Most reviewed
Hotel · 4-star · CBD, Vic
Great Southern Hotel Melbourne
- 15 min walk to centre
- Parking available
- Family rooms
Guide
Where to stay in Melbourne: every area compared
Melbourne has 13 areas with their own page on this site. We compared them on what you can check before you book: how many stays there are, how many are hotel-style, the median distance to the centre, free parking and family rooms. Then we picked the top-rated stay in each area.
By the Aussie Hotels editorial team · Updated October 2026
Most reviewed
Melbourne areas at a glance
Median distance is the straight-line distance from each stay to the centre.
| Area | Stays | Hotel-style | Median to centre | Free parking | Family rooms | Avg rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBD / city centre | 480 | 123 | 0.5 km | 18% | 177 | 8.0 |
| Southbank | 325 | 80 | 1 km | 46% | 110 | 8.2 |
| Docklands | 215 | 34 | 1 km | 42% | 67 | 8.1 |
| St Kilda | 93 | 20 | 6 km | 54% | 24 | 8.2 |
| South Yarra & Prahran | 84 | 26 | 4 km | 46% | 28 | 8.1 |
| Box Hill & East | 58 | 23 | 14 km | 67% | 38 | 7.9 |
| Richmond & Cremorne | 41 | 11 | 3 km | 49% | 18 | 8.4 |
| Albert Park & Port Melbourne | 35 | 7 | 2.5 km | 43% | 15 | 8.5 |
| Fitzroy & Collingwood | 30 | 13 | 2 km | 40% | 14 | 8.5 |
| North Melbourne & Flemington | 27 | 16 | 2.5 km | 59% | 12 | 8.3 |
| East Melbourne & MCG | 25 | 12 | 2 km | 60% | 17 | 8.3 |
| Carlton | 21 | 12 | 1.5 km | 29% | 10 | 7.8 |
| Frankston | 18 | 6 | 39 km | 72% | 10 | 8.2 |
No rows match these filters.
Area by area
CBD / city centre
480 stays: 194 apartments, 163 holiday homes and 71 hotels. Half are within about 15 minutes' walk of the centre. 18% list free parking. Top rated: New Year eve’s Fireworks & BayView Apt in CBD, 9.5/10 from more than 210 reviews. All stays in CBD / city centre.
Southbank
325 stays: 129 apartments, 116 holiday homes and 53 hotels. Half are within about 20 minutes' walk of the centre. 46% list free parking. Top rated: Nook Melbourne Apartments, 9.2/10 from more than 660 reviews. All stays in Southbank.
Docklands
215 stays: 101 apartments, 80 holiday homes and 20 serviced apartments. Half are within about 20 minutes' walk of the centre. 42% list free parking. Top rated: Melbourne Lifestyle Apartments - Best Views on Collins, 9.4/10 from more than 2,000 reviews. All stays in Docklands.
St Kilda
93 stays: 44 holiday homes, 28 apartments and 8 hotels. Half are within about 6 km of the centre. 54% list free parking. Top rated: Modern Quiet 1 & 2 Bed Apt Opposite Albert Park, 9.7/10 from more than 210 reviews. All stays in St Kilda.
South Yarra & Prahran
84 stays: 34 holiday homes, 24 apartments and 14 hotels. Half are within about 4 km of the centre. 46% list free parking. Top rated: The Lyall, 9.6/10 from more than 210 reviews. All stays in South Yarra & Prahran.
Box Hill & East
58 stays: 23 holiday homes, 12 apartments and 8 hotels. Half are within about 14 km of the centre. 67% list free parking. Top rated: Box Hill Motel, 8.9/10 from more than 310 reviews. All stays in Box Hill & East.
Richmond & Cremorne
41 stays: 22 holiday homes, 7 serviced apartments and 7 apartments. Half are within about 3 km of the centre. 49% list free parking. Top rated: Caroline Serviced Apartments Richmond, 9.2/10 from more than 640 reviews. All stays in Richmond & Cremorne.
Albert Park & Port Melbourne
35 stays: 17 holiday homes, 11 apartments and 5 hotels. Half are within about 2.5 km of the centre. 43% list free parking. Top rated: Oakwood Premier Melbourne, 9.0/10 from more than 5,200 reviews. All stays in Albert Park & Port Melbourne.
Fitzroy & Collingwood
30 stays: 12 holiday homes, 6 hotels and 5 serviced apartments. Half are within about 2 km of the centre. 40% list free parking. Top rated: Quest Collingwood, 9.3/10 from more than 1,700 reviews. All stays in Fitzroy & Collingwood.
North Melbourne & Flemington
27 stays: 8 apartments, 7 serviced apartments and 4 hotels. Half are within about 2.5 km of the centre. 59% list free parking. Top rated: Melrose Apartments, 8.9/10 from more than 740 reviews. All stays in North Melbourne & Flemington.
East Melbourne & MCG
25 stays: 8 serviced apartments, 8 holiday homes and 5 apartments. Half are within about 30 minutes' walk of the centre. 60% list free parking. Top rated: Park Hyatt Melbourne, 9.1/10 from more than 1,300 reviews. All stays in East Melbourne & MCG.
Carlton
21 stays: 7 apartments, 6 serviced apartments and 6 hotels. Half are within about 20 minutes' walk of the centre. 29% list free parking. Top rated: Zagame's House, 9.1/10 from more than 2,000 reviews. All stays in Carlton.
Frankston
18 stays: 10 holiday homes, 2 serviced apartments and 2 hotels. Half are within about 39 km of the centre. 72% list free parking. Top rated: Sandhurst Motel, 8.3/10 from more than 430 reviews. All stays in Frankston.
Our quick answer
- First visit, no car: CBD / city centre has the most stays and the shortest walks.
- Arriving by car: Frankston has the highest share of stays with free parking.
- Need something specific? Start from all of Melbourne and use the filters.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Melbourne?
For a first visit without a car, CBD / city centre has the most choice. If you're driving, Frankston has the highest share of stays with free parking.
How many places to stay are there in Melbourne?
We've mapped 2,087 places to stay in Melbourne with at least 10 guest reviews.
Read next
Last checked: October 2026. Ratings and review counts come from our booking partners.