Accommodation - domestic/international

Accommodation should be modest, conveniently located, provide a safe and secure environment and be value for money.  

Bookings must be managed via the University travel provider through the online booking tool or travel consultants. There may be exceptions where accommodation may be sourced externally. These include:

• The accommodation is supplied by a third party/host
• Included in a conference package
• Travel Provider is unable to source accommodation in the required location and advise in writing 

The University has negotiated an extensive range of strategic accommodation deals across the Australia/Pacific region in regional, suburban and inner-city locations.  A full listing can be accessed here. 

The commercial deals provide travellers with a wide variety of accommodation offering comfort, convenience and flexible booking conditions. In addition to the commercial agreements in place, the travel provider supports access to over 500,000+ global accommodation providers including apartments, regional motels, self contained apartments and major hotel chains.

The ANU preferred properties include regional motel style, hotels and serviced apartment operators, all of which provide 24x7 assistance to guests including emergency/security plans. For these reasons, it is not recommended that travellers use ‘off-grid’ accommodation operators such as AirBnb, Stayz etc. 

There may be exceptions where it is more logical to utilise an off-grid provider.  These include:

• Remote/rural locations where there is no commercial accommodation available/offered
• Peak events/high demand
• Small groups travelling to the same destination for the same purpose where it is a more cost effective and sustainable option to share

In any case, a discussion must take place with the supervisor/delegate prior to submitting the travel approval request form.

Domestic accommodation:
Availability and rates will vary in each location based on demand, events and advance purchase booking time. A reasonable rate guidance aligned to strategically sourced rates, market research and industry benchmarking for capital cities and regional locations are as follows:

*Parliament sitting weeks and/or other location peak/surcharge events add +$150

International accommodation
Given fluctuations in currency exchange rates, major events and seasonal demand in global cities/locations, accommodation should be maximum 4-star to meet the principles of the accommodation being modest, comfortable, conveniently located, provide a safe and secure environment and be value for money. 
Exceptions:

• Conference/host venues
• Where a higher classification is more cost effective
• There are no alternatives conveniently located to the business/activity location.

Tips on choosing sustainable accommodation options can be located here.

Extended/Long Stay (10+ nights) accommodation

For accommodation requirements of 10 or more consecutive nights, enquiries should be directed to the University’s travel provider. They have access to a wide range of suitable self-contained options, including cabins, serviced apartments, and fully equipped houses.

These options are often more cost-effective than standard nightly rates, thanks to the University's commercial arrangements.

The travel provider will present available options based on your specific requirements and can also facilitate payment on behalf of travellers who do not hold an ANU purchase card.