New hotels in Wollongong

Wollongong doesn't yet have a single internationally branded hotel to match its setting: an hour south of Sydney, where the Illawarra Escarpment drops almost straight into the surf. We track two confirmed projects rising in the compact CBD: Avani Wollongong, Minor Hotels' first New South Wales property, targeting 2027, and The Globe, a 236-room five-star tower still without a confirmed hotel operator. Until either opens, visitors base themselves in the city centre, a short walk from the beach and the Sydney train line.

What to do

A weekend in Wollongong

Start in the CBD and walk down to North Wollongong Beach or City Beach for a swim, then follow the harbour path out to Wollongong Head Lighthouse for escarpment views back over the city. In the afternoon, Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere, sits a short drive south and is open to visitors most days. In the evening, Crown Street's restaurant strip in the CBD covers dinner within walking distance of both hotel sites under construction.

A full week

With more time, the Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk climbs into the escarpment rainforest canopy with a zipline over Fern Gully and a 45-metre Knights Tower lookout, about 40 minutes from the city. The Grand Pacific Drive and its Sea Cliff Bridge (a cantilevered stretch of road built out over the ocean itself) makes for a scenic half-day drive north toward Sydney, and Wollongong's coastal cycling track links the city's beaches for anyone who wants to explore by bike rather than car.

Where to stay in Wollongong

The CBD

Both projects we track are rising within a few blocks of each other in Wollongong's compact city centre. Avani Wollongong is going up at 22 Kenny Street, close to the transport hub, the beach and Port Kembla; The Globe is planned for the corner of Crown and Church streets, on the combined site of the demolished City Diggers Club and the former David Jones department store. Both put a future guest within walking distance of the beach, the train station and Crown Street's restaurants.

Which hotel for your trip

Business travelers and beachgoers waiting on Avani

Avani Wollongong is a 107-room, 24-to-41-square-metre property inside a mixed-use tower led by Illawarra-based Blaq Property Group, pitched at travellers mixing business meetings with beach time: a profile the city's regional tourism planners have long said was underserved by branded hotels. Minor Hotels expects it to open in 2027, and it will be the brand's first property in New South Wales, part of a wider Minor Hotels push into regional Australian coastal cities.

Travelers waiting on Wollongong's flagship five-star

The Globe is the larger of the two projects: a $229 million, 236-room five-star tower approved by the Southern Regional Planning Panel, with its height already revised upward once, from an original 15 storeys and 55 metres to 78.2 metres, and no hotel brand or operator yet confirmed. It's the final phase of a precinct redevelopment that also includes a new office building of more than 8,300 square metres and a rebuilt club and motel, replacing a demolished RSL club and a former department store on the corner of Crown and Church streets. Planning documents suggest the final room count could rise as high as 262, though 236 remains the figure most commonly reported and what this guide tracks pending a final design.

Why Wollongong still lacks a branded hotel

Despite sitting an hour from Sydney with its own university, hospital precinct and a beachfront that draws day-trippers year-round, Wollongong's accommodation stock has historically skewed toward independent motels and serviced apartments rather than internationally branded hotels: a gap both Avani and The Globe are explicitly designed to fill. Regional tourism bodies have flagged the city as underserved by branded hotel supply for years, and the two projects, both concentrated in the same few blocks of the CBD, represent the first coordinated attempt to close that gap at scale.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an internationally branded hotel open in Wollongong yet?

Not among the projects we track. Both Avani Wollongong and The Globe are confirmed but still under construction, with 2027 the earliest target date, for Avani.

What is the newest hotel confirmed for Wollongong?

Avani Wollongong, Minor Hotels' first New South Wales property, targeting a 2027 opening at 22 Kenny Street in the CBD.

What is The Globe Wollongong?

A planned 236-room five-star hotel tower on the corner of Crown and Church streets, the final phase of a $229 million precinct redevelopment. No hotel brand, name or opening date has been confirmed as of 2026.

How far is Wollongong from Sydney?

About 90 minutes by car or train, making it a common day trip as well as a standalone stay.

Is Wollongong's city centre walkable?

Yes: the CBD, the beach and the harbour lighthouse are all within a 10-to-15-minute walk of each other, and both hotel sites under construction sit inside that same core.

What is the Illawarra Escarpment known for?

The green ridge that runs behind Wollongong and drops close to the coastline, home to the Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk and lookout points such as Knights Tower, both a short drive from the city centre.