Southern Ocean Lodge

Kangaroo Island

Australia's nature-driven island paradise

Stretched along a limestone clifftop in the rugged wilderness of Australia's third-largest island, this luxury lodge was destroyed in catastrophic bush fires in 2020. Parent company Baillie Lodges didn't take this lying down, engaging original architect Max Pritchard to not only recreate his sculptural original but to subtly enhance it. What was already an icon of wilderness-based luxury became more so when the lodge re-opened in 2023, with its 25 glass-walled suites elongated and repositioned to take in more of the immense coastal view.

Southern Ocean Lodge's Great Room provides one of the world's great arrival experiences. The immense space houses floor-to-ceiling glazing framing 180-degree views of craggy coastline, sandy beaches and an expanse of wild ocean that stretches, unhindered by any other land, beyond the horizon to Antarctica.

The experience team at Southern Ocean Lodge is also all about immersion: getting up-close and personal with a sea lion, biking through the island's singular sage green wilderness, partaking in a little beach fishing, star watching with an astrologist.

Service is also suitably Aussie in spirit, with its staff the masters of refined informalality. Guests are greeted on a first name basis and the staff, never intrusive, always friendly, bring a relaxed at-home vibe. That the same people who served you breakfast are also then taking you on a guided clifftop walk or showing you seal pups frolicking in rocky coves enhances the personal touch.

For all of this and more, Southern Ocean Lodge has been awarded the American Express Travel One To Watch Award as part of The World's 50 Best Hotels 2025. 

The American Express Travel One To Watch Award is accolade given to a stand-out property that the 50 Best team believes has the potential to break into the 1-50 ranking in future editions.

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