The Point Brisbane Hotel

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first pulled up to The Point Brisbane Hotel on Lambert Street – I mean, Kangaroo Point isn’t exactly where you’d think to look for a five-star place, but that’s actually what makes this spot so brilliant. You’re literally perched on the cliffs overlooking the Brisbane River, and when I say overlooking, I mean you can watch the CityCats puttering back and forth from the Story Bridge all the way down toward the city. The whole area has this sort of elevated village feel that most tourists completely miss because they’re all cramming into the CBD hotels.

What really got me about this place is how they’ve managed to feel luxurious without being stuffy – you know what I mean? The lobby has these floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the city skyline perfectly, and there’s something about the way the afternoon light hits the river that just works. The rooms are genuinely spacious (rare for Brisbane, honestly), and the bathrooms actually have those rainfall showers that don’t make you feel like you’re standing under a sad drizzle. I stayed on the river side – absolutely worth the upgrade if you can swing it – and fell asleep to the sound of water lapping against the cliff base below. Check-in was smooth, parking was easy enough, and the staff seemed to actually know the neighborhood when I asked about running routes along the river.

The location is where this hotel really shines though. You’re a two-minute walk from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs parklands, which locals use for rock climbing and picnics, and there’s this lovely boardwalk that connects you to the city via the Goodwill Bridge – it’s about a fifteen-minute stroll across the water, past all the fancy apartments and that quirky little maritime museum. South Bank is right there too, so you can wander over to the markets or grab dinner without dealing with taxis or parking nightmares. The neighborhood itself is residential and quiet, especially once you get away from the main road, but it’s not dead quiet – there’s enough going on that you feel connected to the city. I will say the weekend mornings can get a bit lively with all the cyclists and joggers, but that’s Brisbane for you. The 8.4 rating feels about right – it’s polished and comfortable, maybe not quite groundbreaking, but definitely the kind of place where you’d want to extend your stay an extra night just to sit on your balcony with a coffee and watch the river traffic wake up.