At Embrace Brisbane, we’re all about bringing you the best that our glittering river city has to offer. So we’ve put our holiday caps on to bring you a Staycation Guide series of the best places you can relax like a carefree traveller right here in Bris-Vegas.
Sometimes you just need to run away for a night. Not in a dramatic, book-a-one-way-ticket kind of way. More like quietly stepping out of your life for 24 hours and letting everything fend for itself. Emails can wait. Laundry can absolutely wait. You, however, cannot. Enter a staycation at Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre.
This is not the kind of hotel you check into, dump your bags and immediately leave. It pulls you in. Between the design, the food, the little indulgent moments (hello, poolside snack summoning), you end up structuring your entire stay around being there.
It also does something clever. The hotel leans heavily into its neighbourhood, which means your stay doesn’t end at checkout. You walk out the doors already halfway into a mini Brisbane adventure, suddenly noticing things you usually rush past. But first — Bunch. Because priorities.
House of Brunch at Bar 1603: The best way to start a Brisbane staycation
If you’re doing a staycation properly, you do not sit around at home waiting for check-in like a sensible person. You start the holiday early. So instead of wasting the morning watching the clock, we rocked up at 11:30am for House of Brunch at Bar 1603 inside Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre (read our full review of House of Brunch here).
And this is where the day immediately improved and the problems of the week before melted away.
House of Brunch is bottomless Japanese snacks and cocktails, served while you sit by the windows people-watching the Brisbane CBD go about its day. Plates kept arriving. Drinks kept appearing. We kept saying things like “okay just one more”.
By the time we finished eating we were very full, slightly relaxed and — perfect timing — our room was ready.
Rooftop pool vibes among the skyscrapers
Brunch had been… generous. But it was also a hot Brisbane day, which meant the only logical plan was water. Now technically Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre doesn’t have its own pool. But its sister hotel across the foyer does.And it’s ridiculously cute.
The pool area has this retro holiday vibe going on. 1950s-style umbrellas, bright cabana loungers and a sparkling pool sitting among the skyscrapers of Brisbane city. You’re floating around while office towers loom above you and it somehow feels very glamorous.
There’s also a QR code on the café tables so you can order snacks and drinks without moving. Which is a dangerous level of convenience.
At one point I realised I was lounging poolside, summoning snacks via my phone and sipping a perfectly crispy Coke Zero while staring up at the skyline. For a moment I genuinely believed I might be a rich person with no responsibilities, summoning snacks at will. Then I remembered the laundry waiting at home.
Still. For that afternoon, the illusion held beautifully.
Hotel Indigo has rooms with capital S Style
Eventually we peeled ourselves away from the pool and headed upstairs to our room at Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre. The décor immediately stands out. No bland corporate hotel vibes here. The design is modern and sleek but still cosy, with playful touches and colour that make the space feel relaxed and welcoming. The whole hotel has this fun, slightly cheeky personality. You get the sense that good times regularly happen here.
First order of business: the rainfall shower. I stepped in thinking it would be a quick rinse after the pool. Twenty minutes later I was still there contemplating life and wondering if I could install one at home without major plumbing works.
After that it was peak staycation mode. Fluffy robes. Air-conditioning. TV.
The rooms have Chromecast, which means you can stream whatever show you’re already halfway through instead of navigating the strange universe of hotel television. We just picked up exactly where we left off and settled into the ridiculously comfortable bed. Super soft. Cloud level softness.
I’m usually one of those annoying people who brings their own pillow to hotels, but this time I didn’t need it. The pillows were excellent and the blackout curtains were so effective that morning almost didn’t happen.
Buffet breakfast elevated at Izakaya Publico
Dinner that night never eventuated. To be fair, brunch had been a full event and we were still riding that wave of satisfaction. But if hunger had struck, the obvious move would have been heading downstairs to Izakaya Publico. Their tomahawk steak has quite the reputation.
Now that I think about it… perhaps that should have happened.
Morning arrived and I bounced out of bed with one clear goal: breakfast at Izakaya Publico. I had heard whispers about the buffet. Those whispers were accurate.
First highlight: scrambled eggs that taste like real eggs. Creamy, well seasoned, cooked by someone who clearly respects breakfast. That might sound like the bare minimum, but seasoned travellers know this is not always guaranteed.
There was also a generous spread of charcuterie, fruit, bircher muesli, yoghurt and several types of bread. The pastries were varied, crisp and delicious. The hot section had the classic bacon and eggs situation happening alongside crispy potatoes, sausages, tomatoes. There were even tiny Dutch pancakes called poffertjes.
Dangerously snackable.
Then I noticed pumpkin soup with croutons. At breakfast. Did I question this? Absolutely not. I poured a bowl immediately and it was excellent.
Explore the local neighbourhood like a tourist
One of the things Hotel Indigo focuses on is showcasing the neighbourhood around each hotel. The idea is that the property connects you with the local area instead of isolating you from it. Which meant that after checkout I leaned fully into the concept and decided to be a tourist in my own city.
First stop was a wander along the Brisbane River. The river cuts right through the city and the walking paths are perfect for a gentle post-breakfast stroll. From there it’s an easy trip over to South Bank Parklands where the river views and skyline are always worth a visit.
Art lovers can easily spend hours exploring the nearby Gallery of Modern Art, while performances ranging from theatre to ballet fill the calendar at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
If shopping is more your thing, Queen Street Mall is just around the corner. And for riverside drinks with one of Brisbane’s most famous views, Howard Smith Wharves is always a good idea.
A night at Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre reminded me that a proper staycation isn’t about just finding somewhere to sleep. It’s about switching off. Taking your time. Letting the hotel experience become the holiday. And occasionally pretending you’re a wealthy poolside socialite ordering snacks by QR code.
Highly recommend.
Staycation spot: Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre
Ideal for: a true stop-and-drop and just soak up the trendy hotel vibes staycation. (Recommend for a cheeky girls weekend).
Make sure you: indulge in the food at either Bar 1603 or Izakaya Publico.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
