Most Expensive Hotel in Brisbane: The Star Grand Brisbane

Brisbane’s luxury hotel landscape has a new price benchmark. The Star Grand Brisbane at Queen’s Wharf, part of the A$3.6 billion waterfront precinct, opened for bookings in August 2024 with Skyline Penthouse Suites starting at A$5,118 per night. That rate is an order of magnitude above the city’s average luxury hotel price of A$282 per night, according to HotelsCombined data. This article examines what defines the most expensive stays in Brisbane, who stays there, and how the top properties compare.

Last checked: 2026-07-15

Property: The Calile Hotel · Location: James Street, Brisbane · Claim to fame: Most expensive hotel in Brisbane; celebrity hotspot (Hailey Bieber sightings) · Price from: A$320 per night

Where do celebrities stay in Brisbane?

Celebrity sightings in Brisbane tend to cluster around a single address: The Calile Hotel at 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. The AU Review describes it as a “true five-star luxury” property with a resort-style pool and design-led rooms that attract high-profile guests. Hailey Bieber’s stay at The Calile, documented via TikTok sightings, cemented its reputation as Brisbane’s celebrity magnet (The AU Review).

What draws celebrities to The Calile rather than higher-priced alternatives? The hotel’s integration with the James Street precinct — a walkable strip of designer boutiques, restaurants, and cafés — offers privacy without isolation. The pool area, in particular, functions as a social hub where guests can be seen without being mobbed.

The Calile Hotel: a celebrity magnet

The Calile’s appeal to celebrities rests on three factors: its design-forward aesthetic, its resort-style amenities, and its location within a lifestyle precinct. The AU Review notes that the hotel’s architecture and layout create a sense of exclusivity that wealthy travellers seek. The review emphasises the pool-centred layout as a key differentiator from standard business hotels (The AU Review).

Hailey Bieber’s stay in Brisbane

Hailey Bieber’s visit to The Calile, confirmed through TikTok sightings, put the hotel on the international celebrity map. While no official statement from the hotel or Bieber’s team confirmed the stay, the volume of social media documentation makes it one of the most widely reported celebrity visits to a Brisbane hotel.

What’s the most expensive hotel in Australia?

The most expensive hotel in Australia is not in Brisbane. Properties such as Crown Sydney (often cited as Australia’s first six-star hotel) and luxury lodges in the Southern Ocean Lodge category command significantly higher rates than any Brisbane property. The Star Grand Brisbane’s Skyline Penthouse Suites at A$5,118 per night are competitive within the state, but national champions in Sydney and the luxury lodge sector surpass that figure.

Australia’s most expensive hotels

Australia’s ultra-luxury segment is dominated by properties in Sydney, Melbourne, and remote wilderness lodges. Crown Sydney, situated in Barangaroo, is frequently cited as the country’s most luxurious hotel, with penthouse rates that can exceed A$10,000 per night during peak periods. The country’s most expensive hotels are not concentrated in any single city but spread across premium destinations.

How Brisbane compares

Brisbane’s luxury hotel market sits below Sydney and Melbourne in absolute price terms. The Calile Hotel’s starting rate of A$320 per night is roughly comparable to a standard room at a five-star Sydney property, while The Star Grand’s Skyline Penthouse at A$5,118 places Brisbane in the national conversation for ultra-luxury suites. Brisbane’s overall luxury average of A$282 per night, however, is lower than Sydney’s typical luxury baseline.

Is there a 7 star hotel in Australia?

No 7-star hotel exists in Australia. The star rating system used by AAA Tourism and other accredited bodies maxes out at five stars, with “six-star” being a marketing term rather than an official rating. Crown Sydney is often described as Australia’s first six-star hotel, but that designation is not backed by an official rating body.

Star rating systems in Australia

In Australia, official star ratings are administered by AAA Tourism and range from one to five stars. The term “six-star” is used informally by the industry to denote ultra-luxury properties that exceed five-star standards. No property in Australia has been officially rated at seven stars, and the term remains aspirational marketing rather than a verified classification.

6-star hotels and the quest for 7

Crown Sydney is frequently referred to as Australia’s first six-star hotel, with rates and amenities that position it above typical five-star properties. The Burj Al Arab in Dubai, often cited as the world’s only seven-star hotel, operates under a different rating system entirely. Australia’s luxury hotels compete on service and design rather than chasing an unofficial seven-star designation.

What is the highest hotel in Brisbane?

The highest hotel in Brisbane is not necessarily the most expensive. The Emporium Hotel South Bank, located on the upper floors of a high-rise tower, offers elevated skyline views. The distinction between “highest” (physical altitude) and “most expensive” (price per night) is important for travellers making a booking decision.

Tallest hotels in Brisbane

Brisbane’s tallest hotels are concentrated in the CBD and South Bank, where high-rise towers offer panoramic views of the Brisbane River and the city skyline. The Emporium Hotel South Bank and properties in the CBD core occupy upper floors of mixed-use towers. The Calile Hotel, by contrast, is a low-rise property in Fortitude Valley, prioritising indoor-outdoor flow over altitude.

Views and altitude

For travellers seeking height and views, hotels in Brisbane’s CBD and South Bank offer the best options. The Star Grand Brisbane, located in the Queen’s Wharf precinct, offers river and city views from its upper floors. The Calile’s pool-level and courtyard rooms trade altitude for a resort-style experience.

What is the most luxurious hotel in Australia?

The most luxurious hotel in Australia is widely considered to be Crown Sydney, though the designation is subjective and depends on the criteria used. Brisbane’s luxury leader, The Calile Hotel, ranks among Australia’s top contenders for design and guest experience, but it does not match the scale or price of Sydney’s ultra-luxury properties.

Luxury rankings across Australia

Luxury hotel rankings in Australia are published by outlets such as Luxury Escapes, Australian Traveller, and Mr & Mrs Smith. Crown Sydney, Park Hyatt Sydney, and Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island consistently appear at the top of published lists. The Calile Hotel appears in Brisbane-specific rankings and in broader lists of Australia’s best design hotels.

Where Brisbane fits

Brisbane’s luxury hotel market occupies a specific niche: design-led, precinct-integrated properties that offer a more relaxed, resort-style experience than the business-oriented luxury hotels in Sydney and Melbourne. The Calile Hotel exemplifies this approach, with its pool-centric layout and James Street precinct location. The Star Grand Brisbane, with its penthouse suites and entertainment precinct, brings a different model of luxury — destination-based rather than neighbourhood-based — to the city.