Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

With its beautiful golden sandstone façade Sydney’s heritage-listed Department of Education building has reawakened as the luxurious Capella Sydney. The hotel boasts 192 rooms and suites spanning eight levels, and balances storied architectural features with modern design, celebrating Australia in both its aesthetic and ethos. In the rooms and public areas you’ll find carefully curated artworks, elegant furnishings and intriguing objet d’art.

When it comes to dining, take a table at Brasserie 1930 where the menu highlights small-batch growers and farmers and age-old cooking methods like curing, smoking and fermenting take centre stage. Named for the building’s original architect George McRae, McRae Bar invites you to enjoy the glamour of days gone by as you sip on refined cocktails looking out on Loftus Street.

Spicers Potts Point is an intimate boutique hotel on a picturesque avenue in the affluent central suburb of Potts Point. Created from three handsome Victorian terrace houses, airy, light-filled interiors and artworks by Australian artists Martine Emdur and Keith Burt create a calm, welcoming space.

The 16 rooms and four suits are all luxuriously appointed, some featuring their own terrace areas, with rain showers, Bose sound systems and modern fittings.

Breakfast can be taken in the garden room and while there’s no restaurant here, after evening cocktail and canapés at the bar, you can head out into Potts Point to discover some of Sydney’s best restaurants and cafés. The Royal Botanical Gardens, The Art Gallery of NSW, Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House are all also close by. The hotel has also partnered with several local restaurants if you are after in-room dining, and complimentary gym and yoga facilities are just a 50 metre walk away.

Located at Sydney Airport’s international terminal, very close to the check in counters, this modern hotel boasts views out over the airport and runways.

The 318 rooms are modern and comfortable with a pop of colour adding a bright touch to the contemporary furnishings and decor. Black-out curtains make for a good night’s sleep.

Dine at the hotel’s Blackwattle Grill which has an urban-bistro aesthetic, or enjoy a few drinks at the colourful Touchdown Sports Bar. If you need a quick bite in a hurry, pop into Touch&Go Café for fresh pastries and coffee, or have a more leisurely breakfast at Rise.

Guests also have access to a 24-hour gym, with free weights and cardio equipment. Enjoy a little plane spotting, or venture out to explore Sydney Harbour and Bondi Beach.

The Harbour Rocks Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Sydney, in an area known as ‘The Rocks’. There are 59 beautifully appointed rooms, some of which are the original workers’ cottages, which date back to 1870.

Guests will want to take a seat at Scarlett Restaurant, set on the site of Sydney’s first hospital, and enjoy contemporary Australian cuisine. An old antique shop has been turned into a French-inspired cafe where you can satisfy your sweet tooth with a crepe or galette. If it’s a tipple after a day exploring the capital you’re after, then Eric’s Bar is the perfect place.

The garden terrace is also a wonderful place to relax – a real oasis in the heart of the city.