🇦🇺 Adelaide, Australia
The Old Spot
📍 46 Grote St, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Photo: official website
Your stay — The Old Spot
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Adelaide.
The Property — The Old Spot
The Old Spot is a solid three-star pub-with-rooms in Adelaide's eastern suburbs, where the lobby smells of beer and roast lunches. It's a proper locals' boozer with clean, basic accommodation above the bar — think laminate floors, dated bathroom tiles, and a free-to-air telly. There's no frills, but the bistro serves honest pub grub and the beer garden gets afternoon sun. Best for a budget-minded traveller who wants a bed near the city centre without paying city rates.
Chronicles of Adelaide
Adelaide was laid out by Colonel Light in 1836 on a grid of wide streets and generous parklands, earning the nickname 'City of Churches' for its abundance of spires. The original Kaurna inhabitants lived on the plain for millennia before European settlement. Post-war migration reshaped the city, and today it's a cultural hub of festivals, a thriving food scene, and the world-class Barossa Valley wine region an hour north. The city centre remains walkable and green, flanked by the Torrens River and the Adelaide Hills.
Best Time to Visit
Full Adelaide guide →Best months
March and April for settled autumn weather (20–25°C) and post-summer crowds at peak wine country harvest. October for spring blooms and pre-summer warmth.
Peak / festival surge
March coincides with the Adelaide Festival and the Fringe, the biggest arts event in Australia. Hotel prices double or triple; book six months ahead. January is also peak summer holiday season, hot and busy.
Budget shoulder season
May to August are the quietest months. Rooms at The Old Spot can drop to $80–100 AUD per night. Expect cool, grey days (10–15°C) and occasional rain, but fewer tourists and lower prices everywhere.
Weather & packing
Adelaide winters are cool and damp with morning fog, but sun often breaks by afternoon. Pack a waterproof jacket and sturdy walking shoes — don't assume a coat alone will cut it, as the wind off the Southern Ocean can be sharp.
Live City Briefing — Adelaide
- The Glenelg tram line is undergoing weekend closures for maintenance through July 2026; check Adelaide Metro notices before relying on it for beach trips.
- A new food market, The Market Shed on Franklin, opened in late 2025 offering local produce and cheap eats on Sunday mornings — a decent alternative to the Central Market for a quick feed.
- Adelaide’s coastal shark warning system has been upgraded after a string of sightings in summer 2025; check the Surf Life Saving SA app before swimming at metropolitan beaches.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to The Old Spot, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room at the rear of the building facing west or north, away from Grote St. High floors (4th–6th) on the quieter flank are your best bet for sleep quality.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any room facing Grote St directly, especially on floors 1–3 where traffic noise from the tram and buses is loudest. Also skip rooms adjacent to the lift well.
Best views
On the upper rear side you get a semi-decent outlook over Adelaide’s skyline and nearby parklands, not the car park frontage. Grote St rooms see the busy street and tram wires.
Quietest floors
Floors 4 to 6 are the quietest, being above street-level noise but not at the top where rooftop plant or lift motor hum can occur.
🔊 Noise notes
Grote St carries tram lines and bus routes, plus a Central Market loading bay across the road. Expect rattle from 6am weekdays and late-night party-goers on weekends.
Insider tips
1. If you’re driving, park in the Grote St car park opposite (rates are cheaper than the hotel’s own if it charges). 2. Ask for a room on the west side when booking directly — reception can note it, but OTAs won’t show it.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — The Old Spot
Free basic WiFi (up to 5 Mbps) with paid upgrade to 25 Mbps for A$10 per 24h; login requires room number and surname
Small lift serves all 3 floors; no stairs-only sections
Complimentary PressReader access via lobby tablet; no physical papers
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop at reception (free); late check-out until 12:00 for A$30, subject to availability
Free luggage storage at reception for same-day arrivals/departures
Step-free entry from Grote St; one accessible room on ground floor with widened doors and roll-in shower; lift reaches all floors
No on-site parking; nearest public car park is Grote Street Car Park (50m, entry on Gouger St) at A$22 per 24h; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None (no separate city tax; included in room rate)
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; A$200 incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Saints Shopping — 2.1 km · ~27 min walk
Carisbrooke Reserve — 381 m · ~5 min walk
Canterbury Drive Reserve Playground — 1.1 km · ~14 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Australian Dollar, AUD
Use ATMs or bank branches in the city centre for the best rates; avoid currency exchange desks at Adelaide Airport and tourist bureaux, which typically give poor rates and high fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted almost everywhere; contactless and mobile pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay) are common for small purchases; some cafes and markets may be cash-only.
Tipping is not expected or required; for exceptional service in restaurants, rounding up the bill or leaving 5-10% is appreciated but never obligatory; taxis and hotel staff do not expect tips.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A standard flat white or latte from a local cafe costs around AUD 4.50 - 5.00.
A sandwich or salad from a bakery or takeaway deli is typically AUD 8 - 12.
A main course at a casual pub or Thai restaurant is around AUD 15 - 22.
The Adelaide Central Market (Grote St end) has many cheap-eat stalls for Asian, Middle Eastern, and European street food; also try food trucks at Rundle Street on weekends.
Coles and Woolworths are the main budget supermarket chains in the area; Aldi is slightly cheaper but has fewer locations.
For affordable high-street fashion, head to Rundle Mall (about 10 min walk) with stores like Kmart, Target, and Uniqlo; no cheap market clothing within the immediate area.
A single Adelaide Metro tram or bus ticket is about AUD 3.70; a day pass costs AUD 10.50; from the airport, take the J1/J2 bus (AUD 3.70) to the city, avoid the expensive SkyShuttle (AUD 10).
1) Buy a 2-trip or day-pass Metro ticket for multiple tram rides. 2) Visit Adelaide Central Market late on a Saturday afternoon for reduced-priced produce. 3) Many museums and galleries (e.g. Art Gallery of SA) are free to enter.
Good to know — Adelaide
Type I · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ A$1.44 · AUD
Emergency Contacts
AdelaideCall 000 for police, ambulance, or fire. For non-urgent police assistance, dial 131 444. For health advice (not life-threatening), call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84). Deaf or hearing-impaired users can text 106 via TTY.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Adelaide, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at The Old Spot
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Adelaide Airport (ADL) → Largs Pier Hotel, Largs North
💡 Book with 13CABS for the most reliable service. Avoid surge pricing by requesting a sedan, not a maxi taxi.
Adelaide Airport (ADL) → Largs Pier Hotel, Largs North
💡 Take the J1 or J2 bus from stop 10 at the airport to Grenfell Street in the city, then catch the 333 bus from stop Z1 on King William Street directly to the hotel. Use a MetroCard for the cheapest fare.
Adelaide Railway Station → Largs Railway Station (5-min walk to hotel)
💡 Buy a day pass for $9.80 if you plan to explore the coast. Walk west along Military Road from Largs station – the hotel is a quick stagger.
Adelaide Entertainment Centre (city fringe) → Largs Pier Hotel, Largs North
💡 Not the most direct option, but combine the tram to the Entertainment Centre then walk 10 minutes to Bowden station for the Outer Harbor train. Handy if you're already near the city's west side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at The Old Spot?
Request a room at the rear of the building facing west or north, away from Grote St. High floors (4th–6th) on the quieter flank are your best bet for sleep quality.
Which rooms should I avoid at The Old Spot?
Avoid any room facing Grote St directly, especially on floors 1–3 where traffic noise from the tram and buses is loudest. Also skip rooms adjacent to the lift well.
Is The Old Spot noisy?
Grote St carries tram lines and bus routes, plus a Central Market loading bay across the road. Expect rattle from 6am weekdays and late-night party-goers on weekends.
Which rooms have the best views at The Old Spot?
On the upper rear side you get a semi-decent outlook over Adelaide’s skyline and nearby parklands, not the car park frontage. Grote St rooms see the busy street and tram wires.
What are insider tips for staying at The Old Spot?
1. If you’re driving, park in the Grote St car park opposite (rates are cheaper than the hotel’s own if it charges). 2. Ask for a room on the west side when booking directly — reception can note it, but OTAs won’t show it.
What time is check-in at The Old Spot?
Check-in at The Old Spot is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does The Old Spot have Wi-Fi?
Free basic WiFi (up to 5 Mbps) with paid upgrade to 25 Mbps for A$10 per 24h; login requires room number and surname
Is there a city or tourist tax at The Old Spot?
None (no separate city tax; included in room rate)
Where can I eat cheaply near The Old Spot?
A sandwich or salad from a bakery or takeaway deli is typically AUD 8 - 12.
What is the cheapest way to get around from The Old Spot?
A single Adelaide Metro tram or bus ticket is about AUD 3.70; a day pass costs AUD 10.50; from the airport, take the J1/J2 bus (AUD 3.70) to the city, avoid the expensive SkyShuttle (AUD 10).
When is the best time to visit Adelaide?
March and April for settled autumn weather (20–25°C) and post-summer crowds at peak wine country harvest. October for spring blooms and pre-summer warmth.
Top Attractions in Adelaide
💡 Go late on Saturday afternoon – stallholders drop prices to clear stock. The dumpling stall near the Gouger Street entrance is a cheap lunch favourite under $8.
💡 Walk the loop from the Festival Centre to the zoo and back – about 3km. At sunset, the floodlit buildings reflect in the lake. Free to walk, cycle, or picnic any time.
💡 Pick up the free floor talk schedules—volunteer guides give excellent 30-minute spotlight tours on specific pieces. Quietest on weekday mornings.
💡 Head upstairs to the glass-walled balcony overlooking the chamber for the best photo spot. Free 30-minute tours of the Mortlock Chamber are offered at 11am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
💡 The Pacific Cultures gallery on the third floor is usually empty of crowds but holds fascinating Solomon Islands canoe prow figures. Allow 90 minutes minimum.
💡 Drop into the 'Gallery Studio' on weekends for free hands-on art activities. Weekday mornings are quietest for viewing.
💡 Enter via the North Terrace gates and walk straight to the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion – the giant lily pads are best in summer. Free guided walks at 10:30am daily.
💡 Use the northern gate on Hackney Road to avoid the busier main entrance. The cafe near the lake does good coffee without the premium North Terrace prices.