourite for AFL fans on the weekend, so a visit during this time is highly recommended.

In addition, the premises has just recently been renovated and now has a terrific rooftop cider-bar.

Adelaide River Inn

Located along the picturesque Adelaide River, visiting this hotel is certainly worth your time if you’re in this part of Darwin. Whether it be the unique characters that the pub attracts, most of whom are up for a chat, Charlie the buffalo, who appeared in Crocodile Dundee or Maritime photos and memorabilia that covers the walls, the Adelaide River hotel is as fair dinkum Aussie as it comes.

Story Bridge Hotel

This Brisbane pub is home to an unusual tradition that you’re unlikely to see anywhere else in the world. Organised cockroach racing, of all things, is run on Australia Day in a nearby street, and has been for the past 30 years. It really is something quite extraordinary and draws plenty of crowds every year, making for an electric ambience. Any other day of the year, you can expect outstanding food/drink and good service in a classic colonial building.

While we’re not so vain as to add our own hotel to the list, we take great pride in the history of our hotel and always look at ways to make atmosphere and menu as enjoyable as possible! The large building has a number of spacious function rooms available, a beer garden and award-winning chefs in the kitchen, making it one of Perth’s most iconic bars and a great place for a private event.

Drop The Wembley Hotel a line or simply pop in for a beer anytime to get more info!

Interesting Facts Worth Knowing About Hotels

When visiting a hotel, you like to know that you have booked a safe heaven for the night when away from home, to enjoy a luxury stay at a prestigious hotel, or have fun at a thrilling resort but how did hotels come to be such a big business and why are there so many different amazing and whacky hotels out there? Some of these funny hotel facts have come about by accident, and some were the brainchildren of innovative people around the world.

The First Hotels

While a place to stay for weary travellers has been available for a long time, dating back many thousands of years, inns in medieval Europe became popular for coach travellers across the continent. The popularity of these places of overnight stay coupled with the local tavern for a place to eat and drink proved so great that the first modern sense of a hotel was opened in Exeter in the UK in 1768.

Image Source: The Wookpack Hotel 

The need spread to much of Western Europe and hotels were opening across Europe and North America during the 17 and 18th century. Governor Phillip licensed 10 of the first hotels in Australia in 1796 and one of these, The Woolpack Hotel in Sydney still remains.

What Drives People to Stay in Hotels?

The majority of people who stay in hotels do so for accommodation during their vacations, and intend to use a hotel for a base of operations whilst travelling the local area. Many people choose hotels based on their location to a particular site in town, offering them easy access to all of the local places of interest.

Another big factor of hotels is the hotel resort factor, when hotels aren’t simply just a place to sleep overnight at a given location, they have turned into exciting places that offer their own services, making people want to visit a particular hotel specifically for what they have to offer. One of the best instances of this is the popularity of spa hotel and resorts.

What Drove the Popularity of Hotels? 

Ever since the first introduction of the idea of hotels started to gain notice amongst the general public, they proved popular for holiday makers and business clients.

Early on in the 18th century when train travel and the idea of being able to cover large distances in a single day meant that people liked the idea of spending a few days at a new location.

The boom in popularity of hotels continued quickly on and has never looked back. 

With so many hotels around the world offering unique and amazing locations and experiences, this trend will surely continue thanks to the worldwide travel at lower costs now possible.

The range of hotels now available is astounding. You can stay at the base camp of Everest, stay in a luxury 5 star hotel to enjoy all of the comforts you’d expect the queen to have, as well as fun new concept hotels where the walls are made of art work.