The Gem Hotel
65 rooms above the Bull & Bell steakhouse on central Banna Avenue
About this stay
The Gem Hotel occupies a stretch of Banna Avenue on a quieter side street position, with family rooms that include air-conditioning, a minibar, free WiFi and streaming services rather than a bare motel setup. The on-site restaurant runs European cuisine with halal, vegetarian and gluten-free menus, useful for a group with different dietary needs travelling together through the Riverina. A lift, daily housekeeping and a coffee shop round out the guest services, and some rooms add a kitchenette, a washing machine and city views over Griffith itself. Free on-site private parking suits guests arriving by car, and Griffith Airport is about six kilometres away for anyone flying in rather than driving the Sturt Highway corridor from further afield.
- 201-207 Banna Avenue, central Griffith
- 65 rooms including premium, deluxe and suites
- Bull & Bell steakhouse, cocktail bar and sports bar
- Smart TVs with your own Netflix or Foxtel login
- Halal, vegetarian and gluten-free options
- Rated 8.7 out of 10 across more than 1,100 reviews
Our take
The Gem Hotel at 201-207 Banna Avenue is a large pub-hotel in central Griffith: 65 rooms, from premium and deluxe rooms to suites, above the Bull & Bell steakhouse, a cocktail bar and a sports bar. Guests rate it 8.7 out of 10 across 1,168 reviews. The televisions let you log into your own Netflix or Foxtel account, a small thing on a long Riverina drive. It is a pub with a busy ground floor, so it suits couples and business travellers who want dinner downstairs. Anyone after a quiet country retreat should look at a motel off Banna Avenue.
- ✓Book the Bull & Bell for dinner when you reserve the room on Friday or Saturday; it is the hotel's signature restaurant and the obvious meal if you arrive late.
- ✓Walk down Banna Avenue to Bertoldo's Pasticceria at number 324 for breakfast pastries, a short stroll from the hotel.
- ✓Choose a suite rather than a standard room if you are staying more than one night; the hotel offers premium rooms, deluxe rooms and suites.
- ✓Plan cellar door visits such as De Bortoli or Calabria Family Wines by car or tour: they are outside town, not on Banna Avenue.
Why we love it
- Halal, vegetarian and gluten-free menus on site
- Family rooms with a minibar and streaming
- A quieter position along Banna Avenue itself
- Free private parking right on site
Why guests love itThe Gem Hotel is a large pub-hotel in the middle of Griffith's main street, with 65 rooms in premium, deluxe and suite categories, contemporary fit-outs, Smith & Co bathroom amenities and smart TVs that take your own streaming logins. Downstairs is the Bull & Bell steakhouse, a cocktail bar and a sports bar. Family rooms exist, the restaurant caters for halal, vegetarian and gluten-free diets, and there is disabled access and private parking. An 8.7 rating across more than 1,100 reviews shows the rooms deliver. The trade-off is a lively pub below, especially at weekends. In a town where more than 60% of residents have Italian heritage, staying on Banna Avenue means you can walk to dinner every night, which is the real reason to pick it.
Guest reviews
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