Where to stay in Lorne: beachfront or bush

Where is the best area to stay in Lorne?

Choose Mountjoy Parade when you want the beach, the shops and the cafes on foot. Choose Allenvale Road when you want quiet among the trees and can walk into town. ^{1, 5, 9}

For Lorne accommodation, that split is the useful one. The beachfront strip in this guide is three addresses on Mountjoy Parade. The bush stay is Qdos, set back from the beach. Hotels in Lorne also include other motels and houses; this page compares these four. ^{1, 2, 3, 5}

Staying on the beachfront strip

The beachfront strip here is Mountjoy Parade. Mantra Lorne’s listing says it is “the only beachfront property in Lorne”, with 12 acres of landscaped gardens, tennis courts, an indoor heated mineral pool and an on-site restaurant, The Larder. ¹

The same listing includes resort rooms and one- and two-bedroom apartments, family rooms, and free private parking on site. It says children of all ages are welcome, and that pets are not allowed. ¹

Cumberland Lorne Resort is at 150 Mountjoy Parade. Its listing says the apartments are opposite the beach, in the heart of the town centre, and the page is also labelled Beachfront. Each apartment has a private balcony, a fully equipped kitchen and laundry. Guests can use a heated indoor pool, a sauna, and tennis and squash courts, with free secure parking. Children of all ages are welcome. Pets are not allowed. ²

Anchorage Motel & Villas is at 32 Mountjoy Parade. The listing says it is a 5 minutes’ walk from Louttit Bay beach, with a café on the ground floor, an outdoor pool, a kids’ pool and free on-site parking. Room names include studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, and the highlights list kitchen facilities such as a microwave and a toaster. Children of all ages are welcome. Pets are not allowed. ³

Staying in the bush behind town

Qdos, at 35 Allenvale Road, is the bush stay. The operator site describes five Japanese-style treehouses in a sculpture garden among eucalypts. ^{5, 4}

That site says breakfast is included and served in the Qdos Arts café, and that town and the beach are a 15-minute stroll. Its listing says the stay is adults-only and that children are not allowed. It lists free private parking, a kettle and a refrigerator, and it does not list a pool. Pets are not allowed. ^{5, 4}

Resort, apartment, motel or treehouse: which suits you?

Pick the resort, the apartment, the motel or the treehouse from the facilities on the listing, then book that property’s own page. ^{1, 2, 3, 4}

Mantra suits a family or a group who want the gardens and the indoor pool on the strip. Cumberland suits anyone who wants a kitchen opposite the beach. Anchorage suits a motel or apartment still on Mountjoy Parade. Qdos suits a couple who want the trees and do not need a room for children. ^{1, 2, 3, 5}

Four Lorne stays on the beachfront strip or in the bush. ^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

Photos	Side of town	Type	Best for	Kitchen and parking	How to book
	Mantra Lorne, Mountjoy Parade	Resort rooms and apartments	Families and groups who want the gardens, tennis courts and indoor pool.	Free private parking on site. The listing does not give every room a kitchen.	Mantra Lorne’s page on Booking.com.
	Cumberland Lorne Resort, 150 Mountjoy Parade	Apartments	A couple or a family who want a kitchen opposite the beach.	Fully equipped kitchen and laundry, a private balcony, and free secure parking.	Cumberland Lorne Resort’s page on Booking.com.
	Anchorage Motel & Villas, 32 Mountjoy Parade	Motel and apartments	A motel or apartment on the strip. The listing says a 5 minutes’ walk from Louttit Bay beach.	Free on-site parking. Kitchen facilities include a microwave and a toaster.	Anchorage Motel & Villas’ page on Booking.com.
	Qdos, 35 Allenvale Road	Treehouse rooms, adults-only	A couple who want a quiet stay among the trees.	Free private parking. A kettle and a refrigerator, not a full kitchen. Breakfast is in the café.	Qdos’ page on Booking.com.

Can you stay in Lorne without a car?

Yes, if you can walk from the coach with your bag. The beachfront strip is the simpler choice. ^{6, 9}

McHarry’s runs the V/Line coach between Geelong and Apollo Bay via Lorne. The stop list names the Lorne Visitor Information Centre on Mountjoy Parade and the Lorne Hotel. Lorne.com.au says that once you are in town there is no public transport, only a taxi, so a Mountjoy Parade address is the easier walk from those stops. The Melbourne to Lorne train and coach guide explains the Geelong connection. ^{6, 9}

What should you check before booking in Lorne?

Before you book, read the parking line, whether children are allowed, whether the room has a kitchen, and whether stairs reach the room. ^{1, 2, 3, 4}

If you want a view above the road, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority places Teddy’s Lookout at the end of George Street, 2 km from the heart of Lorne, with a small car park. Dogs are not allowed there. ⁸

When the room is chosen, use that property’s page, linked from the three cards above. For the rest of the trip, start with the saved Lorne stays, then things to do and places to eat.

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