18 November 2024
10 mins Read
The allure of its multi-hued beauty, preserved natural landscapes and abundance of seasonal produce is well documented, but Kangaroo Island is also home to a number of first-rate accommodation options – offering everything from luxury accommodation to beautiful camping spots. Start planning your escape to South Australia’s most prized island paradise by selecting from our pick of the best accommodation on Kangaroo Island.
Best for: location, location, location
Marvellous views come standard with every room at the Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel.
Seaviews are a given at this stunning motel. (Image: Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel)
Situated in the town centre and spanning a whole corner block, the Seaview delivers on all the conveniences of its central location while still providing guests with a tranquil escape.
The iconic motel was the first to open on Kangaroo Island, but they’ve expanded the accommodation offering in recent years to also include an ocean-view suite and two-bedroom apartment for travellers in search of a little more luxury than a standard motel.
Seaview was the first motel on the island. (Image: Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel)
Best for: peace and serenity
Tucked away on the eastern side of the island is the Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge. The tranquil setting provides plenty of opportunities for guests to unwind, watch the sunset over the calm waters of the American River and relax to the soothing sounds of nature.
The Mercure offers a more secluded, relaxed accommodation option for those looking to avoid crowds. There are 38 well-appointed guest rooms of various sizes – most of which feature exceptional waterfront views.
The property’s award-winning fine dining offering, Reflections Restaurant, is an excellent place to dine for an evening. The venue won Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award in 2020 and 2021 and continues to deliver on both taste and quality.
There is an abundance of birdlife and wildlife to encounter, including tammar wallabies, black cockatoos, and brush-tailed possums – and you can feed the local pelicans each morning with the whiting scraps from the restaurant. Or explore the coastal scrub and curious wildlife along two of the main walking tracks, the Independence Trail or the Fish Cannery walk.
The Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge offers a more secluded, relaxed accommodation option.
Best for: those who want to slow it right down
Adagio’s beachfront-meets-bush location provides the perfect backdrop for a holiday that offers easy access to Island Beach, plenty of coastal and bushwalking opportunities and abundant wildlife encounters.
The modern B&B accommodates two people and includes traditional breakfast, access to a barbeque, a balcony with 180-degree-views of Island Beach, an independent entrance for guests – and the option of a tailored itinerary.
Slow down at Adagio Retreat.
Best for: the ultimate Kangaroo Island stay
The new-look Southern Ocean Lodge opened in December 2023, four years after the original iteration of the iconic nature-based luxury lodge was razed to the ground during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.
Southern Ocean Lodge is dramatically situated high above the Southern Ocean. (Image: George Apostolidis)
Back and better than ever, SOL 2.0 is perched on a clifftop overlooking the wild Southern Ocean, with 25 exquisite suites – including the ultra-luxe Baillie Pavilion – poised to make the most of those windswept views. Or soak it all in from the heart of the lodge, the Great Room, with a glass of KI wine in hand.
The Great Room remains the heart of the lodge.
A founding member of Luxury Lodges of Australia, Southern Ocean Lodge is all about experiential luxury: designed to immerse guests in the surrounding nature, as well as the community of Kangaroo Island.
Read our take on the stunning rebuild here.
Best for: modern luxury
If this luxury Kangaroo Island accommodation option isn’t already on your radar, Hamilton & Dune’s duo of exclusive lodges overlooking Emu Bay are about to go straight to the top of your wish list.
Shower with a view at Hamilton & Dune. (Image: Sarah Byden & Vinnie Preston)
Choose between the architecturally designed Dune House, a chic, private three-bedroom property that boasts direct beach access and a sunken living room with a wood fire and a breathtaking backdrop of uninterrupted ocean views; or the homier, yet equally impressive, Hamilton House, which is perfectly sized to cater to larger groups or families with spectacular ocean views and a large deck for entertaining.
Cosy up by the fire at Dune House. (Image: Hamilton & Dune)
There are additional experiences to book in advance of your stay, including an in-house massage or yoga session, an in-house chef, food delivery service, a beach picnic experience and more.
Hamilton & Dune take luxury to the next level. (Image: Sarah Byden & Vinnie Preston)
Best for: panoramic views
Stowaway is for those who allow aesthetically designed properties to influence their booking decisions. From the beauty of the surrounding natural landscape to the lush furnishings, scenic reading nooks, fireplace, free-standing bath, neutral tones and wooden floorboards within the property – you’ll be hooked.
Read your afternoons away in the reading nook. (Image Nadinne Grace Photography)
The four self-contained properties – The Nest, The Sleepy Hollow, The Snug and The Hide – are tucked away on the corner of a family farm on the north coast of the island near Stokes Bay. All properties feature panoramic views of the native bushland and ocean, as well as plenty of opportunities to admire flora and fauna in the Lathami Conservation Park it butts up against – including the rare Glossy Black Cockatoo if you’re lucky.
The property’s aesthetic design will have you swooning. (Image Nadinne Grace Photography)
Spend your days immersed in the rugged beauty of the island, take a dip in the pristine waters of Stokes Bay, and taste the locally sourced food and exceptional wine that the region is renowned for.
Take in the panoramic views from Stowaway. (Image Nadinne Grace Photography)
Best for: honeymooners or romantic getaways
Spend your stay on Kangaroo Island perched on a cliff overlooking Snellings Beach inside the exquisite Sky House (formerly LifeTime Private Retreats). The luxurious rammed-earth villa sleeps six, but you’ll want this one all to yourselves.
The Cliff House is luxury in a nutshell. (Image: Melissa Koh)
Boasting a number of romantic features, including a master bedroom fashioned inside a circular tower with panoramic views of the Southern Sea, a cushioned sunken pit with open fire, an outdoor cliff-edge Jacuzzi and a nearby helicopter pad for those romantic scenic flights you’re bound to book.
Relax in the cliffside jacuzzi. (Image: Kane Overall)
The addition of a fully equipped kitchen keeps things simple and convenient for those not wanting to venture far, or opt to cook up some of that famous South Australian produce on the barbecue.
Cook up a feast with a view at Sky House. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)
Best for: eco luxury
Set within 60 hectares of pure nature in a private wildlife sanctuary, Ecopia Retreat offers off-grid luxury with plenty of heart.
Choose to sleep in one of two rammed-earth eco villas, loft-style two-bedroom The Rise, or three-bedroom home, the Ecopia Residence.
Ecopia Retreat is an off-grid luxury stay on a private wildlife sanctuary. (Image: Tourism Australia/South Australian Tourism Commission)
Want more in the way of accommodation with all the trimmings? We’ve lined up Kangaroo Island’s most luxurious stays here.
Best for: nature lovers
A stay in one of the three self-contained properties at Antechamber Bay Retreats is a fully immersive experience of Kangaroo Island’s most coveted natural treasures.
Antechamber Bay Retreats has two distinctive cottages: Nat’s and The Kona.
The three distinctive cottages – Nat’s (four bedrooms), The Kona (three bedrooms) and Shylie’s Retreat (one bedroom) – are located on Creek Bay, the oldest continuous farming estate in South Australia. Each property rewards its guests with dramatic ocean vistas, expansive views of native bushland and four kilometres of unspoilt white-sand beach to explore.
Watch the wildlife at dawn and dusk, cook a barbecue on the verandah or book the in-house catering option in advance of your stay for a little extra guaranteed downtime.
Each property has dramatic ocean views.
Airbnb properties on Kangaroo Island are giving hotel rooms a run for their money. Here is a selection that far exceeds expectations when it comes to the humble homestay.
Best for: Those who want it all
Want more options? We’ve lined up of the best Airbnbs to check out on Kangaroo Island here.
Are you one of those who want to wake up every day to a different view (and after a cheap accommodation on Kangaroo Island!)? Look no further than the island’s incredible campsites. When nature is the star attraction, it’s no wonder that so many campgrounds have popped up around KI.
Best for: Those who want to stay next to one of Kangaroo Island’s prettiest beaches
Stay a stone’s throw from one of Australia’s best beaches. The campground is accessible for caravans and has both powered and unpowered campsites and is one of the three council campsites to have showers available. It is just up the road from the famous Vivonne Bay General Store, with its equally famous whiting burger (one of the best things to eat on Kangaroo Island).
Costs range from $23 per night for two people at an unpowered site at this council-run campground. It is also pet-friendly, so no need to leave the dog at home.
Camping at Vivonne Bay puts you in the heart of everything. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)
Best for: Those who like their camping with a touch of affordable luxury
Only 300m away from the SeaLink Ferry, the Kangaroo Island Seafront Holiday Park has incredible views over Hog Bay Beach. Settle in to enjoy them at one of the caravan parks glamping eco-luxury tents, oceanview villas or from a powered or unpowered campsite.
Where camping meets luxury. (Image: Kangaroo Island Seafront Holiday Park)
Best for: Those who want an adventure with the family
With unpowered sites only, Browns Beach Campground overlooks the family-friendly beach located on the north coast of the island. Being just 15 minutes’ drive from Penneshaw, it’s no hassle to duck back into town if you need any further supplies – or a bottle from one of Kangaroo Island’s best wineries.
Stay overlooking the family-friendly Browns Beach. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)
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