Looking for unique accommodation spots in Western Australia to make your trip unforgettable? You’ve clicked on the right post! In this post I’m going to share 5 unique accommodations spots in South West Australia.
1. The Lily, The Stirling Ranges
Starting off with a bang, we have The Lily. Because is there anything cooler than sleeping in a military plane? More specifically, a Dakota DC-3 (C-47)? We think not!
Pleun and Hennie Hitzert, who run The Lily, have a number of different accommodation options on their property, one of which is the Dakota plane, which they have restored into a cosy spot to spend the night.
And the best part, you get to have the plane ALL TO YOURSELF! The Dakota sleeps 2 people, which means no sharing with other guests. You get to enjoy the wonders of sleeping on a plane all by yourself.
The Lily is situated in the Stirling Ranges, meaning you’re surrounded by stunning mountain landscape. Go during spring and the ground beneath the mountains will be covered with colorful wildflowers.
We stayed at The Lily for one night and had the most amazing time.
Cost: As of writing this (November 2020) a stay in The Lily is only $249 a night!
Website: http://www.thelily.com.au/
2. Ryan’s Rest, Pemberton
If you’re after a holiday that allows you to disappear from society and have a ‘digital detox’, Ryan’s Rest is the spot for you. Ryan’s Rest is an off grid tiny house that is situated on a working potato, cattle and citrus orchard farm.
The tiny house has been thoughtfully decorated to the finest of details to ensure that it feels cosy, homely and relaxing. The tiny house also includes all the ‘essentials’ including a full size queen bed, hot and cold running water, a fridge/freezer, a gas stove, a shower and a composting toilet. Additional features include an outdoor area with a gas hooded barbecue and a fire pit.
The tiny house is nestled amongst the Karri trees and features a 3km Warren River footage. The Warren River footage is exclusively yours to enjoy, you can swim, canoe (they have canoes available for you to use) or fish (they have rods and tackle available for you to use).
If you aren’t keen on hitting the water there are plenty of other activites to do on the property, you could; explore the cattle trails, stargaze from the outdoor hammock, play the outdoor games provided (Finska, Noppa, Quoitsand more), play the indoor games provided (Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess and more), go bird watching (they have binoculars available for you to use), meditate, do yoga, learn how to play the ukulele (they have the instrument and learning book available for you), do mindfullness colouring (they have the book and pencils available for you) or simply go explore Pemberton!
We spent two nights at Ryan’s Rest and honestly, we wish we had stayed longer.
Cost: Our two night stay cost $336.59, this includes the service and cleaning fees.
Website: https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/38850463?s=67&shared_item_type=1&virality_entry_point=1&sharer_id=103411899&unique_share_id=6c37bfcf-0a64-4880-99d2-aac63c44de98
3. Glamping at the Yallingup Lodge, Yallingup
Glamping has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years so it’s likely you’ve been glamping before and know what glamping is all about. If not, glamping is a form of camping that involves facilities that are more luxurious than those associated with ‘traditional camping’. Forget small dingey tents, think a spacious twin pole tent that features a queen bed suite, a hot outdoor rainwater shower and a rustic open kitchen. Sounds dreamy right?!
The tent is set up under pine trees and is surrounded by an orchard that features grapefruits, lemons and figs. Even though the tranquility and privacy of the location may make you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, you still get to enjoy all the benefits of staying at a retreat. During your stay you are more than welcome to swim in the 25 metre pool or sit by the open stone fire in their guests lounge (which also features a vinyl collection and therapeutic colouring supplies!).
We’d never been glamping before so this was a first for us. To be honest, we definitely wouldn’t consider ourselves ‘camping’ people and were eyeing up their spa suites during our stay. But the tent and surrounds were beautiful, camping fans would have a blast.
Cost: A glamping stay at the Yallingup Lodge costs $199 per night.
Website: https://yallinguplodge.com.au/
4. Mile End Glamping, Yelverton
We actually haven’t stayed at Mile End Glamping before but it’s definitely one that we have had our eye on. As you can tell by their name, Mile End Glamping is another ‘glamping’ experience. What’s unique about Mile End Glamping is the structure itself. Rather than staying in the spacious tents that are usually associated with glamping, with Mile End Glamping you sleep in a geodesic dome.
Basically the geodesic dome is a large dome that features a large amount of windows along one side. Meaning you can truly indulge the beauty of your surroundings without having to leave the room. Your surroundings by the way is a private 144 acre estate that is home to a variety of wildlife, native bush and a river.
The dome’s design ensures you don’t have to sacrifice any luxuries, it features a private bathroom, kitchen, king bed and a private spa bath.
Cost: Mile End Glamping offers a minimum two night stay. Their two night stay costs $790.00.
Website: https://www.mileendglamping.com.au/
5. Houseboat Holidays, Walpole
Similarly to Mile End Glamping, while we have not stayed at Houseboat Holidays we have been eyeing up a stay with them! With House Holidays you get to enjoy the peace and tranquility of staying on a house boat. If you’re looking to ride off into the sunset, surrounded by panoramic views, listening to the gentle crash of the water around you, this is the accommodation spot for you.
Don’t worry about not having your skippers licence, you don’t need it. All you need is a valid drivers licence. The staff at Houseboat Holidays will then give you the ‘run down’ once you arrived, teaching you about the boat, how to handle it and the geography of the inlet you’ll be staying on.
Suitable for couples, families and friends, a houseboat stay is the perfect way to immerse yourselves into the magic of the ‘boat life’.
Cost: Houseboat Holidays’ prices vary depending on when you’re visiting (weekend or midweek) and the season you’re visiting (high season or low season). Their smallest houseboat, Cruise Away, costs $1080 for three nights over the weekend during the low season and $1320 for three nights over the weekend during the high season. Varying stays have differing prices.
Website: https://www.houseboatholiday.com.au/
Start Packing!
Well, what are you waiting for? Start packing! We hope you enjoyed our post on 5 unique accommodation spots in South West Australia. Make sure to share some of your favourite unique holiday spots with us in the comments below. Personally, Wehan and I love staying in unique accommodation spots so we’re always on the hunt for the next unique stay.
Hey! I’m Lydia and I have been travelling full time with Wehan since 2022. Alongside documenting our travels on YouTube, we put together comprehensive travel guides on the locations we visit here on our website. We also put together guides on other aspects of our travels, such as detailed information on the gear we use, specifics on our van build and tips for van life. Our goal with this website and the guides we write is to help others travel.
At the moment we are currently doing the big lap of Australia in our self converted Sprinter van. Our goal is to continue to push ourselves outside our comfort zone; seeking new adventures, learning about new cultures and seeing as much of the world as possible.
