# Coogee or Maroubra? Where to stay, side by side

URL: https://sydneybeachside.com.au/compare/coogee-vs-maroubra/ · Facts checked: 2026-10-09

Stay in Coogee if you want a choice of hostels and hotels by the sand. Stay in Maroubra if you want a bigger, quieter surf beach and have the Southend Hotel or a holiday rental booked: it’s the only accommodation business we found within walking distance.

| | [Coogee Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/coogee/) | [Maroubra Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/maroubra/) |
|---|---|---|
| From the city | 8 km · bus | 10 km · bus |
| Lifeguards | All year | All year |
| Places to stay on our page | 19 (hotels, apartments, hostels, guesthouse) | 1 (hotel) |
| Within 5 min walk of the sand | 9 | 0 |
| Closest bed | 1 min walk | 8 min walk |
| Hostels | 3 | None |
| Cheapest rate seen | Under $100 | $100–200 |
| Known for | Ocean baths, the pub, the coastal walk | Big surf, a locals’ beach |

Walk = walking time (not driving) along the OpenStreetMap walking route, door to sand, at 4.8 km/h. Prices = one nightly rate on Google Maps on the day checked. Nobody paid to be listed.

## Choose Coogee if

- You want choice: hostels, hotels and apartments, many one to five minutes from the sand.
- You want a sheltered bay and rock pools rather than big surf.
- You want to be a little closer to the city: about 8 km, against Maroubra’s 10.

## Choose Maroubra if

- You surf: Maroubra became a National Surfing Reserve in 2006, the second in Australia.
- You want a locals’ beach: a kilometre of sand in a residential suburb, quieter than Coogee.
- You’re happy with one option: the Southend Hotel, a pub with rooms an 8-minute walk from the sand, about $100 a night when we checked.

## Getting between them

Maroubra is the next big beach south of Coogee. The coastal walkway runs between them, past Lurline Bay.

## FAQ

### Is it better to stay in Coogee or Maroubra?

Coogee if you want a choice of hostels and hotels by the sand; Maroubra if you want a bigger, quieter surf beach and have the Southend Hotel or a holiday rental booked.

### Are there hotels at Maroubra Beach?

Very few. When we checked, the Southend Hotel, an 8-minute walk from the sand, was the only accommodation business within walking distance.

### Are Coogee and Maroubra patrolled all year?

Yes. Randwick Council lifeguards patrol both all year round.

Every place to stay, with its walk to the sand: [Coogee Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/coogee/) · [Maroubra Beach](https://sydneybeachside.com.au/beaches/maroubra/)