14 luxury Sydney hotels for an unforgettable five-star city stay in 2026

Best Sydney hotel for staycation glamour

Contemporary and urban charm greets you from the ivy-clad, bold façade of The Eve Hotel Sydney, a five-star property and winner of Gourmet Traveller’s 2025 Hotel and Travel Awards for Best New Hotel. The striking bricks, rust-coloured curves and greenery outside is complemented by interior design by George Livissianis and artwork curated by David Stein for an extra layer of sophisticated quirk. From the private balconies and terraces to the shaded cabanas by the rooftop pool and world-class dining options, luxury at this hotel extends from the sanctuary of your room to the chic Wunderlich Lane precinct outside.

The Eve feels like something of a reset for what a Sydney hotel can be. 

Michael Harden, GT State Editor and writer

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Address: 8 Baptist St, Redfern NSW 2016

Best Sydney hotel for city sizzle close to Circular Quay

Formerly the 1915 Department of Education building, Capella Sydney’s meticulous restoration has revived the sandstone façade and Edwardian Baroque charm to create a timeless fusion of history and luxury in the booming uptown precinct just a stone’s throw from Circular Quay. Art and storytelling are weaved into the fabric of this Sydney hotel, from the a blooming Studio Drift Meadow installation at foyer bar Aperture to the moodier, Victorian-era drinking den aesthetic of McRae Bar, and The Living Room – a signature space where pre-dinner drinks are served as part of the experience for hotel guests.

Capella Sydney’s generously sized rooms and suites, averaging 46 square metres and 88 square metres respectfully, are beautifully appointed in classic city chic with a decked-out minibar (complimentary for everything but alcohol). Though, the beauty is coming back to the room after the evening turn-down service to perfectly folded everything, slippers laid out and a calming pulse point oil by the bed. Add a visit to Auriga Spa, or a dip in the sunlit 20-metre indoor pool for world-class relaxation.

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Address: 24 Loftus St, Sydney NSW 2000

Best hotel in Sydney for wining and dining, eastern suburbs-style

After its landmark restoration, The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter is entering Paddington’s boutique hotel scene, with 14 luxuriously appointed rooms from restaurateurs Josh and Julie Niland. Designed by Studio Aquilo’s Belinda Chippindale and Dimity Chitty, the hotel’s heritage interiors have been given a maximalist upgrade across the individually designed guest rooms. Each has been designed to reflect the Australian landscape through intentional finishes such as ornate wallpapers, textured linens, vintage tiling and, in some rooms, marble fireplaces and marble bathrooms.

Candles thoughtfully made with fish-fat set a relaxed mood, while ceramics made from fish bones bring Niland’s whole-fish mission to a new audience. And if fine dining is the mission for your stay, Niland’s Saint Peter restaurant has taken up residence downstairs, complete with a private dining room, chef’s table and bar. For breakfast, brunch will be served in the Saint Peter bar — think marron scrambled eggs or a spanner crab omelette, which will bring Niland’s renowned seafood focus to the AM.

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Address: 161 Underwood St, Paddington NSW 2021

Best pick of pet-friendly hotels in Sydney

This grand waterfront hotel in Sydney’s The Rocks precinct feels like a throwback to more decadent times, in all the best ways. From the moment the uniformed porter opens the door, to a waft of ginger flower (The Langham’s signature scent) guests are cloistered into an alternate, white-gloved reality of high tea, view-gazing, and sessions in the indoor pool and Chuan Spa.

Book into a decadent one-bedroom suite with all the five-star trimmings, including an oversized bed dressed in fine linens and a terrace balcony over Sydney Harbour. The Langham Sydney is a hotel to retreat to, wrapped in hotel robes and slippers, ordering a procession of room service treats. And still, those who make their way to the public spaces will be rewarded. Breakfast at Kitchens On Kent, for example, is luxuriously paced with newspapers and a next-level buffet. At dinner, the buffet transforms into piles of fresh seafood (including lobster to order) and a chocolate fountain for dessert. The hotel fantasy continues at Observatory Bar where you can order a Pink Rose cocktail of ginger, rose and gin served with a performative plume of smoke. Pampered pets are welcome, too.

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Address: 89-113 Kent St, Millers Point NSW 2000

Best Sydney hotel for dining and local vibrance

On the city fringe in Surry Hills, Ace Hotel Sydney draws in a creative crowd who prioritise the joy of being “amongst it”. Rooms run small but offer a retro-chic experience with considered design features, bespoke robes and textural walls. Ace Hotel’s 2022 arrival in Sydney marked a return to the source of anti-corporate hotel culture. And if some of the signature quirks feel familiar – sheet music for stationery and record players in the room – it might be because Ace Hotel has influenced hoteliers ever since its Los Angeles debut in 1999.

With 257 guest rooms (including suites), Ace Hotel Sydney is the brand’s first hotel to land in Australia, and it has brought with it a stellar line-up of zeitgeist-y collaborators. Flack Studio did the design in a symphony of photogenic moments. The Lobby Bar’s wine list is curated by Mike Bennie of P&V Merchants and on the rooftop is Mitch Orr’s restaurant and bar, Kiln. If you’re looking for local chic, this is one of the best hotels in Sydney.

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Address: 47-53 Wentworth Ave, Sydney NSW 2000

Best waterfront hotel in Sydney for heightened dazzle

You can’t miss Crown Sydney. Glistening on the west side of the city like an elongated disco ball, Crown Towers — aka One Barangaroo — stands as a Sydney landmark. In 2021, the hotel opened as a restaurant hub with gleaming accommodations for international high-rollers and locals with an appetite for big-city luxury. Of the 349 guest spaces, there are 327 rooms, 20 villas and two super-prime villas. Each room has a view, a bath, and polished interiors from design firm Meyer Davis.

The showstopper is the terraced infinity pool that seems to stream into the harbour. On the food front, Nobu delivers big-name cache; 12-seater Yoshii’s Omakase is the hardest reservation to get; and Oncore by Clare Smyth, the first woman to helm a three-Michelin-star restaurant in the UK, is another reason to stay at Crown Sydney hotel.

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Address: 1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000

Sydney’s best hotel base for both business and leisure

A prime location in Sydney’s bustling business district, this Georgian-style heritage hotel delivers a truly high-rolling experience. 

Tucked in the heart of the Uptown precinct, between Bridge Street and Circular Quay, the Intercontinental Sydney features 28 luxury suites and 509 rooms, with views of either the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, or the city skyline. Expect nothing short of world-class service, from the 24-hour concierge to the indulgent daily turndown.

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Address: 16 Phillip St, Sydney NSW 2000

Best Sydney hotel for a Mediterranean-style beachside escape

For the discerning traveller craving some poolside serenity, the Manly Pacific Hotel draws on its seaside location and dreamy interiors for a high-end beachside pied-à-terre. From its beautifully appointed rooms and suites to its refined Italian eatery courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Alessandro Pavoni, high-end beachside, every detail invites you to unwind in style.

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Address: 55 N Steyne, Manly NSW 2095

Best Sydney CBD hotel for bohemian dreaming in the city centre

Theatrics are plentiful at QT Sydney, the whirlwind of a hotel that brings nostalgia and art direction into the heart of the CBD. Housed in the old art deco Gowings Building section of Sydney’s State Theatre, QT Sydney proudly wears its heritage with ticket booths, sewing mannequins and theatre lights all setting the scene. It’s certainly one of the more eccentric hotels in Sydney.

Front-of-house staff are not managers but rather “directors of chaos” dressed in costumes by Australian fashion house Romance Was Born and primed in the art of playing the part. Music pumps through the elevator, with song choice dependent on how many people are in it at the time. The rooms are just as quirky and cool. All 198 of them are scented with Chanel Number 5 and strewn with irreverent touches.

Tip: QT also has a hotel in Bondi Beach QT Bondi, for those who’d prefer a beachside stay.

Address: 49 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000

Best Sydney hotel for old-world five-star luxury

Overlooking the iconic Hyde Park sits the five-star Sheraton Grand, nestled in the heart of the CBD. The hotel lives up to its distinguished name, from the old-world grandeur of its interior adornments to the 558 beautifully designed rooms and suites, with an emphasis on compact luxury. With its expansive in-house restaurant, professional service, and top-notch location, this refined experience will be the highlight of your trip.

Address: 161 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000

Best Sydney hotel for living large in Darling Harbour

Location: Darling Harbour

Maximalism is the vibe for 2025, and the recent hotel opening of W Sydney has it nailed. The largest of the W Hotel family – with 588 rooms, suites and an IMAX – stands in Darling Harbour as a glimmering wave-like landmark set against the bright lights of a CBD highway, which reads like big-city energy under W’s neon filter. W Sydney’s rooftop pool and its Wet Deck bar are highlights as is the Away Spa, where you can regroup in the sauna and steam room. Or, indulge your sweet tooth at Singaporean pastry master Janice Wong’s first Australian venture, 2am Dessertbar.

Address: 31 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW 2000

Best hotel in Sydney with an enviable central location

The southern end of the city was lacking lustre until Kimpton Margot opened its gilt doors in 2022. Since then, it has recast the “student” end of Sydney’s CBD as it truly is a playground of theatre, galleries and shopping. Plus, it’s an easy walk to neighbourhood hubs such as Surry Hills and Darlinghurst.

On arrival, it takes a moment to adjust to the dimly lit velvety glitz of the art deco-themed Kimpton Margot lobby. This is Australia’s first Kimpton Hotel (IHG’s swankiest family member). In the US, the San Francisco-born brand is shorthand for boutique chic. Here, that promise is delivered across all nine levels and 172 rooms as well as the rooftop pool and bar. The interiors weave together the 1930s glamour of the historic Sydney Water Board headquarters and contemporary luxuries such as Mr Smith grooming products.

Address: 339 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000

Best hotel for tourists wanting a quintessentially Sydney experience

On a Federation-era wharf, suspended over the harbour, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the left, and Walsh Bay to the right, it doesn’t get more Sydney than this. To stay at Pier One is to feel like you’ve got the best of the city, especially during events such as Vivid Sydney and New Year’s Eve, when guests here get up close and personal view of the bridge and Sydney Opera House. This is one of the top hotels in Sydney if you’re chasing the quintessential Sydney experience.

Each of the 189 rooms at Pier One brings a contemporary edge to the maritime structure, boasting heritage windows, king beds and Who Is Elijah amenities. Right on the water’s edge, Pier Bar might have one of Sydney’s best sunset views while the newly opened restaurant Pier Dining, which opened in May 2024, has taken over from The Gantry with a seafood-driven menu.

Address: 11 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000

Best hotel in Sydney with a landmark location and iconic views

If you’re in Sydney for sightseeing, you can mark off many of the most significant entries on your must-see list from your balcony at Park Hyatt — the Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden, Museum of Contemporary Art and ferries darting across the harbour are all accounted for.

Park Hyatt’s hospitality holds up to the monumental location — think attentive service, slick interiors, a rooftop pool and world-class dining courtesy of The Dining Room by James Viles.

Address: 7 Hickson Rd, The Rocks NSW 2000