Where to stay in Australia?

On Pitt Street, in Haymarket, 1.6 km from the centre, opposite Central Station: trains to Bondi and buses leave from right below. A big hostel for those who want to move fast and meet people.

On Cumberland Street, in The Rocks, 1 km from the centre: the Opera House, Circular Quay and the bridge are within walking distance. A hostel for those who want the historic harbour without a hotel budget.

The hostel is built on stilts above an archaeological dig, visible from the ground floor.

On Pitt Street, in Haymarket, 1.5 km from the centre and next to Central Station: Chinatown is on the doorstep. A hostel for those combining Sydney with trains to the Blue Mountains.

On Hickson Road, in The Rocks, 1.4 km from the centre, on the waterfront: Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge are within walking distance. For those who come to Sydney for the harbour and are willing to pay for it.

Set on Campbell's Cove, beneath the Harbour Bridge, facing the Opera House across the harbour.

On George Street, in the Quay Quarter, 800 m from the centre: Circular Quay and the ferries are right below, with The Rocks next door. A large hotel for those who want the harbour and the CBD without having to choose.

On Kent Street, in Millers Point, 1.1 km from the centre, on the quiet hill behind The Rocks: the harbour is a walk downhill. A grand hotel for those who prefer silence to a direct view.

A big Cairns hostel, known for its parties, for those who come to dive by day and go out at night. It suits solo travellers who want to meet people before the boat to the reef.

On McLeod Street, in the centre of Cairns, 800 m from the town centre, next to the station and the shopping centre. A quiet hostel for those leaving early for the reef or the Daintree.

On Scott Street, in Parramatta Park, 1.2 km from the centre, on a residential street with a garden. A hostel for those who prefer a hammock in the shade to the noisy dorms of the centre.

On the Esplanade, 500 m from the centre, facing the bay and next to the marina: the reef boats leave from right below. For those who want a reliable chain hotel and the departure point at the foot of the lift.

On Yulara Drive, 12.9 km from the rock, the largest hotel in the village, with a pool for the hot afternoons. For those who want the comfort of a large hotel before the Field of Light.

A youth hostel in the heart of Melbourne, for those who want the laneways and Queen Victoria Market on foot on a tight budget. It suits solo travellers setting off early for the Great Ocean Road.

On Flinders Street, 1 km from the centre, on the west side of the CBD, near Southern Cross station: trams and buses for the Great Ocean Road are close by. A hostel for those on the move.

On Whiteman Street, in Southbank, 1 km from the centre, on the south bank of the Yarra: the CBD is a walk across the footbridges. A large hotel for those who want the casino and restaurants on site.

On Cathedral Place, in East Melbourne, 1.2 km from the centre, near St Patrick's Cathedral and the Fitzroy Gardens. For those who want the calm of the gardens and the CBD a quarter of an hour's walk away.