You will find everything from a no frills caravan park to a beachfront apartment, a motel made for families and an expansive holiday house. In short, for convenience Cowes is where most put down, Cape Woolamai if you are after some surf and a bit of quiet on the beach, Ventnor for its more leisurely way of life and space, or San Remo for the parking and access to the mainland.
I am Declan Ashby. This is the unvarnished way to make sense of phillip island accommodation so as not to be in the wrong place for your trip. There is no brochure nonsense here, only what suits you, how to book within your means and the kind of patience and weekend you have in mind.
What makes this island tick
It is easy to get to from Melbourne and there is enough variety to suit any family set up, hence why it is always fully booked. One couple may want a two nighter while another is after bunk beds, a barbecue and a spot to wash the sand off. It is fine for a quick getaway but with the wildlife, motorsport and lazy coastal mornings you can also put in a few nights.
The point is you can have the trip your way. Some require penguin parade lodgings for the evening wildlife. Others would rather be in Cowes with a waterfront restaurant and a walk back from dinner that does not involve hunting for a parking space.
Where people go astray
Book on price alone and you will be making an error; take into account driving time, your routine and when events are on. Distances are deceptively small on a map. Come a holiday weekend the traffic is thick and parking at the good attractions is slow, and putting in with weary kids late is not as appealing as it seemed at the time of booking.
Then there is the notion that one part of the island is like another. Not so. Cowes is the hub. You have the residential calm of Ventnor, the beach and surf vibe of Cape Woolamai and in San Remo the sort of mainland convenience that is useful for a day trip or if you are in late and want to be near the shops.
Choosing a base
On Phillip Island you should think twice about where you stay. It is not a large island but being in the right spot spares you from having to drive back and forth and the inevitable row over who has left the snacks behind.
With a night or two to spare, let your plans after 5 pm be your guide. A beach walk or evening tour of the wildlife will have more of an impact than you might think.
Cowes: the convenient option
For those new to the island Cowes is the surest bet. It has the foreshore walks, the cafes, the supermarket and the widest selection of phillip island motels, hotels and short stay apartments. When I am put to it on where to put yourself in phillip island cowes I tell them to park up and forget the car if they can. It is where a mixed itinerary works for the older traveller, the couple or the family. The North Pier Hotel and Seahorse Motel are the sort of established names you will see put side by side for a comparison if you do not want an isolated property and would prefer to be in town.
Cape Woolamai and the surf
A better proposition for the surfer or walker and anyone wanting to get away from the queues at the takeaway. Here you have the sea air and room. Do not be under the impression you will have silence; the wind and weather will have their say and the beaches are not for the faint hearted. That is what you are there for. But leave it to others if your party needs to be able to putter to a restaurant in no time.
Space in Ventnor
There is a logic to taking a phillip island holiday home or rental in Ventnor. For a larger group or a longer stay you will have the kitchen and the outdoor room and a quieter place to come back to. When you are making the booking a single bathroom for eight seems no trouble, but I have seen how much of a difference it makes to have the proper space. A wet beach morning followed by having to wait in line for the shower makes things seem a good deal less manageable.
San Remo For Easy Access
Being on the mainland side of the bridge is a shrewd choice for some excursions. San Remo caters to the late-arriving traveller, those who prefer simple in and out access and anyone with intentions of putting in some time on the wider Bass Coast instead of being tied to the island for the day.
Then there are peak dates when island prices run up. You might want to give it some thought. While you are not in any sense on the island proper, staying here can be an economy of money and nerves when events are on and options are few.
Stay Types That Suit Different Trips
There is no one size fits all for a phillip island stay. The accommodation that is right for you will come down to budget, how big your group is and whether you have a tolerance for shared walls or a caravan-park dawn chorus. One person is after a self-contained beach house, another is content with a hot shower, a clean bed and the odd dollar left over for fish and chips.
The following is a useful, if unglamorous, way of looking at it.
Holiday Houses And Rentals
For a family or two travelling in tandem, or for a stay of more than two nights, a Phillip Island holiday home or rental is hard to beat on value. You get the kitchen, laundry and parking and more elbow room than a motel will offer.
You will find them listed on Stayz, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Coastal Stays, Beach Stays and Phillip Island Holiday Homes. Do your due diligence when pitting an airbnb type listing against one from a local manager: look at the bond terms and linen rules, check the cleaning fee and see if the property is a true walk to the beach or merely “close” as the marketing would have it.
Hotels And Motels
Couples and others on a short visit will find a hotel or motel sensible enough. There is no need to put in with the rubbish bin or key safe stashed behind a pot plant. They are the easy way to go when convenience trumps floor space.
Midweek or away from the holidays motels can be very good value, but make sure to appraise the noise and the layout of the room. A family room may be rated for four but with luggage strewn about it can be like sardines.
Caravan Parks And Camping
Road-trippers, families and those on a budget are drawn to the camping on phillip island and its attendant outdoor chaos. Caravan and cabin parks are a nice compromise; the entry price is lower than some hotels and you have the use of a camp kitchen, room for your bikes and beach paraphernalia and a playground.
Names like BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Phillip Island and Amaroo Park are well known for their park facilities and cabins. You will also come across glamping in the market, but expect the pricing to be on a par with an apartment come a busy weekend and availability to be what it is.
Price Guide By Style
How late you leave it, the season, school holidays and events will all affect rates. On a long weekend or a motorsport date coastal Victorian destinations can see a sharp rise in cost so do not take a guide as gospel.
One should be comparing total cost and not the rate on the page. A minimum-night rule or surcharge for the weekend can make a supposed bargain expensive.
| Stay Type | Typical Use | Common Nightly Range | What Catches People Out |
| Motel Room | Couples, overnight trips, short stay | AUD 140-260 | Room size, road noise, not much room for a family |
| Hotel Or Apartment | Waterfront breaks, small families, couples | AUD 180-380 | Weekend minimums, parking |
| Holiday House | Families and groups on longer stays | AUD 280-700+ | Bond, linen conditions, the cleaning fee |
| Cabin Or Caravan Park | Family-friendly, a budget trip | AUD 110-300 | Facilities are shared, they sell out on peak dates |
| Luxury Or Beachfront | Premium escapes and special occasions | AUD 400-900+ | Supply is limited, you will be bound by cancellation terms |
These are indicative of the market today, not set in stone. Budget accommodation is to be had but on the top dates it is gone early. If you cannot be flexible with your schedule, book your phillip island budget option in advance, there is no point in hunting for it over breakfast.
Luxury, Boutique And Beachfront
For a polished break, the luxury accommodation in Cowes and Ventnor and the odd beachside spot is where to direct your attention. These are not always the biggest of places but they have the views, the privacy and the location to show for it.
There is an appeal to beachfront accommodation, and for good reason, yet one should be sure of what the term denotes. “Beachfront” can mean anything from a view of water provided you are on the balcony and incline to the left, or a bluff-top vantage, to having a road in front of you and unimpeded access to the sand.
Couples
A 2-nighter in Cowes will put you in among the restaurants and make for easy walking. But if privacy is the order of the day, a well-sited house or some boutique property with outdoor space in Ventnor is where you will find it, away from the foot traffic.
What passes for luxury need not be a fruit bowl and white robes; peace, a good mattress and parking are just as valid. Put some thought into how far you are from dinner and how simple check-in is. A stylish place that is a 20 minute drive from your evening doings does not seem so luxurious when you have to put up with wind and drizzle on the way back.
Families And The Budget
Phillip Island has its fair share of budget stays but they are only worth it with the right expectations. You may be giving up on location or more modern fittings for the rate, which is no bad thing when you will be outside for the most part.
The sensible choice for a family is a cabin, a roomy motel or a self-contained unit with kitchen facilities. An early night and a fridge and microwave will put money back in your pocket, particularly when the children have a change of heart about the café menu they were insistent on ten minutes before.
Kids
In and around Cowes or at a cabin park you will find the sort of set-up that makes for less trouble with food, the beach or wet-weather contingencies. With kids in tow a pool, laundry and having the car close by is of more consequence than any amount of styling. Make it a point to stay in Cowes or its vicinity if you have but a single day; it spares you the business of driving all the way across the island to get to your plans and then back again.
Fine Print, Rules And Pets
You can come by pet friendly places on the island, holiday homes and some parks will have them, but there are stipulations. “Pets allowed” is not to be taken as carte blanche. Approval may be needed, dogs confined to the outdoors, numbers restricted or furniture off limits.
Wildlife is a local concern of no small importance. There are rules for reserves and beaches and owners must be mindful of livestock and penguin habitat.
For current visitor planning and local destination information, check Visit Victoria’s official travel information for regional Victoria. Official sources are the safest place to confirm broader travel details before you lock in dates.
A few things to verify when booking with a pet:
- Is the dog to be inside or out?
- Are there size restrictions, a pet bond or fees for the cleaning?
- Look at the fencing and off-lead possibilities and the state of nearby roads.
- And look beyond the house rules to what is in force at the reserve or beach.
Why Book When You Do
Newcomers are sometimes surprised by the effect of the season. Rates will be higher and options fewer on event dates and during school holidays or a warm weekend. The shoulder of the season is often better value and not so full of people, provided you are more disposed to a walk and some wildlife than to spend the day in the water.
Then there is the exposure and the wind. Coastal weather has a way of making a car of what was meant to be a beach day. In that case the area you pick is important for the sake of having indoor options and parking at hand.
Getting There
Allow two hours from Melbourne in a car under normal circumstances, though the stop-start of a weekend or holiday will add to that. Be liberal with your time on a Friday afternoon, and if you have a reservation for the Penguin Parade or dinner, do not be tight with it.
Parking is not as much of an issue as in the city, for the most part, though the foreshore and major attractions will clog up at times. Should you be using public transport or a rideshare, do not put yourself in an isolated rental where a car would be called for.
Choosing Well
It is not about being fancy. The phillip island stays that are any good are those that are a fit for your group, whether in terms of stairs or noise, and for your evenings and mode of transport. One does not have to be a seasoned tourism trainer to see the pattern: a guest’s contentment comes from an accommodation in keeping with the trip, not one that is merely photogenic. No amount of polish on a listing can put right a booking that has a pram on an incline or a family of surfers at some remove from the water.
Quick Decision Checklist
- Make your evening plans dictate where you put down roots: Cowes, Cape Woolamai, Ventnor or San Remo.
- Be realistic about the budget; factor in the cost of food, parking and any cleaning fees.
- Put a kitchen or laundry in the running if required, as well as ground-floor access for pets or otherwise.
- See what the drive is like to dinner, the circuit, Penguin Parade and the beaches.
- Have a read of the latest reviews on matters of noise, cleanliness, heating, how responsive the host is and so on.
Attractions To Pair With Your Stay
What you come for should be reflected in where you stay. Those after wildlife will want untroubled access for their evening excursions. A beach family would rather have a shower they do not need to put on a roster for and be close to the sand. The motorsport crowd are more concerned with getting on the road and sensible parking than waterfront prettiness.
Then there are the likes of the Penguin Parade, circuit events, some time on the beach and dining on the Cowes waterfront. On a short break to phillip island I would plan a marquee activity and allow room to breathe. Put too much on the agenda and it is all car parks and snack wrappers in the end.
Who Each Option Suits
Cowes is for the first-timer, the couple, the family or anyone on a short break. Surfers and those who want to be by the beach will find Cape Woolamai to their liking. For larger parties in search of peace, go to Ventnor. San Remo is where the practical planner will head for easier access to the mainland or if arriving late.
There are no universal solutions. A split-level or stair-heavy holiday home is no good for one with limited mobility. Nor are some of the beach areas for a beginner when the conditions are rough and the emphasis is on the surf.
Final Take Before You Book
The practical answer, and one that serves most trips, is to book Cowes for the surest option, or lean to Cape Woolamai for a quieter place to surf. Ventnor for a house with space, and do not overlook San Remo if value and access are paramount.
You will not always find the best stays on phillip island to be the most upmarket. They are the ones that accommodate the weather, the way you travel and the odd shift in dinner plans when the wind is up and someone has made a mess in the car with sand. That is what coastal travel is. One might as well plan for it.
FAQ
Where Is It Best To Stay On Phillip Island?
In most cases Cowes is the all-round base, with the greatest variety of accommodation styles, supermarkets, dining and beach access. But then you have Cape Woolamai for the surfer and walker, Ventnor for a group wanting quiet, and San Remo for value and easy access.
Can You Stay Overnight On Phillip Island?
You can. From hotels and motels to caravan parks, cabins, glamping and holiday rentals, the options are there. An overnight stay tends to make for a better trip since there is no need for a late drive back to get to the evening attractions.
How Much Does Accommodation Cost On Phillip Island?
It depends on the property and the season. Motel rooms are in the region of AUD 140 a night, hotels and apartments closer to 180, cabins from 110 and a large holiday house from 280, with the premium end of the market well above that. Expect to pay more on a peak weekend or over the holidays.
Does Chris Hemsworth Have A House In Phillip Island?
People are curious but I would not rely on such details for planning a trip unless a credible source puts the matter to rest. Property ownership is not something to build a booking decision on, nor is celebrity gossip of any consequence in finding the right place to stay.
What Is Best For A Family Or Budget Trip?
A self-contained unit or one of the larger motels near Cowes will give a family the best of both worlds. If you are watching the budget, have an early look at park cabins, camping on phillip island or an older motel and be sure to add up the total fees before being taken in by a hotel listing that appears to be a bargain.
