Stays in Mount Gambier

Pet-friendly rooms two kilometres from Blue Lake

Why guests love it

Mount Gambier Hotel is a three-star hotel two kilometres from Blue Lake and eight from Mount Gambier Airport, with family rooms, air conditioning, private bathrooms and free WiFi. It has a restaurant, bar and casino on site, room service, luggage storage, electric vehicle charging and free parking, and pets are allowed. An 8.9 score from 1,675 reviews is strong, and I would choose it for a pet-friendly family stay.

An 1890 pub on Commercial Street West with three rooms upstairs and a shared guest kitchen

Why guests love it

With only three rooms, the Park Hotel works for one family at a time, and the Matthews Suite is the room that makes it work: two bedrooms, a fireplace for Mount Gambier's cool winters and a spa. The shared kitchen lets parents make breakfast and simple meals, and the bistro covers dinner without driving. Children are within a short drive of Blue Lake and the town's sinkholes. The limits are clear: there is no pool, no garden or play area, and the rooms sit above a pub with a bar and bottle shop. Rated 8.6 out of 10 by 465 guests, it suits a family that wants space and a kitchen in town rather than a holiday park.

A converted gaol with a courtyard bar and tennis court

Why guests love it

The Old Mount Gambier Gaol turns a decommissioned prison into heritage accommodation, a stay children will remember. Family rooms have private bathrooms and parquet floors, and there is a garden, a bar, a lounge, a shared kitchen, a tennis court, table tennis and an outdoor play area. Blue Lake is 1.8 kilometres away and parking is free. More than 380 guests rate it 8.6. My advice: plan an early visit to Blue Lake, then a game of tennis back at the gaol.

Garden site with an outdoor fireplace, and dogs are welcome

Why guests love it

Limestone Coast Tourist Park is a four-star park that suits families and anyone travelling with a dog. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms and garden views, and guests share a kitchen, a lounge and a games room. There is an outdoor fireplace, barbecue facilities and an outdoor play area for children, and parking is free. Blue Lake is six kilometres away. I would choose it for a relaxed, pet-friendly family stay.

Five minutes on foot from the Blue Lake crater rim

Why guests love it

Comfort Inn The Lakes is a four-star inn that suits couples and families who want to walk to Blue Lake. It is five minutes on foot from the crater rim and two minutes by car from Valley Lake Conservation Park. Rooms are air-conditioned with a dining area, refrigerator, tea and coffee facilities and private bathrooms. There is a bar, a restaurant, a garden and a tour desk, and parking is free. I would choose it for the walk to Blue Lake.

Pub rooms with an indoor playground, four minutes from Blue Lake

Why guests love it

Nightcap at Federal Hotel is three-star pub accommodation on the town side of Mount Gambier, four minutes by car from Blue Lake Reserve. Family rooms, air-conditioning and free parking are included, and an a la carte restaurant, a bar and an indoor children's playground are on site. Rooms have a television, refrigerator and tea and coffee facilities. I would choose it for the indoor playground and the easy drive to Blue Lake.

The only indoor heated pool and spa in Mount Gambier

Why guests love it

I recommend the Arkana Motor Inn and Terrace Apartments to families arriving after a long Limestone Coast drive. The indoor heated pool and spa work in any weather, rooms and apartments are air-conditioned with a minibar and tea and coffee facilities, and a guest laundry and large gardens help children burn off energy. Parking is free. Guests rate it 7.8 from more than 1,500 reviews.

Pub rooms with shared bathrooms on Commercial Street West

Why guests love it

The Commercial Hotel is an old-style country pub stay on Mount Gambier's main street. Rooms are basic, with an electric kettle, a television and free WiFi, and the bathrooms are shared. The ground floor carries the life of the place: a restaurant serving Australian dishes at lunch and dinner, a bar with live music and a billiards table. Parking is free, which helps on a Limestone Coast road trip. The 7.7 score from 83 reviews reflects what it is: a central bed with a meal downstairs, not a quiet retreat. Families can eat in the restaurant, but sleeping children above a band and sharing a bathroom down the hall is a poor match. Solo drivers and couples who want a pub dinner without moving the car will get the most out of it.