Best hotels in Sydney

Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney

The Shangri-La Sydney is a landmark in its own right, famously known for offering some of the most unobstructed, panoramic views of the city’s skyline. Located in the historic Rocks district, the hotel opened in 1992 as the ANA Hotel before being rebranded. Its design, by Guida Moseley Brown Architects, was a complex feat of engineering; the tower actually sits above a rail tunnel and incorporates several heritage-listed structures, blending modern luxury with the area's deep convict-era history.

“Towering above Walsh Bay from its prime position alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this sleek hotel is the place for a room with a bird’s-eye view. North-facing rooms overlooking the water are the best.”

Featured as Fodor’s Choice in Sydney.

The Langham, Sydney

The Langham, Sydney, is an elegant sanctuary tucked away in the historic Rocks district. Housed behind a stately Georgian-style façade, this boutique hotel offers a peaceful retreat that feels more like a private, opulent residence than a busy city hotel. It is well-regarded for its refined, old-school hospitality, including the brand’s signature afternoon tea service which remains a guest favorite.

“I love the opulence of this hotel, and love staying here. This exclusive colonial-style property, a 10-minute walk uphill from The Rocks and 15 minutes from Circular Quay, is a turn-of-the-20th-century beauty competing for top-hotel-in-Sydney honors.”

Featured as Frommer’s Exceptional Choice in Sydney.

Park Hyatt, Sydney

Park Hyatt Sydney is a stunning harbourside residence nestled right on the edge of the world-famous Sydney Harbour. Before becoming a beacon of five-star luxury, the site originally served as a water police station. Today, it has been reimagined by BAR Studio as an intimate, residential-style retreat that frames the spectacular surrounding vistas.

“Park Hyatt unveils the postcard-perfect, uninterrupted Sydney vista, where it feels the Opera House is singing just for you.”

Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Sydney.

The Old Clare Hotel, Sydney

The Old Clare Hotel is a masterclass in adaptive reuse, creatively stitching together two heritage-listed buildings: a 1939 Art Deco pub and the Victorian-era Carlton United Breweries administration building. Renowned architecture firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer led the four-year transformation, choosing to celebrate the site's industrial past by keeping exposed brick walls, timber paneling, and original features alongside ultra-modern design elements.

“The recently refurbished Old Clare Hotel is a stylish, 62-room boutique hotel with a sleek rooftop pool and bar located in the heart of Chippendale, a hip neighborhood with an emerging arts and dining scene.”

Shortlisted in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Sydney, Australia.

Establishment Hotel, Sydney

The Establishment Hotel is a sophisticated boutique retreat tucked away on Bridge Lane in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Housed within a beautifully restored 19th-century warehouse, the property masterfully blends industrial heritage with modern minimalism. The building was partially destroyed by a fire in 1996, but it was revived through an award-winning design by Crone Architects, which preserved original features like cast-iron columns and exposed brickwork while adding a stunning glass-enclosed atrium.

“With its loft-like designed spaces and dimly lit hallways that smell of incense, this place feels like your chic pied-à-terre in Sydney.”

Ace Hotel, Sydney

Ace Hotel Sydney is a stylish landmark located in the historic Tyne building on Wentworth Avenue in Surry Hills. This building has led many lives since it was built in 1916, serving as a pottery kiln, a garment factory, and a pharmacy warehouse before being transformed into the first Ace Hotel in the Southern Hemisphere. Architects Bates Smart preserved the original 10-storey structure while adding an additional eight floors, creating a striking blend of industrial heritage and modern design.

“The Ace, 18 stories high with 257 rooms, is located in a magnificent early-20th-century building that vibrates with top-to-toe creative energy. Revived by Australia’s most in-demand interior architects, Flack Studio, the former brick factory has kept its old bones – high ceilings and exposed brick and concrete walls – offset with one-of-a-kind furniture, art, and bric-a-brac by the country’s best designers, artists, and makers.”

Spicers Potts Point, Sydney

Spicers Potts Point is a sophisticated boutique retreat nestled in a trio of impeccably restored Victorian terrace houses dating back to 1880. Located in one of Sydney’s most charming neighborhoods, the hotel masterfully blends its 19th-century heritage features—such as marble fireplaces, high ceilings, and intricate cornices—with a sleek, modern aesthetic. The property offers an intimate experience with just 20 rooms, each featuring contemporary designer furnishings and eye-catching underwater oil paintings by local artist Martine Emdur.

“This expert conversion of three Victorian-era terraces adds a touch of class to leafy Victoria Street. The charming front rooms have original features and, in some cases, a balcony; the more modern back rooms are brighter and have lift access.”

Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

The Four Seasons Hotel Sydney stands as an iconic landmark at the edge of Circular Quay, perfectly positioned between the historic Rocks district and the bustling Central Business District. Originally built in 1982 and rebranded as a Four Seasons in 2002, this 34-story property remains a cornerstone of Sydney’s luxury hospitality scene, offering some of the most sought-after views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

“The Four Seasons Sydney has a great location in The Rocks, a vast lobby, rooms with vistas and the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in the city. And unbeatable beds and bedding.”

Hotel QT, Sydney

QT Sydney is one of the city's most distinctive stays, housed within the stunning, heritage-listed Gowings and State Theatre buildings. Built in the 1920s, these Gothic and Art Deco structures were once famous department stores. The hotel perfectly blends this rich, century-old history with a theatrical, high-fashion aesthetic that feels completely unique.

“Fun, sexy and relaxed, this ultra-theatrical, effortlessly cool hotel is located in the historic State Theatre. Art-deco eccentricity is complemented by quirky extras in the rooms, which are distinct and decorated with real style and flair – there’s a definite wow factor.”

Hotel Woolstore 1888, Sydney

Hotel Woolstore 1888 Sydney, part of the Handwritten Collection, is a stunning transformation of the city’s oldest surviving wool store. Built in 1888 in the historic Pyrmont district, the building was originally designed by architects Morell and Kemp. It has been meticulously restored to highlight its industrial past, featuring rare ironbark timber beams, exposed brick walls, and even a wooden track embedded in the floor that traces the original path where wool carts once rolled.

“In a heritage-listed wool store, this stylish gem combines industrial minimalism with the warmth of ironbark-wood beams, luxury appointments and engaged staff. Rooms range from the aptly named Shoebox to airy lofts and attic suites with harbour views.”

Q Station Manly, Sydney

Q Station in Manly offers one of the most unique hotel experiences in Australia. Nestled within the Sydney Harbour National Park on North Head, this site served as the city’s Quarantine Station for 150 years, starting in 1832. Today, it has been thoughtfully transformed into a boutique heritage retreat where guests stay in the original, beautifully restored quarters that once housed arriving immigrants.

“History buffs and those in search of views and solitude will appreciate Q Station’s smartly refurbished rooms and historic cottages located inside a nook of the Sydney Harbour National Park in Manly. The grounds are dotted with historic buildings where guests can pass the time as quarantined migrants once did, playing billiards, table tennis or savoring the views of Sydney Harbour over cups of tea.”

Shortlisted in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Sydney, Australia.

Bondi Beach House, Sydney

The Bondi Beach House is a true local institution that has been part of the Bondi scene since the 1950s. Nestled behind palm and frangipani trees in south Bondi, this boutique bed and breakfast offers an intimate, homely escape just a two-minute stroll from the iconic beach. It has long been a favorite retreat for everyone from artists and writers to travelers seeking a more authentic, personal experience than a standard hotel.

“Accommodation in Sydney doesn’t come cheap, but one affordable secret is tucked among the palms and frangipani trees of south Bondi Beach. A former school, the Bondi Beach House has nine sunny rooms and suites, each decorated with tasteful antiques and Australian works of art.”

Harbour Marriott Hotel, Sydney

The Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay is a prominent fixture in Sydney’s central business district, housed in a striking 32-story building that has been a part of the city skyline since 1989. Its prime location near the harbour makes it a favorite for travelers wanting to be right in the middle of the action, sitting just a short stroll from the water's edge.

“It’s among the best of Sydney hotels. Owners spent millions renovating the rooms in 2011, giving them a more modern feel . Staff are helpful and genuinely eager to debrief you on your day or assist you in planning your itinerary for the next one.”

Lamont by Lancemore, Sydney

The Larmont Sydney by Lancemore is a stylish boutique hotel located in the heart of Potts Point, a vibrant neighborhood known for its eclectic charm and historic architecture. Perched at a crossroads between Darlinghurst, Kings Cross, and Potts Point, the hotel offers a sophisticated, home-away-from-home feel. It serves as a creative urban oasis, designed to reflect the energy of its surroundings while providing a peaceful sanctuary for travelers.

“For anyone wanting to be in the thick of Sydney’s bar, restaurant and nightlife quarter, hotels don’t come much better situated than Hotel Lamont.”