The best luxury hotels in Sydney

Since opening in 2023, Capella has quickly established itself as the pinnacle of granreur in Sydney's hotel landscape. Occupying a historic sandstone building (formerly home to the Department of Education), the overtly elegant space is home to a Parisian-style Brasserie, a naturally-lit 20-metre indoor pool, a marble-trimmed spa and 192 meticulously designed rooms and suites. Expect walls lined with custom artwork, pillow-top beds fitted with Italian linen and a dedicated 'Culturist' team on site to help you make the most of your stay in the city. This is a Sydney staycation taken to the most luxurious level, and we're absolutely here for it. 

Mood: Modern yet warm. 
Budget range: A pretty penny, but not a shock. 
Time Out tip: Room service is available 24 hours a day, and with new clubs popping up in Sydney with delightfully late opening hours (we're looking at you Caterpillar Club) normal modes of operating need not apply.

This is Kimpton’s first Australian outpost and it heroes the same mix of luxury and pragmatism showcased at its hotels in Barcelona, London, Tokyo and San Francisco, to name just a few of the 75 locations the group boasts worldwide. Rather than simply leaning into the luxe, there’s a real understanding of the little details tourists actually care about, like the option to bring their pets along on their vaycay – and all species are welcome “as long as they can fit in the lift”, we kid you not. Fitness and wellness are both high priorities at Kimpton establishments, and guests can take advantage of the rooftop lap pool, the expansive gym and the yoga studio in the basement, or for a more secluded stretch, an on-demand yoga tutorial via the in-room tablet – yoga mats are available upon request from reception. 

Mood: Sleek and fun. 
Budget range: Very reasonable. 
Time Out tip: Make sure you book in for the bottomless brunch at the hotel's in-house fine dining restaurant, Luke's Kitchen.

The wait for this sparkling Darling Harbour hotel has been a lengthy one, but not without good reason. The sprawling, futuristic space is home to 588 rooms and suites, a modern-Australian restaurant, an expansive spa, a sky-high cocktail bar and an infinity pool looking out across the city. With its bold design and playful approach, this isn't a cookie cutter luxury hotel, and it's all the better for it. W is luxury but with an alterntative edge: a little wacky, a little whimsical, undeniably wonderful.

Mood: Playful grandeur. 
Budget range: Decent for a world-renowned luxury brand.
Time Out tip: make your way to the 2am desset bar for a six-course dessert degustation (best enjoyed on Saturday nights when Darling Harbour's fireworks display lights up the sky)

If the thought of a red-lit, golden-windowed New York-meets-Italian Art Deco hotel enchants you (but you don’t have the funds to pop over the ditch), Hotel Morris could be the answer to all your dreams. Housed within a towering Renaissance-style building that was once Australia’s tallest hotel, Hotel Morris is the closest most of us in Sydney will probably ever get to living out our best Great Gatsby imaginings: think glittering chandeliers, deep burgundy tones and and a brass-trimmed bar serving excellent martinis.

Mood: New York edge blended with Italian elegance. 
Budget range: Well-priced. 
Time Out tip: Book an early pre-theatre dinner at the sexy in-house restaurant, then head out to a show (some of the city's best theatres are just steps away from the hotel) 

Built on a private pontoon overlook the water, every room of this beautiful structure in Walsh Bay is unique – and one thing you can guarantee is that your stay will be a high-luxe affair from start to finish. In search of a posh stay with your pooch? Pier One has special wharf-facing suites designed specifically with puppy parents in mind.

Mood: Tastefully nautical.
Budget range: Slightly above average for this list. 
Time Out tip: Never done the Bridge Climb? Fix that. Locals leave just as gobsmacked as tourists after they enjoy views from its summit. Climbs run every day of the year.

The jaw-dropping, close-up vista of both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge is a major selling point, but you get what you pay for (and that's a lot) – the cheaper rooms offer just glimpses of what the more expensive suites have framed through their windows. A recent refurbishment has transformed the top-end suites into über-minimalist apartment-style hangouts. Extras include a rooftop swimming pool, deluxe spa and much-vaunted 24-hour butler service.

Mood: Millionaire's private island vibes. 
Budget range: A big spend for a special stay. 
Time Out tip: The Park Hyatt’s minimally named bar the Bar makes some of the best cocktails you can find by the water; and definitely the best club sandwich.

This 590-room five-star beauty is Sydney’s first luxury hotel built in the CBD (central business district) since 1999. Splash out on one of the corner rooms with a view of Darling Harbour. The bedroom has a long wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, but the bathroom has one of the best views in the city with sheer glass on two sides. Enjoy a long soak while watching the city buzz by at its regular frantic pace.

Mood: Big city, bright lights. 
Budget range: Above average, but still a great price. 
Time Out tip: You’ll want to spend some time in the infinity pool, which juts out dramatically over Darling Harbour. 

Circular Quay’s InterContinental Sydeny recently underwent a $120 million refurbishment that saw the redesign of the hotel’s 509 guestrooms and suites, public spaces, wellness areas (including an indoor pool), club lounge, restaurants and bars. And the result is triumphant. The rooms, which are elegant, sophisticated, and calming, offer sweeping views of Sydney’s most iconic vistas – the Harbour, Opera House and Royal Botanic Gardens. The beds are the colour of Snow White, as expansive as a snow field and soft as a marshmallow. For dinner, head to the Treasury restaurant, housed in the historic and stunning former Treasury building. The best bit? The InterContinental Sydney is an iPhone’s throw from Circular Quay – so it’s an ideal base for exploring Sydney. 

Mood: Simple done right. 
Budget range: Can creep into the higher end in certain months. 
Time Out tip: After dinner go up to level 32 and have a nightcape at the InterContinental’s rooftop bar, Aster. When we say these are some of the best views in Sydney, we’re not kidding. We’ll have another Negroni, please.

There’s a cute little pool here for the lap-swimming inclined and plenty of rooms have harbour views. Book into one of two Insta-worthy, 70s-referencing ‘Rockstar Suites’, which have harbour views, eccentric neon lighting, hammock nooks and round, marble bars.

Mood: Contemporary cool. 
Budget range: Pretty average. 
Time Out tip: The Ovolo is right next to one of Sydney’s loveliest walks. Wander around the finger wharf to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, then head through the Royal Botanic Garden to the Opera House.

Boasting 11 dining venues in the local area, a world-class spa complete infrared sauna and a 37-degree ‘vitality pool’, state-of-the-art fitness facilities including a waterfront yoga terrace, a luxurious lido with an infinity pool and private cabanas, and black-label retail outlets, it's best not to think of Crown as a hotel, but rather a luxury cruise ship, permanently docked in Barangaroo. 

Mood: Dazzling in every department. 
Budget range: Costlier than most. 
Time Out tip: Opt for a Harbour facing room for iconic views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

You know you're in a swanky hotel when the menus extend to the bedding. You're sure to get a good night's sleep here with 400-thread Egyptian cotton sheets and a hand-picked pillow menu, so you can find a neck height that's just right. Even the name sounds posh – The Darling – and they make sure that's reflected in every inch beyond the bed, too, from the textured wallpaper and bespoke furniture to the eucalyptus-scented pool.

Mood: Dramatically swanky. 
Budget range: Surprisingly low. 
Time Out tip:  Just downstairs from The Darling, in the same complex you’ll find Sokyo Japanese restaurant, where chef Chase Kojima serves up some of the best sushi and sashimi in the city.

The hotel was extensively renovated in 2015 with a fresh palette of gold and silver and specially commissioned carpets and artworks. A spectacular chandelier made of three brass rings hangs in the atrium of Horizon Club and can be seen from many points on the foreshore, fulfilling the architect’s original vision of the building as a ‘lighthouse’. The rooms evoke classic luxury with marble bathrooms and the largest windows of any of the city’s harbourfront hotels. 

Mood: Simplistic grandeur. 
Budget range: Way lower than you'd expect. 
Time Out tip: Take a stroll through the beautiful waterfront Barangaroo Reserve just to the west of the hotel.

Located in Sydney's CBD, overlooking the Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay and historic Rocks area, the Four Seasons Hotel features luxurious rooms, as well as a pool, a bar, restaurant and fitness centre. All rooms at Sydney’s Four Seasons have been carefully designed and subtly furnished with the highest quality amenities.

Mood: Minimalist chic. 
Budget range: Average. 

There are 140 contemporary rooms and suites, a rooftop pool with cabanas, several restaurants, bars and retail spaces. In its previous iterations, it hosted US presidents, our own Prime Ministers (Bob Hawke famously ran through the area in budgie smugglers), Princess Diana and, sadly, Michael Hutchence on the last night of his life. Now the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay is at its brilliant best after a huge renovation. 

Mood: Bold yet tranquil. 
Budget range: A wide range of prices. 
Time Out tip: Walk along New South Head Road to the Murray Rose Pool, a harbour beach and large swimming enclosure that’s ripe for a dip any time of year.

Australia’s largest hotel, overlooking Darling Harbour, recently upgraded 649 of its guestrooms and 17 of its suites (just over three-quarters of its occupancy), giving them a chic new look with a subtle nautical vibe inspired by its waterfront setting. The interiors are sleek and streamlined, unquestionably luxe yet minimalist in their classic, uncluttered finishes; think mid-century modern meets executive retreat with just a touch of superyacht chic. Other facilities include a 24-hour fitness centre, underground parking, state-of-the-art meeting spaces for events and access to Hyatt's e-concierge service.

Mood: Opulence with a view. 
Budget range: At times, below mid-range. 
Time Out tip: should you want a few extra bells and whistles, you can upgrade to one of the rooms on floor 11, which grants guests access to the Regency Club lounge – a comfy retreat with complimentary drinks, canapés, and breakfast options away from the busier public spaces elsewhere in the hotel.

Taronga has taken bold strides into the luxury accommodation market with its purpose-built 62-room retreat. This complex of sleek, timber-clad lodges encircling a private bushland garden full of native fauna is a fusion of elegant sophistication and sustainable design, where wildlife and the high life exist side by side.

Mood: Luxury wildlife retreat. 
Budget range: The price reflects the whole experience. 
Time Out tip: the average stay is just a single night, but a longer stay grants you unlimited access to the zoo.

Our CBD is not like Melbourne’s. There you expect the laneways to be teeming with small bars and boutique hotels for a double dose of whimsy when you’re staying in the heart of the city. In Sydney, it’s a different story, which is why it’s surprising that they’ve managed to create such an intimate feel at the new West Hotel Sydney, a boutique accommodation project from Hilton down amongst Barangaroo’s new towers.

Mood: Urban jungle vibes. 
Bidget range: A great deal.
Time Out tip: There’s a beautiful rooftop bar at Barangaroo House that is extremely popular with locals. 

This five-star apart-hotel was crowned Best Technology Hotel at the HM Awards, but far from being crammed with gimmicky gadgets, a combination of savvy restraint and intelligent design has delivered plenty of bells and whistles without overwhelming the overall experience.

Mood: Sleek yet homely. 
Budget range: Mid-range – most months. 
Time Out tip: Test drive the mood lighting in the pool, where you can also stream your own music via the integrated sound system.

For old-world opulence, the Langham is the place to be. Friday afternoons are reserved for tea, scones and petit fours – a fixture of the hotel since 1865. With the charm and ruffled curtains of a boutique hotel, but the class and glamour of an international institution, the Langham will have you feeling like a royal with its plush suites, panelled walls (for real) and sumptuous, velvet furnishings – and that's before you set your sights on the Observatory Suite's ornate, gilded fireplace.

Mood: Gracefully regal. 
Budget range: On the higher end, slightly. 
Time Out tip: The otherworldly Roman bathhouse-style indoor pool is waiting for you downstairs, so be sure to stop in for a splash.

Money might not buy you a lifetime of happiness, but it will certainly achieve it in the short term if you use it to book a weekend escape at Jonah’s in Whale Beach. It's a famous coastal romantic getaway for Sydneysiders who want to soak their troubles away in a spa bath or clifftop pool that has sightlines out to the ocean. 

Mood: Contemporary yet cosy. 
Budget range: High, but the rooms are more like private apartments. 
Time Out tip: Arrange a private sail with Taylor Made Escapes, who will take you out on the high seas with a heartily stuffed picnic hamper and a bottle of Bollinger bubbly. Landlubbers might prefer to stay put and cruise the award-winning whopper of a wine list instead.