Motel Molly
14 September 2026
A Mediterranean-pastel rebirth of a '60s beachside motel one street back from Mollymook's crescent. Hand-painted tiles in every room. A breakfast hatch instead of a reception desk.
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The Isla
14 September 2026
Palm Springs glam meets South Coast retro: a '70s motor inn reopened in 2024 with hand-painted rooms, Scandinavian edges and a speakeasy-style cantina behind the laundry.
Kyneton Springs
14 September 2026
A pink-neon Palm Springs homage on the Calder Freeway — kidney pool, a roomful of vintage thrift, and accent rooms painted in colours your nan would have called "racy".
River Drive Motel
14 September 2026
Five rooms on the Tarwin River mouth. Eucalyptus tones, cork ceilings, 1970s op-shop dignity, and a host who'll lend you a tinnie if she likes the look of you.
Bayview Motel
14 September 2026
Thirty-seven rooms, a turquoise pool the same colour as Esperance's water, and the kind of BBQ terrace that has hosted the same five families every January since 1974.
Hahndorf Motor Lodge
14 September 2026
A hill-station motor lodge a block back from the country's oldest German town. Pool, spa, Bavarian flag, and a courtyard that smells like jacaranda for two weeks a year.
Sundowner Motel
14 September 2026
A Lincoln Highway four-pointer with pool, cabin park and the Sunset Restaurant — a salmon-and-prawn-cocktail kind of place, the sort of menu that doesn't apologise for itself.
Imperial Hotel
14 September 2026
Not a motel by birth, but a 1911 pub remade in 2025 with pressed-metal ceilings, antique mirrors and old-Hollywood lighting. Closer to a movie set than a country hotel.
HotelMOTEL
14 September 2026
A back-to-the-shell rebirth of a 1950s South Terrace classic — slate blues, native palette, and the only city-centre motel in the country where you can still park outside your door.
Casita
14 September 2026
A revived 1980s apartment block reborn as romantic retro suites with moody European charm, terracotta tile and a south coast edge that takes itself just seriously enough.