The Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks are seen on screens around the world but there’s nothing quite like seeing, hearing and smelling them for yourself as a new year kicks in.
More than one million people can flock to the harbour foreshore to see the Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks and while some are left to battle for taxis or deal with public transport queues, others book a room right near the action to make things a whole lot easier on the night.
When it comes to staying in Sydney on that special night some hotels have rooms with incredible views, others have spectacular viewing areas, and then there are those that have that location location location.
Even if your window doesn’t look out onto the action in the right hotel you can step out and be in a prime position and then when the night is over your bed is oh so close by.
Of course with this being the biggest night of the year a lot of the top hotels have a minimum night stay over New Year’s Eve and the sooner you can book the better. But it’s still worth checking closer to the time in case someone else has had to change their plans and there’s an opening for you.
So which hotels should be on your Sydney New Year’s Eve wish list?
Park Hyatt | The Four Seasons Hotel | InterContinental | Shangri La Hotel | Pier One | Crown Towers | Pullman Quay Grand | The Sir Stamford | Rydges Sydney Harbour | The Macleay
Park Hyatt, Sydney
Nestled between the two biggest stars of the night, the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Park Hyatt is a prime location at any time of year. Add in the New Year’s Eve fireworks and it’s no wonder this is one of the hottest hotels to be in.
Watch the fireworks from your private balcony or on the boardwalk in front of the hotel. On New Year’s Eve the boardwalk is closed exclusively for hotel guests, both those staying in residence and those dining at one of the special 2025 New Year’s Eve dinners so you can be in the middle of the action without dealing with the crowds.
There’s also an adults-only party on the rooftop with free flowing champagne, cocktails and canapes, although that is a special event and hotel guests will also have to purchase the $1200 tickets before being able to take advantage of that one. Or if you really want to splash out, the rooftop party also has Cabana Seating packages for $10,000 where up to five guests can share a magnum of 2014 Larmandier-Bernier 1er Cru Terre De Vertus Blanc de Blancs along with all of the other party drinks and nibbles.
The Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney
Get the right room at Sydney’s Four Seasons and you can watch the fireworks over the Opera House from your bubble bath.
But don’t get any ideas about throwing a bubble bath party with all of your friends; this hotel is so hot on New Year’s Eve that public access is limited. Guests are given two visitor passes per room in case they’d like to invite someone up, and no, they won’t be replaced if you lose them so don’t try that old line.
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Keep in mind that the fireworks can only be viewed from the Full Harbour View Rooms, but don’t worry if you’re booked into a room without the right view, the concierge team has some tips on good viewing points nearby.
And it doesn’t have to be New Year’s Eve at Grain bar to try one of their delicious and oh so pretty Koala cocktails.
InterContinental Sydney
After a $120 million transformation the InterContinental Sydney is better than ever and has some excellent fireworks viewing rooms to choose from. And if you happen to be facing the other way you can always slip outside to see the fireworks action before strolling back into your luxury hotel.
For New Year’s Eve 2025 the InterContinental Sydney is offering Sky’s the Limit packages where you can enjoy three nights accommodation, breakfast daily and an invitation to join the party in the rooftop bar Aster on level 32. Though with East Harbour Room packages starting at $8,697 and Harbour Bridge room packages from $11,847 you may decide it’s better to stay in one of their other rooms and have a private champagne party instead.
Shangri La Hotel, Sydney
With killer panoramic views of both the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House the Shangri La Hotel Sydney’s rooms with fireworks views get snapped up very quickly. But if you miss out on one of those premier rooms and want to be in the thick of it, it’s only about five minute’s walk to Circular Quay.
Keep in mind the 36th floor and the stellar vantage points offered by Altitude and Blu Bar are only for those who have booked and paid for a dinner reservation.
Of course, you don’t need to be staying at the hotel to sip champagne and dine in this prime location with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the spectacle outside.
But when you consider a 2025 New Year’s Eve window table dinner at Altitude has a minimum spend of $2,300 per adult, splashing out on a room for the night could almost be considered frugal.
Crown Towers
Every room, suite and villa in Sydney’s first six-star hotel has floor-to-ceiling windows for uninterrupted views, and if you’re facing the harbour that means you can pop the champagne in your room and enjoy the show.
There’s a long list of New Year’s Eve lunches and dinners at Crown Tower’s restaurants including Epicurean and Nobu, while from its towering position over Barangaroo and the harbour, the 26th-floor Oncore by Clare Smyth will see in midnight with a six course meal including a glass of champagne on arrival and wine pairing for $1,850pp.
At Oncore you could also opt for earlier dinner sitting from 5pm to 8pm for $450pp for five courses (no bubbles or wine included with this one) and be back in your room before the 9pm fireworks with more champagne.
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
On the Opera House side of Circular Quay in the middle of the action you’ll find the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour.
This hotel is in such a sweet spot that over the years we’ve seen people camping out in the front of the Pullman Quay Grand all day so they can be there for midnight. In an area that the hotel’s guests can pop in and out of as they please.
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That said, if you’d managed to book one of the harbour view rooms with a private balcony you’d be crazy to go anywhere else for midnight. Meanwhile those with rooms on the garden side can either step outside the hotel or find some good fireworks viewing spots in the foyer and on the pool deck.
And just in time for New Year’s Eve 2025, the Pullman Quay Grand has relaunched the Hacienda Bar & Lounge with a new look and menu. The Latin American flavours have been created in a collaboration between the Hacienda’s executive chef Jiwon Do and chef Rosy Scatigna in her new role overseeing Accor’s culinary direction. As for the cocktails by Proof Creative, expect Latin American classics with a fun Aussie twist.
This year’s Hacienda New Year’s Eve Party is a 7pm – 1am package with antipasti charcuterie, roaming canapes, a chef’s station with seafood mains, sweet treats for dessert and delicious cocktails as you dance the New Year in with live DJs and front row fireworks views for $479pp.
Pier One Sydney Harbour
Right on the water and just on the west side of the Harbour Bridge, Pier One Sydney Harbour is another top hotel with an enviable position.
Some rooms have private balconies where you can stand and look up at the bridge beside you, but if you miss out on a room with a view you can step out onto the pier and join the fireworks front row.
For New Year’s Eve 2025 Pier One will also be throwing a NYE Pier Party with DJ Havana Brown, free flowing drinks and grazing stations with continuous food. Tickets for that one start at $549pp, with reserved seating in waterside lounges from $649pp for a minimum of six guests.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay
The Sir Stamford at Circular Quay is another luxury Sydney hotel that doesn’t only have rooms with harbour views, but also has some with their own private terraces where you can take in the fireworks in the fresh air.
And while the rooftop is usually closed to hotel guests, this is one of those times when exceptions can be made.
This year The Sir Stamford is throwing a Hollywood Glamour themed ‘Hollywood 2025 Dreams’ party where the dress code is ‘dress like the star you are’ and guests will travel from the dining room up to the rooftop for the 9pm and midnight fireworks.
The Hollywood 2025 Dreams New Year’s Eve party at Sir Stamford is $699pp and includes Mojito Marshmallow and Beluga caviar on crystal bread canapes, with NV Piper Heidsieck Brut bubbles and is open to guests and non guests who get in before it’s sold out.
Rydges Sydney Harbour
The hotel formerly known as the Holiday Inn Old Sydney is now part of the Rydges hotel family. A heritage site dating back to 1926, the hotel is found up a cobblestone laneway in the Rocks, just one street back from the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
While some rooms at Rydges Sydney Harbour have harbour views, everyone who’s staying in the hotel on New Year’s Eve will be allowed to go and watch the fireworks from the rooftop at no extra cost. This one is for hotel guests only and a top tip is to add the name of everyone staying in the room to the booking so you can all get wristbands to go to the rooftop. It’s also on a first come first served basis so best not to leave this one until too close to midnight.
The Macleay
Talk about front page views, The Macleay’s rooftop is where some of the city’s photographers snapped their Sydney New Year’s Eve photos for more than ten years.
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A mix of hotel rooms and serviced apartments, The Macleay in Potts Point looks out over Sydney Harbour with the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city skyline all laid out before you.
Guests who book Harbour View rooms also get access to that coveted rooftop position, and it’s so good the phone starts ringing on New Year’s Day with people trying to book for the next New Year’s Eve.
For the record, New Year’s Eve reservations open on the 5th of January and while they’re usually booked out by May I’m told it’s worth checking in as cancellations can happen. Who knows, you might just get lucky.
So there we have some of the best hotels for Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks.
If you’d rather stay in an Airbnb or private home I have a whole other story covering you with gorgeous Sydney harbour view studios, apartments and penthouses.
Keep in mind if you’re going to be in Sydney for New Year’s Eve it’s one of the busiest times of the year, so it’s best to also plan ahead if you want to do any tours or maybe a champagne cruise on the harbour.
You can find all sorts of great things to do in Sydney here.
And wherever you are this New Year’s Eve I hope it’s a very happy start to a sparkling new year.
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