Key Takeaways
- The Australian Open 2027 runs 11 to 31 January at Melbourne Park: Opening Week 11 to 16 January, main draw from Sunday 17 January, finals weekend 30 and 31 January.
- The hotel peak is the middle Saturday, not finals weekend. On Saturday 24 January 2026, Melbourne hotels hit 93.2% occupancy and an average rate of $266 (A$380.74), the highest night of the tournament.
- Rates stayed above $140 (A$200) every tournament night except the first three of Opening Week.
- A Ground Pass is $34 (A$49) early bird until 30 November 2026, and for the first time Ground Pass numbers can be capped on high-demand days.
- Stay within a walk of Melbourne Park: the east end of the CBD, East Melbourne by Jolimont station, or Richmond.
The Australian Open 2027 runs 11 to 31 January at Melbourne Park, with the finals on 30 and 31 January. The night to book first is not the final: during the 2026 tournament, Melbourne hotels peaked on the middle Saturday, 24 January, at 93.2% occupancy and an average rate of $266 (A$380.74), according to CoStar.
We built this trip in Navoy: a 5-day Melbourne Australian Open plan, 28 January to 1 February 2027.
When is the Australian Open 2027, and which days matter for hotels?
Monday 11 to Sunday 31 January 2027, 21 days, all at Melbourne Park. Opening Week (qualifying, practice and the cheap tickets) runs 11 to 16 January, the main draw starts on Sunday 17 January, and the finals are on the weekend of 30 and 31 January. For hotels, the two weekends inside the main draw matter most.
Tennis Australia confirmed the dates on 23 March 2026.
| Phase | Dates (2027) | What is on | Hotel pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Week | Mon 11 to Sat 16 Jan | Qualifying, Open Practice at Rod Laver Arena, AO Ballpark | Lowest of the three weeks |
| Main draw, week one | Sun 17 to Sun 24 Jan | Rounds one to four, every court in use | Builds all week; the Saturday is the peak night |
| Main draw, week two | Mon 25 to Fri 29 Jan | Quarter-finals and semi-finals, show courts only | High |
| Finals weekend | Sat 30 and Sun 31 Jan | Singles and doubles finals | High, and the nights most people book first |
The 2026 edition drew a record 1,368,043 people over three weeks, 217,999 of them in Opening Week; the busiest day was Thursday 22 January, with 103,956 fans through the gates.
Which nights do Melbourne hotels spike during the Australian Open?
The middle Saturday, then finals weekend. CoStar's data for January 2026 shows Melbourne's hotel market peaked on Saturday 24 January, the second Saturday of the main draw: 93.2% of rooms sold at an average $266 (A$380.74) a night. The January average was 75.1% occupancy at $183 (A$261.74), itself the highest January rate on record for the city.
That is the number most guides get wrong. Everyone assumes the finals are the expensive nights and leaves the middle weekend to chance. The market data says the middle Saturday sells out the city: the whole draw is still playing, every outside court is busy, and interstate weekend visitors stack on top of the local crowd.
| Melbourne hotels, January 2026 (CoStar) | Occupancy | Average daily rate |
|---|---|---|
| Whole month of January | 75.1% | $183 (A$261.74) |
| Peak night: Saturday 24 January (middle Saturday) | 93.2% | $266 (A$380.74) |
| Every tournament night except 12 to 14 January | above $140 (A$200) |
The premium is wide as well as deep: the only tournament nights under $140 were the first three of Opening Week, which in 2027 fall on Monday 11 to Wednesday 13 January. Behind it is documented demand: Tennis Australia counted 705,239 bed nights in Melbourne for the 2026 tournament, up 59.2% on 2025.
If your dates include Saturday 23 January 2027, book that night before anything else. Check what's left for your night: Melbourne hotels with live prices.
How much more do Melbourne hotels cost on finals weekend?
Three months out, not yet. On 19 October 2026 we priced a double room on book.navoy.io for Saturday 30 January (finals Saturday), Saturday 23 January (the middle Saturday that set the 2026 record) and Saturday 27 February (a normal weekend after the tournament). The cheapest rooms were $84, $92 and $93, and the median of the engine's top picks was $141, $146 and $166.
| Night (1 room, 2 adults, taxes included) | Cheapest | Median of the 12 cheapest | Median of 12 top picks | Properties listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 23 Jan 2027 (middle Saturday) | $92 | $96 | $146 | 23 |
| Sat 30 Jan 2027 (finals Saturday) | $84 | $104 | $141 | 28 |
| Sat 27 Feb 2027 (normal weekend) | $93 | $111 | $166 | 30 |
Two cautions before you read that as good news. The cheap end is suburban: the sub-$100 rooms sit in Dandenong, Glen Waverley and Mitcham, 23 to 34 km from Melbourne Park. And the 2026 spike CoStar recorded was a city-wide average on the night, with 93% of rooms sold; three months ahead it shows up as central hotels vanishing from the list, not as a higher floor. Book the walking-distance room now while it is still priced like a normal weekend, then re-check in December. Prices are live quotes on 19 October 2026 and will move. Check what's left for your night.
What do Australian Open 2027 tickets cost?
A Ground Pass starts at $34 (A$49) at the early-bird price, which runs until 12:59pm on 30 November 2026. Opening Week is cheaper: $7 (A$10) for adults and $3.50 (A$5) for kids, with kids free on Monday 11 January. Reserved seats in the three arenas are priced by venue, session and round, and the official seller is Ticketmaster Australia.
Public sales opened on 13 August 2026. What the official sources state:
| Ticket | Price (early bird) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Pass | from $34 (A$49) | John Cain Arena (subject to availability), every outside court, practice courts, big screens and festival zones such as Grand Slam Oval. No reserved seat at Rod Laver or Margaret Court Arena |
| Opening Week, adult | $7 (A$10) | The precinct during qualifying: Open Practice at Rod Laver Arena, AO Ballpark, player appearances |
| Opening Week, child | $3.50 (A$5), free on Mon 11 Jan | Same as above |
| Reserved seat, Rod Laver / Margaret Court / John Cain Arena | varies by venue, session and round | One session's seat, plus Ground Pass access to the precinct |
| AO Reserve | enquiry only | Premium seating with hospitality and court-side access |
Three details change how you plan. Ground Pass numbers can be capped on high-demand days for the first time, after reports of sales being stopped on several days in week one of 2026: buy your day in advance. The price has not risen since 2019, so the 30 November early-bird deadline is the one that matters. Pass-outs are allowed: scan out and come back the same day, the argument for a hotel within walking distance.
Finals prices were not published on the pages we could read on 19 October 2026. Check Ticketmaster Australia's Australian Open page directly and buy only there.
Where should you stay for the Australian Open 2027?
Within a walk of Melbourne Park. The venue is a 10-minute walk from the CBD over Birrarung Marr or the Tanderrum Bridge, about 10 minutes from Richmond station along Olympic Boulevard and about 11 minutes from Jolimont station through Yarra Park. Those three pockets, the east end of the CBD, East Melbourne and Richmond, make a late finish easy.
| Area | How you reach the courts | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| CBD, east end (Flinders Street to Spring Street) | 10-minute walk via Birrarung Marr or Tanderrum Bridge; Route 70 tram from Flinders Street | First-time visitors: laneways, Fed Square, every tram line |
| East Melbourne / Jolimont | About 11 minutes on foot through Yarra Park; Jolimont station on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines | Quiet streets, the shortest walk to the Garden Square side |
| Richmond | About 10 minutes along Olympic Boulevard, or Route 70 to Stop 7B/7C | Food streets (Swan Street, Bridge Road), later nights, more mid-range rooms |
| Southbank | Across the river; Route 70 tram from Flinders Street, or a longer riverside walk | Bigger hotels and river views when the walking pockets are full |
Night sessions can finish late. In 2026 the Route 70 trams ran for an hour after play; a hotel you can walk to removes the question.
Still comparing neighbourhoods? Browse hotels across Melbourne and the rest of Australia.
How do you get to Melbourne Park from the airport and the city?
Fly into Melbourne Airport (MEL), take the SkyBus to Southern Cross station for $18 (A$25.90) one way, then a train to Richmond or Jolimont or the Route 70 tram from Flinders Street. In 2026, ticket holders rode Route 70 and 70a trams free between Flinders Street West and the John Cain Arena stop; check PTV for the 2027 arrangement.
- Airport to city: SkyBus Melbourne City Express, $18 (A$25.90) one way or $30 (A$43.40) return for adults, $4.60 (A$6.60) one way for children aged 4 to 16, fixed fares all day, to Southern Cross station.
- Trains: Richmond (Lilydale, Belgrave, Alamein, Glen Waverley, Frankston, Sandringham, Werribee, Laverton and Williamstown lines) and Jolimont (Hurstbridge and Mernda). Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury trains run through the Metro Tunnel and skip Richmond: get off at Town Hall and take the Route 70 tram.
- Trams: Route 70 from Flinders Street or Richmond stops at Rod Laver Arena (7B), John Cain Arena (7C) and AAMI Park (7D). Melbourne Park sits just outside the Free Tram Zone (the CBD grid between Spring, Flinders and La Trobe Streets, plus Docklands and Queen Victoria Market), so you need a myki unless the tournament's free-travel arrangement applies.
- Taxi and rideshare: the taxi rank is beside Grand Slam Oval on Olympic Boulevard; rideshare is outside John Cain Arena. Yarra Park parking is limited and first come first served.
Search flights to MEL: flights to Melbourne, 28 January to 1 February 2027.
How hot does Melbourne get during the Australian Open?
Warm most days, dangerous on a few. The Bureau of Meteorology's Melbourne (Olympic Park) station, inside the precinct, averages a January maximum of 26.8°C and a minimum of 16.5°C. January 2026 averaged 27.5°C and hit 42.9°C on 9 January. When the tournament's Heat Stress Scale reaches 5, outside-court play stops and the three arena roofs close.
The Heat Stress Scale, introduced for the 2019 tournament, combines air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed measured at five points across Melbourne Park:
| Scale reading | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Temperate playing conditions |
| 4.0 | 10-minute break between sets (women's and junior singles after set two, men's after set three) |
| 5.0 | No new matches on outside courts; matches in progress stop at the end of an even game. Roofs can close on Rod Laver, Margaret Court and John Cain Arenas |
On Saturday 24 January 2026, the same middle Saturday that set the hotel record, the scale reached 5 in the early afternoon: outside-court play was suspended and the roofs closed.
For your booking: a Ground Pass is an outdoor ticket, and on a 5.0 day the outside courts go quiet for hours while the arenas play on. One day at the tennis and no flexibility? A reserved seat under a roof is weather insurance. A Ground Pass and a hotel ten minutes away? Use the pass-out and return for the night session on the big screens in Garden Square and Grand Slam Oval.
What can you do at the Australian Open 2027 without a ticket?
Watch it free at Federation Square. In 2026, Fed Square ran a free "Summer of Tennis Live Site" from 10 January to 1 February, daily from 9am until late, with live Channel 9 coverage on the big screen and an AO Shop pop-up. The 2027 live site had not been announced on 19 October 2026, so check fedsquare.com in December.
Fed Square sits at Swanston and Flinders Streets, across Birrarung Marr from the courts, so a hotel in the east end of the CBD puts you between the free screen and the paid one.
Two cheaper ways in than a main-draw reserved seat:
- Opening Week, 11 to 16 January, at $7 for adults and $3.50 for kids (free on Monday 11 January): qualifying on the outside courts and Open Practice on Rod Laver Arena, the one time a $7 ticket puts you inside the main stadium.
- A Ground Pass on a weekday of week one, at $34 early bird. Weekdays carry smaller crowds than the two Saturdays, which are the days a cap is most likely to apply.
Our 5-day trip builds the laneways, the Yarra walk and Richmond's food streets around the semi-final and final days.
Plan this trip
- See the trip we built: a 5-day Melbourne Australian Open plan, 28 January to 1 February 2027
- Plan your own for free: tell Navoy your dates and budget and it builds the day-by-day plan. The free plan covers up to three trips of up to 14 days each. Start free
- Hotels in Melbourne: compare live prices for your dates
- Flights: search flights to Melbourne MEL, 28 January to 1 February 2027
- Still choosing a city for January: browse hotels worldwide
Frequently asked questions
When is the Australian Open 2027?
Monday 11 to Sunday 31 January 2027 at Melbourne Park. Opening Week, with qualifying and practice, runs 11 to 16 January; the main draw starts on Sunday 17 January; the finals are on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January. Tennis Australia confirmed the dates on 23 March 2026.
Which night is the most expensive for Melbourne hotels during the Australian Open?
The middle Saturday of the main draw, on the 2026 evidence. CoStar's market data shows Melbourne hotels peaked on Saturday 24 January 2026 at 93.2% occupancy and an average rate of $266, above finals weekend. In 2027 the equivalent night is Saturday 23 January. Book that night first, then the finals.
How much is a ground pass for the Australian Open 2027?
From $34 at the early-bird price, available until 12:59pm on 30 November 2026, sold through Ticketmaster Australia. It covers John Cain Arena (subject to availability), all outside courts, the practice courts and the big screens, but not a reserved seat in Rod Laver or Margaret Court Arena. For the first time in 2027, Ground Pass numbers can be capped on high-demand days.
Where is the best area to stay for the Australian Open?
Within a 10-minute walk of Melbourne Park: the east end of the CBD (over Birrarung Marr or the Tanderrum Bridge), East Melbourne near Jolimont station, or Richmond along Olympic Boulevard. Southbank is a Route 70 tram ride from Flinders Street. Walking distance matters most for the night sessions, which can finish late.
What happens at the Australian Open when it is too hot?
The tournament's Heat Stress Scale, which combines temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind, runs from 1 to 5. At 4.0 players get a 10-minute break between sets; at 5.0 no new matches start on outside courts and the roofs close on the three arenas. It reached 5 on Saturday 24 January 2026.
Sources
- Tennis Australia, "AO 2027 dates locked in" (ausopen.com, 23 March 2026) - 11 to 31 January 2027, Opening Week 11 to 16 January, main draw from Sunday 17 January, fourth straight Sunday start, 217,999 in Opening Week 2026
- Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Australian Open 2027 event page - main draw 17 to 31 January, finals weekend 30 and 31 January
- Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Australian Open 2027: your ultimate guide (updated 8 October 2026) - Ground Pass from A$49 early bird until 12:59pm 30 November 2026, Ground Pass inclusions, pass-outs, Opening Week A$10 adults and A$5 kids (free Monday 11 January), reserved seats priced by venue, session and stage, 10-minute walk from the CBD, taxi and rideshare points, Yarra Park parking, shaded seating and Grand Slam Oval shade, roofs on the three arenas
- Tennis Australia, "AO 2027 tickets on sale" (ausopen.com, 21 July 2026) - public sale 12.00pm Thursday 13 August via Ticketmaster, Ground Pass "starting at just $49", price unchanged since 2019, daily Ground Pass allocations capped for the first time
- Tennis Australia, AO 2026 economic impact (ausopen.com, 24 June 2026) - 1,368,043 attendance, 217,999 in Opening Week, record day Thursday 22 January with 103,956, 705,239 bed nights up 59.2%, 62.6% / 18.6% / 10.9% / 7.9% attendee origin split
- Tennis Australia, AO 2026 dates (ausopen.com, 21 October 2025) - 2026 tournament 12 January to 1 February, main draw from 18 January, finals 31 January and 1 February, which places 24 January 2026 as the middle Saturday
- CoStar, "Australian Open drove Melbourne hotel room rates to January record" (12 February 2026), as reproduced by Hospitality Net - January 2026 occupancy 75.1%, ADR A$261.74, RevPAR A$196.65; peak Saturday 24 January at 93.2% and A$380.74; ADR above A$200 every tournament night except 12 to 14 January; previous peak Saturday 18 January 2025
- Tennis Australia, AO Heat Stress Scale (ausopen.com, 27 December 2018) - the four climate factors, five measuring points, the 1 to 5 scale, the 4.0 breaks and the 5.0 suspension and roof rules
- Bureau of Meteorology, climate statistics for Melbourne (Olympic Park), station 086338 - January mean maximum 26.8°C and mean minimum 16.5°C
- Bureau of Meteorology, Greater Melbourne monthly climate summary, January 2026 - January 2026 mean maximum 27.5°C at Olympic Park, 0.7°C above the long-term average, hottest day 42.9°C on 9 January
- Melbourne & Olympic Parks, getting here - Richmond, Jolimont, Flinders Street and Town Hall stations, Route 70 tram stops 7B, 7C and 7D, 10-minute walk from the CBD via Birrarung Marr or Tanderrum Bridge
- Public Transport Victoria, getting to the AO - Richmond 10-minute walk to the Grand Slam Oval entrance, Jolimont 11-minute walk to the Garden Square entrance, free Route 70 and 70a travel for ticket holders between Stop D6 Flinders Street West and Stop 7C, myki rules, trams one hour after play (2026 arrangements)
- Melbourne Cricket Ground, getting to the MCG - the train lines serving Richmond and Jolimont stations
- Public Transport Victoria, visiting Melbourne and Victoria - Free Tram Zone covers the CBD grid between Spring, Flinders and La Trobe Streets plus Docklands and Queen Victoria Market; no myki needed only inside the zone
- SkyBus, Melbourne City Express fares - adult A$25.90 one way and A$43.40 return, child (4 to 16) A$6.60 one way
- Fed Square, Summer of Tennis Live Site 2026 - free, 10 January to 1 February 2026, daily 9am to late, Channel 9 coverage, AO Shop
- AO Reserve, AO27 premium experience (ausopen.com) - premium seating, hospitality and court-side access, enquiry only
- Ticketmaster Australia, Australian Open - the official seller; no sessions or prices visible under default filters on 19 October 2026
All figures verified 19 October 2026. US dollar prices are converted from Australian dollars at the European Central Bank reference rates of 19 October 2026 (EUR/USD 1.1225, EUR/AUD 1.6068; 1 AUD = 0.699 USD) and rounded to the nearest dollar. Hotel figures describe the January 2026 market and are CoStar's preliminary data.
Related articles
- Super Bowl LXI 2027: Where to Stay in Los Angeles
- The January Booking Peak: Should You Join It?
- 6 Hotel Fees That Weren't in the Price You Clicked
Going to the tennis in January? Plan the trip free, then compare live Melbourne hotel prices - Navoy: your AI Travel Agent
About the Author
Ranym Garali
Ranym is the Marketing and Content Lead at Navoy. She's been writing about travel for two years and digs into the data behind each piece, flight prices, visa rules and what people are actually searching for , so the advice holds up in practice.
