---
title: "Melbourne CBD vs Southbank: where to stay in Melbourne?"
description: "Melbourne CBD vs Southbank in Melbourne, compared on 133 and 30 hotels: guest ratings, 5-star choice, budget options and distance to the centre."
url: https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/melbourne-cbd-vs-southbank/
language: en
source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com)
retrieved: 2026-11-02
---

# Melbourne CBD or Southbank: where to stay in Melbourne?

Both are popular bases in Melbourne. This is how their hotels compare, using guest ratings for 133 hotels in Melbourne CBD and 30 in Southbank.

| In short ·  | [Melbourne CBD](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/melbourne-cbd/) | [Southbank](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/southbank/) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ranked hotels | 133 | 30 |
| Typical night (year average) | €174 | €166 |
| Average guest rating | 8.5 | 8.6 |
| Rated 9 or higher | 23% | 17% |
| 5-star hotels | 21 | 4 |
| 3 stars or fewer | 7 | 0 |
| Median distance to the centre | 760 m | 700 m |
| Average location score | 9.2 | 8.9 |

## In short

-   Hotels in Southbank rate higher: 8.6 on average against 8.5 in Melbourne CBD.
-   Melbourne CBD has the larger share of hotels rated 9 or higher (23% vs 17%).
-   Melbourne CBD has more hotels to choose from (133 vs 30).
-   For a 5-star stay, Melbourne CBD has 21 hotels against 4 in Southbank.
-   For a tighter budget (3 stars or fewer), Melbourne CBD has more options: 7 vs 0.
-   The two areas are about 1.0 km apart.

## Best-rated in Melbourne CBD

[Top-rated of 133 hotels in Melbourne CBD](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/melbourne-cbd/)

 #1

Hotel ★★★½ Melbourne

### [Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-melbourne-bourke-street-mall-by-ihg-melbourne/)

-   Free Wi-Fi

9.5 **Exceptional** 310 reviews 340 m

 #2

Hotel Koreatown

### [Meriton Suites Melbourne](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/meriton-suites-melbourne-melbourne/)

-   Free Wi-Fi
-   Swimming pool
-   Gym

9.3 **Exceptional** 859 reviews 570 m

 #3

Hotel ★★★★½ East End Theatre District

### [Rydges Melbourne](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/rydges-melbourne-melbourne/)

-   Swimming pool

9.3 **Exceptional** 436 reviews 970 m

 #4

Hotel ★★★★★ East End Theatre District

### [Lanson Place Parliament Gardens](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/lanson-place-parliament-gardens-melbourne/)

-   Free Wi-Fi
-   Swimming pool
-   Spa

9.3 **Exceptional** 430 reviews 1.4 km

## Best-rated in Southbank

[Top-rated of 30 hotels in Southbank](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/southbank/)

 #1

Hotel ★★★★★ Southbank

### [Quay West Suites Melbourne](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/quay-west-suites-melbourne-melbourne/)

-   Swimming pool
-   Spa
-   Gym

9.3 **Exceptional** 260 reviews 510 m

 #2

Hotel ★★★★★ Southbank

### [The Langham Melbourne](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/the-langham-melbourne-melbourne/)

-   Free Wi-Fi
-   Airport transfer
-   Swimming pool

9.2 **Excellent** 1,750 reviews 430 m

 #3

Hotel ★★★★★ Southbank

### [Crown Towers Melbourne](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/crown-towers-melbourne-melbourne/)

9.2 **Excellent** 1,450 reviews 730 m

 #4

Hotel ★★★★½ Batman's Hill

### [Crowne Plaza Melbourne By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/crowne-plaza-melbourne-by-ihg-melbourne/)

-   Swimming pool

9.0 **Excellent** 2,779 reviews 820 m

## More area match-ups in Melbourne

-   [Docklands vs Melbourne CBD](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/docklands-vs-melbourne-cbd/)
-   [Docklands vs Southbank](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/docklands-vs-southbank/)

## FAQ: Melbourne CBD vs Southbank

### Which has better-rated hotels, Melbourne CBD or Southbank?

Southbank: its 30 hotels average 8.6 out of 10, against 8.5 for the 133 hotels in Melbourne CBD.

### Where are there more budget hotels, Melbourne CBD or Southbank?

For a tighter budget (3 stars or fewer), Melbourne CBD has more options: 7 vs 0.

---
Source: https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/melbourne-cbd-vs-southbank/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/