Manly Paradise Beachfront Motel & Apartments

The local take

Manly Paradise is exactly what the name promises and nothing it doesn't: a no-frills motel-and-apartments block right on North Steyne, with a small rooftop pool and the beach directly across the road. Rooms are simple and a little dated, and the ratings sit just under the pack — but you're paying for the postcode, not the fit-out.

For travellers who want an ocean-view room at the budget end, a self-contained apartment for a family, and a location you literally cannot beat for the price, it does the job. Ask for a beachfront room; the interior ones miss the whole point.