This hotel is in a large, beautiful old house with a peculiar sculpture out the front (you can't miss it). Its location is excellent - close to the city on Sydney's charming, leafy and tranquil north shore - with the added lure of being able to hop on a ferry and be in Circular Q… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The Hilton is the most famous, anticipated and fancy facelift Sydney has seen in a long time - even the stats don't quite capture the feeling that something radical has happened to this particular (and barely recognisable) face of luxury accommodation - 30 months of work and a bi… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Quite a find in Darlinghurst, the Altamont features smart-looking, modern rooms with en suites and an easy-going, convivial vibe. Well-priced, nicely designed rooms feature some stark modern details or custom-made Indonesian furniture, breaking up any uniformity in this restored … Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Attractive, recently renovated rooms heal over-travelled bones at this almost-hip boutique hotel, nicely located right near Hyde Park. All 38 modern rooms have kitchenette, telephone, safe and Internet connection. A three-bedroom apartment is also available. Parking and breakfast… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

This hip, stylish 16-room place is still trading on its remodelling from a few years ago, thanks to designers du jour Burley Katon Halliday, who went for a blindingly white look for the most part. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The service at this central hotel is extremely helpful, and really shines if you're the kind of guest who brings a list of tricky needs - and if you're a regular, you can expect a complimentary bottle of wine. Now there's a way to ensure repeat business. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

This part of town is slowly but surely getting a bit of a clean-up and nowhere embodies this better than the Pensione Hotel - a tasteful reworking of a stately George St building - and with prices guaranteed to make it popular. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

This is a straight-up-and-down bargain deal. Don't expect any fripperies or flounces - you're getting a good square room (that sleeps up to four) with fridge, TV, air-con and bathroom and about as much character as a cardboard box - but it does the trick. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Situated in an area often referred to as 'Paddinghurst', this well-managed 64-room motel has simple but smart (wheelchair-accessible) rooms and a charming courtyard area that's aiming for the near-ubiquitous Tuscan-style aesthetic. It's popular with gay travellers, making booking… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

It you're more impressed by Che Guevara than Paris Hilton, Newtown's your place and this cosy brick-and-tile hostel should be your first choice. Excellent communal facilities open on to a lush central courtyard with a small solar-heated pool. Internet access is free and the frien… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Heaven is a swish, spacious apartment where people clean up after you. Even more so if there are harbour views, as there are in the slightly pricier rooms in this new low-rise development just off King Street Wharf. All have full kitchen and laundry facilities and balconies. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Being as one of the main pastimes in Surry Hills is eating out, you may find the well-stocked kitchenette of your slick, modern apartment doesn't get a lot of use - the Medina building alone is home to three exalted eateries. The leafy poolside, gym and sauna are plenty popular o… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

A little more character is provided at this small guesthouse on the Pacific Highway. The cheaper rooms don't have en suites, but there is a communal kitchen and grassy lawn. Traffic noise is intrusive, coming from both the air and ground. Breakfast and airport pickups are offered… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Commanding the opposite tip of the horseshoe of Circular Quay to the Opera House, the Park Hyatt boasts the best location in Sydney. The graciously low-rise building matches the opulence of its position with sandstone, marble and contemporary design including a particularly groov… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The elegant neutral tones may not quite make a home away from home (unless you live in a catalogue), but these spacious apartments sure are comfortable. Those on longer trips will fully appreciate the joy of having a full kitchen and laundry at your disposal. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Unlike the rest of 'Double Pay', the friendly Savoy doesn't seem to have increased its prices in years. The only thing with a whiff of pretension about it is the name. The rooms are pleasant and tidy. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Located in the main tourist drag of The Rocks, this charming 29-room hotel offers creaky floors, modest flowery rooms (the cheapest sharing bathrooms), pleasant lounge areas and a sunny roof garden. There's an intimate, rambling feel to the turreted building (1887) and plenty of … Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The Medina crew have got the vibe right with these smart and funky midrange hotels. Expect clean, sparkling rooms, bright colours and not a shred of stuffiness. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Spreading half of its tentacles into the grand General Post Office building and the others into a contemporary tower, the Westin is a slick and luxurious address. Choose between the high-ceilinged Heritage rooms and the modern Tower rooms; all have quality linen, comfy beds and s… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

One of Sydney's better sleeping secrets, and with good reason - you wouldn't want anyone else to gazump your reservation either. It's a nice little bolthole with a sense of privacy and discretion. And its location is smack bang in the city centre. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The Kirketon is going through some changes - with its once-famous restaurant and bar undergoing refurbishment and prices plummeting to the easily affordable. Despite all this change, the rooms are still in good shape, the service is still helpful and the location still ideal. Tha… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

If it's not the marble bathroom with the oversized bath, the sensational day spa or the feather doona, it must be the lavish indoor pool with its magical, twinkling starry sky that makes the Observatory special. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The sands of Coogee are only a few metres from the front door, making this apartment-style hotel an extremely attractive proposition. Some units have large terraces and impressive views, but if you miss out they all have access to a fabulous rooftop BBQ area. The rooms are pleasa… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Right on the park, this friendly place offers studio apartments with kitchenettes as well as some two-bedroom suites. Renovations in progress at the time of research were modernising the decor and leaving flat-screen TVs and DVD players in their wake. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Step off busy Flinders St and step back in time as you enter this grand 1850s mansion, complete with extravagant chandeliers, moulded ceilings, Victorian tiling and fountains tinkling in the garden. One might say it's a house fit for a queen, and it's certainly popular with the g… Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Forget Wembley Stadium - Meriton is better known in Sydney as the builder of many a swanky but soulless mega-apartment complex. This huge tower (42 floors above ground) offers numerous such apartments, complete with Smeg appliances and some truly awesome views. Full Lonely Planet Review ›

Chances are if you're a Double Bay fancier you'll want to stay at the super-swish Stamford Plaza. It's very old-school grand, with gilt-framed portraits of stuffy Victorian gentlemen, lavish chandeliers and much marble. The smallish rooftop pool has seriously glamorous views, as … Full Lonely Planet Review ›

The Swiss Grand is the giant wedding cake at the centre of the Bondi strip; an eyesore or the ultimate in Bondi kitsch depending on your point of view. The rooms are all very pleasant with their own balcony and, of course, the ocean views are superb. Full Lonely Planet Review ›