The Best Rooms in the House

Some of the most overlooked revenue in Australian hospitality sits quietly above the bar... or out back!

Across regional Australia, thousands of pub rooms and motel rooms remain underperforming. Not because there's no demand, but because they've been forgotten.

I see it everywhere.

A tired room. An uncomfortable bed. Poor lighting. Worn furniture. A check-in that feels like an afterthought.

Yet these same businesses often sit in destinations people are actively travelling to or through.

The opportunity isn't always to build more rooms.

It's to make the existing ones worth choosing.

Throughout my career in hotels, motels and hospitality operating and consulting, I've learnt that guests rarely expect perfection in regional accommodation. They do, however, expect to sleep well, feel welcome and know someone has genuinely considered their stay.

That's where great accommodation begins.

Not with expensive renovations...

With thoughtful hospitality.

Get the bed right.

Invest in quality linen.

Improve the lighting.

Create a cleaner arrival.

Refresh the bathroom.

Remove the clutter.

Make the room feel considered, usable, logical and just a little bit special.

These aren't extravagant investments, but they completely change the guest experience.

More importantly, they influence occupancy, room rates, online reviews and repeat business.

The room itself is only part of the story.

The entire guest journey matters.

From discovering your website and making a booking, to parking, check-in, dining, breakfast and departure, every interaction shapes how people remember their stay.

That's hospitality.

Too often, accommodation becomes secondary to the food and beverage business. Yet well-managed rooms can become one of the most consistent and profitable parts of a regional hospitality operation.

I've seen enormous potential sitting quietly above pubs and throughout older motels across Australia.

Many don't need rebuilding.

They need repositioning.

A fresh perspective.

Better hospitality strategy.

Improved customer experience.

Thoughtful accommodation design.

And operational improvements that make life easier for both guests and staff.

This is where H&M works.

Helping pub owners, motel operators and regional hospitality businesses rethink their accommodation, improve guest experience and create rooms people actively choose to book.

Sometimes that means a complete refurbishment.

Sometimes it's simply identifying the details that have been overlooked for years.

Either way, the objective remains the same.

Create accommodation people remember...

Not because it was luxurious.

Because it was considered.

Because every decision reflected genuine hospitality.

Regional Australia deserves accommodation that people talk about for the right reasons.

I believe many of the best rooms in the country are yet to be created.

They're already there.

They're simply waiting for someone to see their potential.