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From grand hotels with white-glove service to tucked-away bed-and-breakfasts, there's lodging to fit all styles and budgets in Sydney. The best addresses in town are undoubtedly in The Rocks, where the tranquil setting and harbor views are right near major cultural attractions, restaurants, shops, and galleries. The area around Kings Cross is another hotel district, with a good collection of boutique and backpacker lodgings. Keep in mind, however, that this is also the city's major nightlife district, and the scene can get pretty raucous after sunset.
Right on the beachfront of beautiful Manly, this boutique hotel is a mixture of studios and one- and two-bedroom suites, all with private balconies; the more-spacious accommodations have hot tubs, kitchenettes, and high-tech goodies. The on-site restaurant, Manly Wine, is one of the hippest places in the area to dine.
When it comes to views, it doesn’t get much better than the Sofitel Darling Harbour, especially from the top floor, where the floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping vistas of the beaches in the Eastern Suburbs. The infinity pool offers incredible views of Darling Harbour and Pyrmont Bridge. The rooms have freestanding bathtubs, high-tech and high-end finishes, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The Champagne Bar is a lively spot.
Situated in a perfect little pocket of Sydney between Darling Harbour, Barangaroo Reserve, and the city center, in a jewel-like building of glass panels that capture and reflect light, West Hotel offers modern, elegant rooms with luxurious finishes in marble, brass, velvets, and gem tones, and a central atrium filled with greenery.
