Last Updated on 1 July 2024 by Ariana Svenson
Looking for the best accommodation in Bunbury, Western Australia? There are some fantastic options to choose from!
We stayed in Bunbury accommodation a total of 3 times last year, so I feel like we can claim the expert mantle! All I can say is when you fall in love with a place, suddenly, that’s where you want to go, and that is what happened with my family.
In all honesty, we had spent so much time during the pandemic at the more popular Busselton and Margaret River that we were looking for something new and different—and Bunbury was it!
So, we not only stayed in three places but also researched everything thoroughly so we could make the best decision for our family.
Why stay in Bunbury?
We cover the many things to see and things to do in Bunbury, which should convince you that it’s a really viable place for both couples and families to stay.
Yes, it’s true that Bunbury had a bad reputation as a working port rather than a place for an enjoyable getaway, but I really hope that they can overcome that reputation.
There is a lot to see and some pretty good accommodation in Bunbury, too, so instead of heading further down the road for another Margaret River trip, I highly recommend staying in Bunbury and using it as a base for seeing nearby areas like Gnomesville and the Ferguson Valley as well as Bunbury itself. Here are some of our top recommendations:
- Read the best things to do in Ferguson Valley here.
- Ferguson Valley Restaurants, Wineries and Breweries
- Visiting Gnomesville
- Enjoying the top things to do in Harvey
Our TOP PICK: Accommodation in Bunbury, Western Australia
With 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, a pool, an enclosed carpark and an awesome location right across from Koombana Bay, you can’t go past the Quest Bunbury Apartments! This is definitely our first choice of accommodation in Bunbury as its within walking distance of both the CBD and the Dolphin Discovery Centre.
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Cheap Accommodation in Bunbury, Western Australia
Whether you’re on a budget or want to spend your money on experiences while still having somewhere fantastic to stay, these options for budget accommodation in Bunbury are perfect.
Bunbury Apartment Motel
Location: 45 Forrest Avenue, South Bunbury
Bunbury Apartment Motel offers 51 studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments with doorstep parking and kitchenettes. The hotel also has a large pool and undercover BBQ area.
The hotel is located a short drive to some of the best things to do in Bunbury, such as Bunbury CBD and the Dolphin Discovery Centre.
There are also wheelchair-accessible rooms available with wheelchair parking at your door.
A good-priced cooked continental breakfast option is also available.
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The Clifton Motel and Grittleton Lodge
Location: 2 Molloy Street, Bunbury
The Clifton Motel is in the city centre, steps away from the beach and the main street. At the more historic Grittelton Lodge, you can choose from a motel or character room.
The Clifton Motel & Grittleton Lodge has 45 rooms available, including family suites and executive rooms with spa baths.
There’s also a lovely outdoor swimming pool and on-site parking.
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The Prince of Wales Hotel Bunbury
Location: 41 Stephen Street, Bunbury
Located near Jetty Baths Beach and Bunbury Beach, this 3-star hotel dates back to 1882 and has been thoughtfully renovated. It has air-conditioned double rooms with a fridge and a microwave.
The on-site bistro specialises in local and seafood specialities, including locally sourced beef steaks accompanied by great beer and excellent service.
The hotel also has live entertainment with live entertainment from Wednesday to Saturday nights.
You’ll be just a short walk from Bunbury’s famous “Cappuccino Strip,” beautiful beaches, the estuary, and the entertainment precinct, placing them in the heart of the action.
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The Parade Hotel
Location: 1 Austral Parade, East Bunbury
Next on our bucket list for Bunbury hotel stays is the Parade Hotel, a fantastic restaurant you can see from across the water.
I am unsure if it will be a great family hotel if there is noise from the restaurant and because it’s apparently a popular hotel for tradies. But – on the other hand, it’s awesome to park the car for the night and then enjoy a meal out in a spectacular setting before hitting the sack.
The recently renovated hotel is minimalistic and located in a private waterfront location on the edge of Leschenault Inlet. Rooms range from a single room with a shared bathroom to a 2-bedroom apartment sleeping 4 guests.
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Mantra Bunbury Lighthouse – The Best Lighthouse Accommodation in Bunbury
Location: 2 Marlston Dr, Bunbury
The Quality Hotel Lighthouse in Bunbury has rebranded as the Mantra Bunbury. (We stayed when it was the Quality Hotel—I imagine affiliation with the Mantra would only bring benefits.) Some of the room types have recently been hugely refurbished, and it’s now one of the top Bunbury hotels.
The hotel is located 200m from the beach and within walking distance of the city centre of Bunbury and the Cappuccino Strip.
Room options for 2-3 guests to sleep, and some have a balcony overlooking the sea with views of Leschenault Inlet and Koombana Bay. There is also free parking.
Breakfast is served at the amazing on-site restaurant, which includes locally sourced produce.
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The Rose Hotel Motel
Location: 27 Wellington Street, Bunbury WA
The heritage-listed Rose Hotel and Motel is the perfect budget option for visiting Bunbury. It’s smack bang in the city centre, a 7-minute walk from Back Beach.
The rooms here are perfect for smaller families. The twin room sleeps up to 3 guests, and the queen room sleeps 2 guests. The recently renovated on-site restaurant serves traditional Australian pub cuisine and is popular most nights of the week.
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Mid-Range Bunbury WA Accommodation
Here are some of our top recommendations for mid-range accommodation in Bunbury!
Best Western Plus Hotel Lord Forrest
Location: 20 Symmons Street, Bunbury
Hotel Lord Forrest is one of the best hotels in Bunbury. It offers a wide variety of room types, from queen rooms to 1-2 bedroom apartments. All options include a private balcony.
Long ago, Hotel Lord Forrest was the “go-to” hotel for business travellers to Bunbury. I remember staying there some 20 years ago. We have yet to stay here as a family, though the corner rooms look big enough for a family, and the indoor pool gets a big tick from us.
That said, reviews indicate that Lord Forrest is well and truly past its heyday and in dire need of refurbishment and an update.
The Internet is considered weak, and the staff training is questionable. We had both of these comments when staying at other venues in Bunbury, so I wonder if they are symptomatic of the town’s internet connection and staff shortages.
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Bunbury Hotel Koombana Bay
Location: 1 Holman Street, Bunbury
The Bunbury Hotel has spacious rooms overlooking Koombana Bay, small kitchenettes, and underground parking. Most rooms sleep 2 adults and 1 child. A wheelchair-accessible hotel is also available.
This is a very distinctive hotel as it’s alongside the Silos apartment complex, which saw old wheat silos converted into innovative residential apartments in downtown Bunbury.
We stayed here for four nights in April because of its location and indoor heated pool. We loved the pool and spent much time playing there and walking along the foreshore. It’s located near the beach and the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre.
Even though it’s advertised as 4.5 stars, it could be more luxurious, and the main reception area is dreary and often empty, appearing to be abandoned.
You have a sense that it was much more elegant in the past. Customer service at the front desk was also hit-and-miss. Still, given that we have stayed in other places in Bunbury, I suspect that’s an issue across town. Some guests have also complained about the Wi-Fi speeds being pretty slow, and that was an issue for us.
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Discovery Parks Bunbury Foreshore – The Best Dog-Friendly Accommodation in Bunbury
Location: Koombana Dr, Bunbury
As the only pet-friendly accommodation in Bunbury, I’d wanted to stay at one of their pet–friendly cabins forever! I was even more keen when I saw the amazing Splash Park on the Sykes Park foreshore area (immediately adjacent to the park).
Rooms range from an economy studio sleeping 3 adults and up to 2 kids to a deluxe 3-bedroom cabin sleeping a maximum of 7 adults and 6 kids.
Discovery Parks Koombana Bay has ample facilities, many of which are perfect for families. A tennis court, BBQ area, large pool, huge kids’ jumping pillow, and even pedal buggies are available for hire. There’s also a scooter and bike track for kids and adults.
We had the best time hiring the go-karts. You can take them all around the park, down the walking trails down the Preston River, and up and down between the Sykes Foreshore area, the Mangrove Boardwalk, and the Mangrove Playground. Seriously, they are so much fun!
Discovery Parks has had a great value discount sale for Black Friday, between 30% and 50% off in recent years. I was delighted to snap up one of the pet-friendly cabins for a mid-week stay!
The park is across the road from Koombana Bay Beach, which has a fantastic playground. You’ll also be a couple of minute’s walk from town.
NOTE: Don’t confuse this one with “Bunbury Village holiday & caravan park”—that’s in a completely different area, on the way out of town, and not included on our list as it is known to have more permanent residents and not a particularly family feel.
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Bunbury Luxury Accommodation
If you’re looking for fantastic luxury accommodation in the Bunbury area, there are a variety of options, from apartments with amazing sea views and balconies to resorts with all the facilities you need, from family-friendly options to those more suited to couples.
Bunbury Seaview Apartments
Location: 205 Ocean Dr, Bunbury
These new apartments near Bunbury are perfect for a holiday near Geographe Bay. They range from budget apartments without a sea view to three-bedroom apartments featuring sea views and a balcony or courtyard. If possible, try to avoid ground-floor rooms to get better views that are not blocked by cars.
Certain apartments have a kitchen with an oven, fridge, stovetop, microwave, and toaster. Breakfast on the hotel terrace is provided daily.
There’s an amazing outdoor pool directly across from Geographe Bay, a restaurant and free self-parking. The apartments also have fantastic sunset views.
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Mercure Bunbury Sanctuary Golf Resort
Location: Lot 100 Old Coast Rd, Pelican Point
The Mercure Resort is in the Pelican Point area, among 56 hectares of gardens and lakes. It features semi-self-contained apartments with a separate lounge, kitchen and dining facilities and a balcony. Its 10 minutes out of the Bunbury CBD, and located off the Australind Bypass.
Rooms range from a studio suite sleeping 2 adults and 1 child to a 2 bedroom apartment sleeping up to 5 adults and 4 children.
The resort offers lots to do, from trying out the 18-hole golf course and playing tennis to enjoying the outdoor pool and heated spa. Vittoria’s Restaurant offers local cuisine and wines from the Geographe wine region.
With spectacular pools, this is the best “resort” option on the list (actually the only one!) but we’d recommend having a car.
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Quest Bunbury Apartment Hotel
Location: 14 Lyons Cove, Bunbury
Next door to Discovery Koombana Bay is Quest Bunbury Apartment Hotel. The apartments are big and spacious, and ours was right in front of the large outdoor pool, which was very convenient for our kids.
One- and two-bedroom apartments have a kitchen, dining area, and laundry facilities.
Cafes, restaurants and the Dolphin Discovery Centre are just a 4-10 minute walk away. There’s also a small waterpark at the back (the Sykes Foreshore Playground).
If you’re driving to Bunbury, plenty of parking is also available and its locked in the evenings.
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Map of The Best Accommodation in Bunbury, WA
Where to Stay in Bunbury – Final Words
Whether you’re looking for cheap accommodation in Bunbury, something family-friendly, a luxurious stay, or something pet-friendly, we hope we can help. There are so many accommodation options in Bunbury! Remember, you can also base yourself in Bunbury and explore nearby areas.
We also have these helpful guides to help you plan your trip:
Advice
The best time to visit Western Australia
Best Waterfalls in Western Australia to Visit
Bunbury and Nearby
- The best things to do in Bunbury
- The best things to do in Busselton
- Best things to do in the Ferguson Valley
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