The Best Places to Stay in Mackay: 2025 Accommodation Guide

Whether you’re travelling for business, bringing the family for a holiday, visiting friends, or planning a weekend away on the Queensland coast, where you stay in Mackay makes all the difference. With a growing dining scene, riverside walkways, major events, and easy access to the region’s beaches and natural attractions, Mackay has fast become one of Queensland’s most underrated destinations.

And with more visitors arriving each year, from corporate travellers and contractors to holidaymakers, families, sporting groups and road trippers, the demand for high quality accommodation has never been stronger.

So, what are the best places to stay in Mackay in 2025?
This guide breaks down every option: hotels, self contained apartments, family friendly stays, corporate accommodation, and the spacious riverside apartments that are raising the standard for what it means to stay in Mackay.

Let’s dive in.

Why Mackay Accommodation Matters More Than Ever

Mackay is no longer a quick stopover between the Whitsundays and the outback. It is a growing regional hub with:

Major corporate projects and shutdown periods
A booming sporting and events calendar
A thriving food and café culture
Iconic attractions like Bluewater Lagoon
A lively CBD along the beautiful Pioneer River

This means travellers are not just looking for somewhere to sleep.
They are looking for:

✨ Space
✨ Location
✨ Comfort
✨ Convenience
✨ A home away from home feel
✨ Access to the CBD
✨ Clean, fresh, modern facilities
✨ The ability to walk to restaurants, cafés, parks and the lagoon

Which leads to a key question.
What type of accommodation suits your trip?

Let’s explore the main categories, then show you why self contained apartments (and one in particular) stand above the rest.

1. Hotels in Mackay: The Standard Choice

Mackay has several well known hotels including Oaks, Mantra, Riviera and Quest. These offer the basics: a bed, a bathroom and a small space to unwind.

Pros

Central locations
Consistent service
Good for short stays
Suitable for travellers who don’t need much space

Cons

Smaller rooms
Limited kitchen facilities
Not ideal for longer stays
Often crowded during peak periods
Less privacy and more noise

Hotels suit overnight stays, but for travellers wanting comfort, family space or the ability to cook and relax, hotels can feel tight and restrictive.

Which is why many travellers are now choosing something different.

2. Self Contained Apartments: Mackay’s Most Practical and Comfortable Option

Self contained apartments have become the preferred choice for business travellers, families, contractors and long stay guests.

And for good reason.

Pros

✔ More space
✔ Full kitchens
✔ Laundry facilities
✔ Separate bedrooms
✔ Ideal for families, groups and work trips
✔ Better value than booking multiple hotel rooms
✔ Perfect for longer stays

Cons

Not all self contained apartments are equal
Older buildings can feel dated
Some lack the level of comfort guests look for

Self contained apartments offer an ideal balance of comfort, privacy and practicality, especially in Mackay where many travellers stay longer than just one night.

And this is where one standout accommodation provider shines above the rest.

3. The Best Self Contained Apartments in Mackay (2025)

Lanai Riverside Apartments
📍 20 River Street, Mackay QLD
Uniquely positioned where the river meets the city.

Lanai Riverside Apartments is one of Mackay’s most loved accommodation options, especially among travellers who want more than a typical hotel stay. With spacious 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, full kitchens, floor to ceiling windows and a prime location along the Pioneer River, Lanai blends comfort, convenience and a warm, family run feel.

It is boutique, peaceful and central, offering the kind of space that hotel rooms simply cannot match.

Most apartments feature private balconies, while ground floor apartments include private courtyards.

Let’s break down why Lanai is consistently rated one of the best places to stay in Mackay.

Why Travellers Choose Lanai

1. Space to actually enjoy your stay

Lanai’s apartments are larger than most in Mackay, making them ideal for:

Corporate travellers wanting room to work
Families needing separate bedrooms
Sporting groups sharing spaces
Couples wanting a relaxed getaway

You are not squeezing into a small hotel room. You are staying in a comfortable, modern apartment that feels like home.

2. The best location in Mackay

Lanai sits in one of the most enviable locations in the region. You are:

1 minute walk to Caneland Central
4 minutes walk to Bluewater Lagoon
1 minute walk to the riverside walking tracks
5 minutes walk to the CBD dining precinct
Close to Mackay Showgrounds, the Entertainment Centre and the Mining Centre

You can walk everywhere, which is rare in Mackay.

3. Perfect for corporate travellers

Business travellers love Lanai for:

Free secure NBN
Quiet apartments
Full kitchens for self catering
Chargeback facilities with nearby restaurants
Meeting room hire available
Free undercover secure parking
24 hour onsite management
Central CBD location
Corporate rates and extended stay pricing

It is everything a hotel cannot provide, and often at better value.

4. Loved by families and holidaymakers

Parents love Lanai because staying here makes everything easier.

Walk to the lagoon
Walk to the shops
Walk to the restaurants
Come back to a spacious apartment
Make dinner, relax and unwind

Facilities include:

20 metre outdoor pool, heated in winter
Gym
Sauna
BBQ area
Secure undercover parking

5. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments that are modern, spacious and self contained

1 Bedroom Apartments
Ideal for couples or solo travellers wanting comfort and space.

2 Bedroom Apartments
Perfect for families, colleagues or friends travelling together.

3 Bedroom Apartments
The best choice for sporting groups, families, long stays and corporate crews.
Very few accommodation providers in Mackay offer apartments this large.

Most apartments have private balconies, while ground floor apartments offer private courtyards.

6. A family run business with genuine hospitality

Lanai is a family owned business, not a franchise. This means:

Warm service
Local knowledge
Real care
No corporate box ticking
A personal experience that guests remember

It is the small things and the familiar, friendly approach that make guests feel at home.

Other Popular Places to Stay in Mackay (2025)

Oaks Mackay
Small studio rooms with limited space, better for short stays.

Quest Mackay / Quest on Gordon
Good for business travellers but generally smaller than Lanai’s apartments.

Riviera Mackay
Modern apartments but without the same spaciousness or riverside access.

Mantra Mackay (Marina)
Great marina views but further away from the CBD and shopping.

So, Where is the Best Place to Stay in Mackay in 2025?

If you want space, a central location, modern self contained apartments, a riverside lifestyle, family friendly convenience, corporate ready facilities, walkability and warm service, Lanai Riverside Apartments consistently tops the list.