From waterfront hotels to restored warehouses and coastal retreats on the Bellarine Peninsula, here are some of the top places to stay in Geelong and surrounds.

A gateway to some of Victoria’s loveliest country and coastal locales, Geelong is also a city with a strong sense of history that runs along its waterfront and a creative spirit that permeates its laneway. These accommodation offerings tap into the area’s many facets.

1. Devlin Apartments

Devlin Apartments is housed within a Georgian Revival-style building in central Geelong that dates back to 1926. Behind its heritage exterior lies a suite of 27 luxury apartments in three distinct styles: choose to stay in The New Yorker, with high ceilings and tall arched windows; The Industrialist, with wrought iron and rustic timber furniture; or The Modernist, with clean lines, Danish-designed furniture and balconies. In addition, the property also offers 10 motel-style rooms.

2. Anchor Geelong

Here, a little bit of Hamptons style is blended with boho chic to create a breezy, aesthetically pleasing accommodation offering just a couple of blocks away from the eateries of Little Malop Street and a short stroll to the waterfront. Anchor Geelong’s eight studio rooms are each styled uniquely and named after a different coastal locale in the region – from the deluxe king studio of Queenscliff to the two-bedroom studio of Torquay; some have their own private courtyard, all have bathrooms kitted out with Moroccan tiles.

3. Sabina on Little Myers

This self-contained Victorian house in a quiet corner of town makes for an ideal base for groups of up to six people. Beautifully furnished and appointed throughout, Sabina on Little Myers has three bedrooms each with king-size beds and quality linen, a cosy lounge with open gas log fire, movies, games, magazine and books, and an outdoor backyard with barbecue to boot. The property is pet-friendly too, and within walking distance of Geelong’s waterfront and Eastern Beach as well as the city’s many cafes, restaurants and shops.

4. The Warehouse Apartments

This hip ‘aparthotel’ is part of a new refurbishment of The Warehouse Geelong, a building originally constructed in 1890 as Hearne’s Cough Medicine Factory. Today, it is reimagined into three architecturally designed boutique apartments described as ‘Geelong meets New York’, with pendant lighting, exposed rafters and lots of greenery. Located on the edge of the CBD in the Western Wedge Art Precinct, it’s within walking distance of the city’s attractions including Geelong Gallery just seven minutes away. It also offers free private parking.

5. Novotel Geelong

Stay smack-bang on the waterfront in Novotel Geelong, which has 109 room all with balconies and some with water views. Following a $3.5 million makeover completed in 2019, its guest rooms and common areas are imbibed with a sense of Geelong’s creative spirit and signature street art. There’s also an aptly named Waterfront Restaurant, Bar and Lounge, with a Mediterranean inspired à la carte dinner menu and al fresco dining space.

6. Quest Geelong

Within easy reach of all the city’s attractions – from the waterfront, iconic Cunningham Pier and Eastern Beach to Little Creatures Brewery and the Great Ocean Road beyond – Quest Geelong offers a stylish, relaxed and convenient stay with its 35 serviced apartments. Choose from studios and one, two and three-bedroom apartments for a ‘home from home’ experience.

7. Riverglen Holiday Park

Located among the gum trees on the banks of the Barwon River, 10 minutes’ drive from central Geelong, Riverglen Holiday Park has a diverse choice of accommodation that ranges from powered camping sites to cottage-style cabins with wide verandahs. There’s also two swimming pools, a playground and ample free-to-use barbecue areas.

8. Campbell Point House

A 20-minute drive from Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsula, Campbell Point House offers one of the most unique accommodation propositions in the area: a luxurious waterfront hotel and restaurant set in a multimillion-dollar countryside mansion. With only 30 guests accommodated at a time across a suite of stays including The Lake House, The Cottage and Mansion Suite, Campbell Point House is a super exclusive – and not to mention socially distanced – experience complete with high teas, degustation dinners, day spa and infinity pool.

9. The Nest Luxury Stay

Half an hour from Geelong in a hilltop position above Point Lonsdale, near the historic seaside town of Queenscliff, you’ll find The Nest – a collection of luxury bed and breakfast pods custom-made for couples or those looking for a little solo time. These architect-designed pods each come with king-size beds and a private deck and spa overlooking the coastline. A sustainable accommodation option, The Nest is solar powered during the day and uses 100 per cent filtrated rain water. And while your stay provides the illusion of complete solitude – based as it is on a 16-hectare private sanctuary – you’re only a few minutes’ drive from the region’s best wineries, distilleries, restaurants and beaches.

10. Lon Retreat

Also located in Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula, Lon Retreat is sequestered among over 80 hectares of rural and conservation land on a hill by the ocean. It features seven luxurious suites each named after a different cloud type and decked out in earthy tones and contemporary luxury touches. Plus, there’s a small and exclusive spa featuring mineral water-fed soaking tubs, steam rooms, and views to the ocean, lighthouse and coastal landscape. In the evening, enjoy a home-style meal in the comfort of your suite made with produce sourced from your surrounds.

11. The Shearer’s Quarters

Stay amid 459 hectares of grazing and bush land on one of Victoria’s oldest pastoral properties, Moranghurk. The Shearer’s Quarters, 30 minutes north-west of Geelong and overlooking the Moorabool River, is based out of a 1920s bluestone building and caters to groups of up to 30 people. A screen-free environment with a limited number of power points ensures guests have a digital detox as well as a true rural escape. Here, eight bedrooms converge on a large country kitchen with an original brick bread oven; cook up a storm and wash it all down with local wine including pinot noir from Moranghurk’s very own vineyard.

12. Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park

Once an 18th-century English mansion, the grand Lancemore Mansion Hotel in Werribee Park is now a stunning five-star accommodation, just 30 minutes from Melbourne.

Each of the 91 guest rooms is beautifully appointed with modern and luxurious amenities. Choose from a cosy Heritage Room in the original mansion, a contemporary Superior Room in the Spa Wing with garden views, a spacious Junior Suite featuring a spa bath and balcony, or a 2-Bedroom Family Suite ideal for groups or families.

There’s an exclusive day spa offering relaxing treatments, while the hotel’s restaurant serves a seasonal menu paired with world-class wines.