SA tourism minister to repay hotel money

South Australian Tourism Minister Leon Bignell will repay almost $200 for a taxpayer-funded hotel stay in Adelaide.

Mr Bignell spent $185.70 for a night at InterContinental Adelaide during a series of engagements in November instead of returning to his southern suburbs home, freedom of information documents obtained by the opposition say.

"Rather than have a story that detracts from the good work we are doing in my portfolio areas, I'll pay the money back," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

Opposition treasury spokesman Rob Lucas said Mr Bignell had a history of spending taxpayer money irresponsibly.

"The issue with Leon Bignell has not been just this ... this was something which he'd done before and he'd been criticised for and he believed it was appropriate," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.