Sydney Hotel Guide
Visitors seeking a central location and Harbour views have never been short of hotels to choose from in Sydney. Many come in modern towers, so guests get to enjoy fabulous views over the harbour and its famous landmarks, while others are more low-rise and intimate. We’ve picked out a selection in a variety of locations, so whether you want to stay right by the harbour, in the middle of the downtown action or tucked peacefully away in a beach suburb, you’ll find something here to suit your travels.
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Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
The Four Seasons is right by Circular Quay, which means many key attractions (including the Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden and The Rocks) are within easy walking distance and you’re just steps away from the ferries that chug around the harbour. That said, it’s also very tempting to stay put. Bright, light and blissfully serene, all the guestrooms come with desirable little luxuries like plush bathrobes, Nespresso machines and Bose speakers. If you’ve sensibly booked a room with a full harbour view, you can soak it all up in comfort from the cushion-piled window seats. If you like a swim, you can take a dip in one of the city’s largest heated outdoor pools; if you love a good spa session, check out Endota Spa, which offers a range of all-Australian treatments plus private saunas and steam rooms. Mode Kitchen & Bar serves up great contemporary Aussie food, with signature dishes including a Frozen Pavlova served in a cloud of dry ice, while Grain is famed for its huge choice of whiskies but also does a mean cocktail.
199 George Street, 2000
The Langham, Sydney
The first Langham hotel was in London and this Sydney outpost makes the occasional nod to the brand’s British origins: the restaurant serves a classic afternoon tea each day and there’s a traditional black cab that can be hired for airport transfers and picnic trips. Not that this particular cab is actually black any more – it’s been resprayed in a pale pastel pink, the signature Langham colour, which also pops up in the lobby flower displays, Observatory Bar’s Pink Rose cocktail and the plush pink beds and leads supplied for visiting pets.
The underground spa features a pool with a starry night sky on the ceiling and the hotel has its own championship-size tennis court just across the road. The setting is central but peaceful, on a quiet street in The Rocks, and though the building is modern, it’s also low rise and intimate, with just under a hundred rooms hidden behind the Georgian-style exterior. Interiors are classically luxurious, with bespoke furnishings and plush upholstery, and there are no weak links when it comes to the bedrooms: even the smallest entry level rooms are large, light and lovely, with huge, super-comfy beds and lavish marble bathrooms.
89-113 Kent Street, 2000
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Park Hyatt, Sydney
Sydney locations don’t come much more spectacular than this - the Park Hyatt enjoys a prime piece of real estate in the historic Rocks area, right beside the Harbour Bridge, looking out across the water. It’s also within walking distance of the central business, shopping and entertainment districts and the ferry hub of Circular Quay. Whichever room you stay in, it will certainly fit the five-star brief, with plush fabrics, Bose music systems and a tastefully neutral colour palette of cream, beige and chocolate. Still, if ever there were a time and a place to upgrade to a higher category room this is it, so each morning you can flick the bedside switch that controls the blinds and be treated to a knock-out view of the Opera House without even having to leave your bed. The hotel makes a point of showcasing Australia’s finest: there are artworks by Aussie artists on the walls; you’ll find native ingredients such as Davidson plum and Queensland crab on the menu; and treatments in the spa (which includes a gym, steam rooms and rooftop pool) often incorporate indigenous plants such as lemon myrtle, white flannel flower and eucalypt.
7 Hickson Road, 2000
Shangri-La Sydney
When you’re staying at the Shangri-La, it pays to go high. This modern high-rise in The Rocks is famed for its views and the further up you go, the better they get, culminating in the spectacular outlook from the 36th-floor bar and restaurant. Whether you’re tucking into superb Australian cuisine in Altitude or unwinding over cocktails or high tea in Blu Bar, you’ll spend much of your time just gawping through the window, admiring the natural beauty of the harbour and the man-made wonders of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. For a different outlook, head to the Lobby Lounge, where you can enjoy light dishes and drinks amid the greenery of a landscaped terrace, complete with koi pond. There’s also the option of retreating to Chi, The Spa, where Asian healing techniques meet Australian botanical ingredients and facilities include an indoor pool, gym and sundeck. Guest rooms are modern-classic in style, with dark wood furniture, a cherry blossom motif across the carpets and bedheads, and large windows with built-in leather benches.
176 Cumberland Street, 2000
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Crown Towers Sydney
Opened at the end of 2020, Crown Towers is housed within Sydney’s tallest building, a whopping new skyscraper with a twisting façade made up of 8,000 gleaming glass panels. Step into the vast, high-ceilinged lobby and you’re greeted by acres of marble, reception desks that look like giant silver nuggets and a chandelier/staircase that spirals up several floors. Outside, the handsome infinity pool has views over Darling Harbour and there’s a boldly-painted open-air tennis court. Back indoors, you’ll find a well-equipped gym and a spa offering La Prairie treatments. For upscale dining, discover Sydney’s first Nobu restaurant and Oncore, the first international restaurant from Clare Smyth. Given the irregular nature of the building, each room is slightly different in shape and size but all share a harbour-influenced colour palette of blues and greys, with curvy furniture shapes that echo the curvy façade. Up-to-the-minute technology includes in-room tablets with room controls, huge LED TVs with on-demand streaming and futuristic loos in the bathrooms, where you’ll also find toiletries from organic Aussie brand Grown Alchemist
1 Barangaroo Avenue, 2000
Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
You’d expect a French-owned hotel to have a strong foodie focus and sure enough, this city-centre Sofitel scores highly on the gastro front. The main restaurant is a French-inspired grill that showcases the finest Australian produce, while up in the Champagne Bar, you can order in oysters and charcuterie to accompany a bottle of fizz and fabulous harbour views. There’s also a lobby bar, for all-day light meals, and a pool bar, for poolside cocktails and gourmet bites. The wellness facilities are impressive, too, with a rooftop infinity pool, a spa and fitness centre, plus the option of having weights, yoga mats and even a Peloton bike provided in your room. Which, by the way, will be a chic, tasteful affair, with clean-lined contemporary style and floor-to-ceiling windows that let the sun stream in. Take things up a level and book a corner room or suite, where the glass wall wraps round two sides, delivering knock-out views from the freestanding bath tub. The hotel gets a big tick on the location front, too: right on the Darling Harbour waterfront, it’s surrounded by restaurants, bars and entertaining possibilities, including Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and the Australian National Maritime Museum.
12 Darling Drive, 2000
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Hilton Sydney
From the conveniently central Hilton Sydney, key attractions such as Darling Harbour and the Royal Botanic Garden are within a 20-minute walk, and the shops of the beautiful Queen Victoria Building are just across the road. Before you go exploring, though, the hotel has a few star attractions of its own to check out, and plenty of opportunities for Gold and Platinum Cardmembers to use the USD$100 Experience Credit they receive on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities when booking stays of two nights or more through The Hotel Collection. For starters there’s an impressive health and beauty offering, from a gym and pool to a day spa and hair salon. Plus, excellent food and drink options: you’ll find two striking bars and an award-winning restaurant from Aussie celeb chef Luke Mangan, where the wine list runs to more than a thousand selections from around the world. Don’t forget to check out the hotel’s specially commissioned artworks, like Bronwyn Oliver’s ‘Vine’, a vast aluminium sculpture that stretches the full height of the lobby atrium.
488 George Street, 2000
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
From the rooftop pool and bar at this Double Bay hideaway, there’s a glorious view of yachts bobbing at anchor and ferries carving a trail through the glittering harbour waters. You could easily fancy yourself on some holiday island rather than in the centre of a big city, yet downtown is just a couple of miles away. The glamorous rooms come with chaises longues, marble bathrooms and, in most cases, balconies with table and chairs; they also have plenty of room for family-friendly rollaway beds and cots. On the food front, the modern Australian dishes provide a tempting way for Gold and Platinum Cardmembers to spend the USD$100 hotel credit (valid for qualifying dining, spa, and resort activities) they receive when booking two nights or more. Also on the menu are afternoon tea and classic cocktails with a contemporary twist. When it’s time for sightseeing, you’ll find boutiques, galleries and cafes right on the doorstep and it’s just a short walk from here to the soft sands and harbour pool of Seven Shillings Beach or to Double Bay Wharf, where you can hop on a ferry for a scenic ride to Circular Quay.
33 Cross Street, Double Bay, 2028
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Membership Rewards® Programme
Cardmembers enrolled in the American Express Membership Rewards® programme will earn one additional bonus Membership Rewards point in addition to their standard earn rate (for a total of 2 points) for every full £1 spent on flights, prepaid hotels, car hire and experiences booked through the American Express Travel website americanexpress.com/en-gb//travel. Specific Card products or limited time promotions may offer additional Membership Rewards points, please see individual Card or promotion Terms and Conditions for more information. Additional Membership Rewards points cannot be earned on products which are not prepaid but are paid directly to the supplier, including cruise bookings and select hotel bookings. These bookings will not earn two Membership Rewards points for every £1 spent but will be earned at the normal rate of one point for every £1 spent. Full Terms and Conditions apply, please visit americanexpress.co.uk/termsandconditions.
To use Pay with Points, you must book your eligible purchase through American Express Travel and charge to a Membership Rewards programme-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases through American Express Travel exclude non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding amount will be issued to the American Express® Card Account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. When paying with a combination of your American Express Card and Membership Rewards points, only the value applied to the Card is eligible to earn Membership Rewards points.
Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions apply when booking on americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/. Please visit visit americanexpress.com/en-gb/rewards/membership-rewards/terms/ for the Membership Rewards programme information and terms and conditions or call +44 0800 917 8053 to request a copy. For more information on Pay With Points visit americanexpress.com/uk/travel/how-to-pay-with-points. To earn or exchange Membership Rewards points, Cards must be registered to the American Express Membership Rewards programme and be active and current in their payments. Please allow up to ten weeks for Membership Rewards points to be credited to your Account. Bookings are subject to the full American Express Travel Terms and Conditions. To view these, please visit americanexpress.co.uk/termsandconditions.
Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, Business Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, the Dedicated Centurion® Team or American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/) with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Platinum Cardmembers or Centurion® Members and excludes Platinum Credit Companion Cards. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 Credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the credit. To receive the credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. To receive the breakfast credit, the breakfast bill must be charged to your hotel room. The breakfast credit will be applied at check-out. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amont will be applied at check-out.
Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay).Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and
amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/), Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, Business Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge or the Dedicated Centurion® Team, with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Preferred Rewards Gold Cardmembers, Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Cardmembers, Platinum Cardmembers or Centurion® Members and excludes Platinum Credit Companion Cardmembers. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Noon check-in, late check-out and the room upgrade are subject to availability; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to US$100. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The US$100 credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in US Dollars or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
International Airline Program (IAP)
1. Current International Airline Program Partners: Air Europa, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airlines, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
2. American Express reserves the rights to change these conditions from time to time with 21 days prior notice and/or to discontinue the whole program.
3. Airlines reserve the right to change, cancel or restrict flight operations without notice. IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares may be limited by airlines to certain flights and/or dates (“blackouts”). IAP is subject to the terms and conditions of each participating carrier. American Express does not guarantee that seats or tickets will be available. Cabins of service and discounts vary by airline and route. Discounts are applicable to adult fares however some airlines extend savings to child fares.
4. To qualify for the IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares:
a) Your journey must start and end at the same port as designated by the participating airline and be completed within the period during which your selected carrier participates in the program. You will be advised of any applicable dates at the time of booking;
b) IAP tickets must be purchased through the Platinum Travel Service and must be charged to a valid American Express Platinum Card which is in good standing;
c) The Platinum Cardmember who purchases the ticket(s) must be one of the travellers;
d) IAP tickets are non-transferable and non endorsable.
5. Any travel on non-participating airlines must be ticketed and paid for separately and is not part of the IAP. Certain code share or flights on the worldwide partners of the participating airlines may not apply.
6. Certain IAP airlines or non-participating airlines impose restrictions such as ticketing time limit on advance booking to indicate a timeline for ticketing upon making your reservations. For each individual airline Terms & Conditions, please check with the Platinum Travel Service for details.
7. IAP upgrade offers or specially negotiated fares may not be combined with any other promotion, discount, negotiated or corporate rate.
8. American Express acts only as an agent for travel service providers and does not own or operate any airline or means of transportation. American Express is not liable for service deficiencies on the part of airlines or other service providers, including but not limited to: accidents and injuries; delays; changes in routes or itineraries; loss, theft or damages to possessions. American Express strongly advises travellers to insure themselves against travel risks. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have valid documentation and for complying with the health, customs, currency and other laws of any country they enter or attempt to enter.
9. IAP is available to Platinum Cardmembers from a variety of participating airlines each with specifically designated ports of departure and arrival. Please refer to the Platinum Travel Service for details of participating airlines, applicable routing and timetables and fares in force at any particular time.
10. Other International Airline Program Terms & Conditions may apply.
For full Terms and Conditions for Global Lounge Collection®, please visit our Global Lounge page.
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