Photo: TFE Hotels

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA: There’s so much to see and do in Brisbane CBD, from enjoying a beautiful walk along the water to taking in the inspiring view from the top of Brisbane City Hall. Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane is superbly located on the corner of George and Elizabeth Streets in the city… and with Donna Chang restaurant on the Lobby Level, The Boom Boom Room cocktail bar on the lower level and 220 apartment-style rooms, you’ve got the perfect base to explore the River City.

Converted from a heritage savings bank, the Adina Apartment Hotel is a breath of fresh air in a sea of shiny new Queensland hotels.  Expect to see exquisite heritage features (it’s tucked at the back, but make sure you explore and find the Elizabeth Street heritage staircase for the ultimate ‘gram moment). And if you're in town during Brisbane's RiverFire festival or New Year's Eve, this hotel offers some of the best views of the fireworks at South Bank Parklands.

Shop ‘till you drop at Queen Street Mall

With over 700 stores along Queen Street Mall, don’t be surprised if you end up spending the whole day here. Be sure to check out the historic Brisbane Arcade which is home to Brisbane designers and fine jewellery or duck down one of Brisbane’s laneways for a spot of lunch or a relaxing cocktail. Albert Lane (access via 141 Queen St and 140 Elizabeth St) is home to Little Singapore Uptown or the Comuna Cantina if you’re after Latin-American inspired street food. Or, scoot down Burnett Lane and visit Death & Taxes, a moody lounge bar that’s perfect for liquor lovers.

The Pancake Manor

Ask any Brisbanite and they’ll probably tell you that ‘The Pancake Manor’ was the ultimate childhood treat after seeing a movie in the city centre.  And, after all that shopping, it’s time to fuel up with a plate of delicious fluffy pancakes. The Pancake Manor on Charlotte Street is a converted cathedral buzzing with kids and kidults eager to devour the Blackforest Cherry pancakes served with ice cream and chocolate chips. Yum!

Brisbane City Botanic Gardens

Less than 10 minutes’ walk from Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane, the Botanic Gardens is a breath of fresh air in the CBD and one of our top spots to read your book in the sun. Our top local tip is to follow the Bunya Walk around the historic parklands through Queen's Park and past Old Government House.  A lake and formal lawns and gardens provide plenty of cool spots on a warm Queensland day.

Brisbane City Hall

Built in 1930, Brisbane City Hall is one of the city’s most iconic buildings and is the symbolic heart of the River City.  If you want a bird’s eye view of the city, take a Clock Tower Tour – they run like ‘clockwork’ every 15 minutes and tickets can be booked up to two weeks in advance.  Your guide will shepherd you into a beautiful hand-operated lift and guide you 64m up to an observation deck.  Tours take up to seven people and our top tip is to arrive early to avoid missing your session time.

Walk Along South Bank

Strike out across the Victoria Bridge and you’ll be wander down the South Bank Promenade in mere minutes. If it’s a warm day, stop for a swim at Streets Beach, Australia’s only inner-city, man-made beach or dip your feet in one of the streams that run through the parklands. There’s plenty to eat and to see in this precinct and the adjoining Gallery of Modern Art precinct.

If you’re looking for the ultimate pic of Brisbane, make your way to QPAC – the Queensland Performing Arts Complex – and follow the crowds to the colourful Brisbane sign.  For those that like a little exercise in their daily routine, continue walking along the promenade and cross Goodwill Bridge to loop back to Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane.

For those that want to sight see, catch a CityCat from the Southbank jetty and cruise the Brisbane River for a fraction of the cost of a river cruise.

You Can Bank on a Good Night’s Sleep

From the moment you step inside Adina Brisbane, you’ll will be struck by the impressive double height decorative ceilings with ornate ceiling roses, and the original timber panelled walls that reflect the opulence of the building that was first constructed more than a century ago.   

You can also bank on a good night’s sleep once you’ve checked in, after all the hotel’s reception is the original banking chamber!  Then, it’s simply a matter of following the marble checkerboard floors to the apartment hotel, which is accessed by elegant lifts. 

Spacious apartments on the upper levels boast stunning views over the Brisbane River, each with a kitchen and all the essentials to cook delicious meals like you do at home while  full hotel services including a 24-hour reception and fitness centre offer added convenience.

The decadence continues when it comes to dining in.  With recent nominations in The Courier Mail ‘Restaurant of the Year’ awards, the stylish Donna Chang restaurant (on reception level) gives a gentle nod to Sichuan flavours and authentic Cantonese cuisine, and the Boom Boom Room, on the lower level, draws inspiration from bygone musical eras and soulful acoustics to deliver another striking experience.