The ultimate Australia destination guide from bucket-list beaches to the best layover destinations

The ultimate Australia destination guide from bucket-list beaches to the best layover destinations

As the weather turns colder and rainy evenings set in, one destination that continues to draw Brits to its sunny shores is Australia. 2022 is no different, with Brits the top international nation booking trips down under this October and November.*

Besides the draw of the beaches, Booking.com has found that sport is the ultimate excuse to travel, with new research showing that a whopping half of Brits would trek over 3,000 miles to watch their favourite sport**. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in full swing in Australia, what better time to start planning for your next holiday down under?

As the Official Accommodation Booking Partner of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Booking.com shares some must see destinations, things to do and places to stay around Australia, which will also be playing host to world class cricket action.

Zagame’s House, Melbourne
Travel sustainable property
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If you are heading to Melbourne check out the super-swanky Zagame’s House. Set in the heart of the city, just over a mile from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the property has large comfy beds, and bathrooms kitted out with Cowshed toiletries. There’s an onsite restaurant, bar, lounge and fitness centre to keep you entertained while the thrills and spills of the city are right on your doorstep.

Whilst you’re in town, head for the coast and catch some rays and a sunset on Melbourne’s stunning St. Kilda Beach before checking out the neighbourhood’s delicious dining options. Capital of south-eastern state, Victoria, Melbourne has a thriving arts scene and a burgeoning food culture. Or why not treat yourself to a wine tour at Yarra Valley where you can explore the culture of wines. Check out the plazas, bars, and restaurants down by the Yarra River in the Federation Square development, or head to the Southbank for some performing arts, culture and a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria, which homes an excellent collection of Australian and indigenous art.

Kimpton Margot, Sydney
Travel sustainable property
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Universally loved, and top bucket-list Australian destination, Sydney hits all the marks as a holiday destination. Boasting brilliant beaches, fabulous food and an amazing arts scene, this destination has something for everyone.

Stay in style at our top pick, the Kimpton Margot, Sydney. Light, spacious and opulent, the Kimpton Margot is a happening hotel, featuring a restaurant, fitness centre and outdoor swimming pool. Located in the Central Business District (CBD), the QT is a short walk from many of Sydney’s most famous sights, including the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Or head to the world-famous Bondi Beach for some sun, sand and surf – it’s just a fifteen-minute drive from the hotel.

Also on your doorstep is Darling Harbour, just 750 yards from the hotel – a great spot to people watch, eat, drink and shop! Green-fingered? Enjoy the colourful flowers in the Royal Botanic Garden or even enjoy a picnic amongst the flowers. Or if you’re feeling more daring, check out the Skywalk observation platform for impressive 360-degree views over the city.

Oval Hotel at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
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Got tickets for the semi-final at the Adelaide Oval on 10th November? Why not stay in the heart of the action at the Oval Hotel at the Adelaide Oval for a unique experience! All guest rooms in this premium boutique hotel come with views of the surrounding rolling green lawns of the heritage-listed parklands. The on-site Five Regions Restaurant serves a seasonal menu and collaborates with a new winery every eight weeks. The hotel is also a short walk from Adelaide’s vibrant city centre, where you will find myriad retail and dining options, art galleries, museums and more.

Adelaide is the lively coastal capital of South Australia, with an abundance of activities to suit all the family. The Art Gallery of South Australia and the South Australian Museum are perfect for art and history buffs, respectively. Home to many festivals and sporting events throughout the year, Adelaide has a renowned food and wine scene, and the stunning natural beauty of its beaches and the Adelaide Hills – hotel staff are on hand to help you plan the perfect trip.

COMO The Treasury, Perth
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Fancy heading over to the west coast? Cosmopolitan Perth is Western Australia’s biggest city and is famous for being the sunniest capital in the world. Check out quirky and cool Freemantle for artisanal local bars and restaurants, sample some of the excellent Swan Valley wines, or simply head to the coast to experience some of Australia’s finest beaches. There’s also an excellent craft beer scene.

Set in picturesque mid-19th Century buildings, COMO The Treasury is in the heart of the Perth CBD. There are two onsite restaurants: Post, serving seasonal, contemporary Italian cuisine, and Wildflower, showcasing Western Australian produce from a rooftop setting with panoramic views over the Swan River. There’s also an indoor pool, fitness centre and a spa. Modern, spacious rooms are styled in light wood and cream and feature a complimentary minibar that is restocked daily.

Maylands Lodge, Hobart, Tasmania
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Hobart, Tasmania, is the southernmost capital in Australia, with a good year-round climate, making it a perennial tourist destination. As discovered in Booking.com’s 2023 Travel Predictions, Hobart is a trending destination for 2023, boasting beaches, mountains, culture and excellent vineyards. Hobart is paradise for thrill-seekers, foodies and those seeking to simply relax. Climb Mount Wellington and take in the panorama from the peak, kayak down the River Derwent, take a wander around the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) or head to the weekend Salamanca Market to sample some local produce.

Maylands Lodge is a historic landmark property, a short drive from Hobart city centre and waterfront. An eclectic blend of modern and traditional design, the hotel features local artwork. Each room features an impressive mountain or garden view and some come with an oversized bathtub, to help you relax and unwind.

Leicester TV

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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