Adelaide Hotels & Tourism

Calming hills, crashing waves and a whole valley of wine.

When the early colonists arrived and began building Adelaide they used stone. They wanted to build a solid, dignified city, a civilised and calm place, with a manner no other state capital in the country could match. Nowadays, much to the wowsers' chagrin, pubs and nightclubs outnumber the churches.

Scratch the surface of the quiet achiever of Australian cities and you'll tap into its hedonistic vein. This epicurean playground celebrates the cultural, artistic, gastronomic and sporting. During the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the artistic flair of this progressive, yet still conservative city, truly emerges.

Adelaide sits on the eastern shore of Gulf St Vincent, in the far south of South Australia. The streets of Adelaide's central business district follow a grid pattern, which makes it very easy for visitors to find their way around. Victoria Sq sits in the centre of the grid, and the main street, King William, runs through it. Although not the geographical centre of town, Rundle Mall is the shopping centre of the city, with the big department stores - Rundle St's eastern end has some of the city centre's best dining and boutique shopping. North Tce, running parallel to Rundle St, is the city's cultural centre, a grand boulevard lined with a gallery, museum, state library and university. The River Torrens separates the city centre from North Adelaide, and a green belt of parkland surrounds both areas.

Adelaide airport is about 8km (5mi) west of the city centre, the interstate train terminal is just southwest of the city centre in the suburb of Keswick, and interstate buses arrive at Central, almost smack in the middle of town. Most hostels are in the southeastern corner of the city centre; Hindley St in the city has mid-range options, North Tce has the top-end hotels. Rundle St, Hindley St and North Tce are the main food centres.

Australia is a multi-cultural country, so it's not unusual to walk down a city street and hear people speaking Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Vietnamese or Arabic as their first language. Aboriginal languages are also spoken. English-speaking Australians have a passion for abbreviations and are liable to use a hotchpotch of local slang that can take the first-time visitor a while to untangle.

Travellers to Adelaide, Australia can expect to find accommodation of all types, from upmarket Adelaide hotels and resorts to more budget-focussed and unique options. For your next holiday accommodation in Adelaide, make sure you check the regular and special offers on hotels.com.au first. Australia is host to a wide range of travel experience, suitable for all budgets. And Adelaide is a great place to visit, blending experiences such as eating at Central Market or a Haighs factory with famous attractions such as the Migration Museum and Glenelg Beach. And don’t forget shopping shopping at pedestrian-only Rundle Mall, and sample the famous wines from Barossa and Eden Valleys for an unforgettable Adelaide experience. Wherever you’re staying, hotels.com.au offers a huge range of Adelaide hotels and Adelaide accommodation options.