Five affordable alternatives to Australia’s extravagant luxury lodges

Destination resorts may be expensive – but the destinations themselves don’t have to be

With private pools, vast cellars and throngs of discreet but obliging staff, Australia has a handful of internationally renowned luxury lodges where a single night’s stay costs upwards of A$1,000 – and sometimes far more. But often the biggest selling point isn’t the amenities, it’s the location. Sparkling bays, islands ringed with white sand and valleys teeming with native wildlife are the grand promise.

While their day spas and five-star restaurants might be exclusive, the landscapes these sites occupy aren’t necessarily inaccessible. Hiding down the track or across the sea are far more affordable places to stay, with that same magical feeling. We asked travel writers across the country to select visited-and-vetted, affordable “dupes” – that’s bargain-hunter code for “duplicates” – of some of Australia’s most elite destination resorts.