There’s an unexpected dining discovery tucked inside one of Adelaide’s most convenient southern hotel stays.
Tonsley Bar Bistro, located inside the Mantra Tonsley Adelaide, is giving guests and locals a reason to linger, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour and classic bistro favourites all served from the heart of one of Adelaide’s key business and innovation precincts.
Open seven days a week, the Tonsley Bar Bistro makes the hotel feel less like a place to simply sleep and more like a base you can settle into, with happy hour and a menu that features the kind of classics found in local pubs and restaurants. Think juicy chicken schnitzels, crispy skin salmon, tender scotch fillet, pasta and share plates.
Happy Hour runs Monday to Friday from 4pm to 6pm, with specials including $8 pints of house beer, $8 glasses of house wine and two Aperol Spritz for $30. Express Lunch Specials are also available seven days a week from 12pm to 2pm, with a range of dishes on offer for under $25.
It means the end of the day can be as easy as ordering dinner downstairs, having a drink, and taking the lift back to your room without worrying about taxis or the weather not holding out.
Mantra Tonsley General manager Simon O’Callaghan said guests are often surprised by just how easy destinations are to access from the well-connected hotel.
“We’re minutes from the beaches, the Adelaide Hills, the city, and world-class wine regions,” he said.
“Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University and the Tonsley Innovation District are all on our doorstep, while the train station next door provides a direct link into the CBD.”
From Tonsley Railway Station, guests can be in the city by train in approximately 20 minutes, making the hotel an easy base for those wanting to stay south without feeling cut off from the CBD.
The area itself brings together people from all walks of life because of the diverse offering.
“It’s a place where researchers, students, medical professionals, business travellers and locals all intersect, creating an energy that’s quite different from a traditional suburban location,” Simon said.
And while Tonsley might not be the first suburb that comes to mind when planning a night away, that is exactly where the appeal sits. You can check in, skip the CBD rush and still have a full itinerary around wine country, beaches, good food and a proper hotel stay.
The 88-rooms range from standard king and twin rooms to studios, family rooms and one-bedroom apartments, giving guests options for everything from a quick overnight stay to something longer and more settled.
For those staying longer, many of the larger room options also offer extra space and apartment-style touches, which adds to the low-fuss appeal. The hotel also works well for families visiting students at Flinders University, guests seeing relatives in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, medical visitors, sporting groups and travellers combining business with leisure.
For those wanting to turn the stay into something more, McLaren Vale is within half an hour of the hotel, putting cellar doors, vineyard views and long winery lunches comfortably within reach.
The coast is just as easy to work into the stay. Glenelg, Brighton and Hallett Cove are all easy to access, and winter gives the coastline a completely different kind of beauty.
“Winter is actually one of the best times to experience our coastline, with dramatic scenery, fewer crowds and incredible sunsets,” Simon said.
The Mantra Tonsley is made for longer stays, easy overnight escapes and visitors who want to be close to Adelaide’s southern suburbs without staying in the busier city centre.
“We’ve also seen growth in guests visiting family in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, attending sporting events, or combining business with leisure travel,” Simon said.
“As awareness of the location grows, more people are realising that Tonsley offers a convenient and well-connected alternative to a traditional city stay.”
Stay south, head for wine country, catch the coast at sunset, have dinner downstairs and still be close enough to the city if the night is falling that way.
If a few nights at Mantra Tonsley sounds like you, don’t miss the Winter Escape offer. Enjoy 20 percent off accommodation, just be sure to book by June 29 for stays through to September 30.
This is your sign to lock in a cosy winter stay and seriously good meal.
Mantra Tonsley Adelaide
Where: 2 Mab Circuit, Tonsley
To book a Winter staycation, click here.
