The last few years have seen some great new additions to the Sydney hotel scene. From designer boutique hotels to international luxury brands making their mark in Australia for the first time, we now have even more memorable ways to stay.
Along with the new Sydney hotels for 2026, we’re sharing some of the best new additions from the last couple of years for those who haven’t been back to the harbour city for a wee while.
Ready to see where you could be checking in next? Let’s go…
25hours Hotel The Olympia, Paddington
As soon as I walked into the 25hours Hotel The Olympia and saw the video store check in above a counter front filled with tangled strips of film I knew they’d nailed it.
After staying in the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin I had high hopes for the European hotel group’s first Australian hotel, and as I’m among those who remember the building’s good ‘90s times as the Grand Pacific Blue Room I felt strangely protective of this Paddington corner too.
So I was both excited and relieved to have a smile on my face from the moment I stepped into 25hours Hotel The Olympia. The hotel has transformed the heritage listed 1-11 Oxford Street site into a 109-room hotel with four sipping and dining venues and lots of details I love from the lobby to the rooftop bar.
The hotel’s name is a nod to the West Olympia Theatre that first started showing movies in the space more than a hundred years ago. Today movie moments around the hotel include a projected theatre audience bursting into applause when you step out of the elevator, and the Renegades and Dreamers guest rooms inspired by movie characters.
Rooms include original heritage features and artworks by locals, including Sydney artist Kubi Vasak. My Renegade room was one of the darker, more dramatic rooms, and I also had the chance to look inside one of the softer Dreamer rooms. While I loved the Dreamer’s lighter vibe and could totally see myself curled up in the readers nook with a cup of tea looking out over Oxford Street, when I walked back into my Renegade room it felt like coming home.
My Renegade room also had a special feature with two heritage round windows, including the one directly above the hotel’s name over the main entrance. And as I pressed my face up to that street corner window I couldn’t help but wish an old Sydney friend might wander past so I could surprise them with a wave.
Rooms come with complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and snacks along with the option to pay for the Moët bubbles, Four Pillars fresh yuzu gin and soda, and other alcoholic beverages in the fridge. There’s filter coffee with how to brew instructions for those who haven’t tried it at home, and the hotel even has its own newspaper with interesting interviews and local tips.
Bathrooms are stocked with Australian made and owned products by The Skills, and fun touches around my room included eyes with perfect brows on a hanging fringe lamp and 25 housekeeping messages to hang on the door including “it might not look like it but it was fun” and “there’s a monster behind this door”.
Check out is a generous midday and the hotel also tells guests that if no one is waiting for your room they can usually be a little flexible and push it even further. And while the TV does have Chromecast you can also go old school and borrow a VHS player to watch the videos you choose downstairs where the old faves include Dirty Dancing, When Harry Met Sally, and the original Star Wars trilogy.
Around the hotel the drinking and dining options include the rooftop bar Monica, where my favourite place to be is the circular lounge at the end of the bar and where we enjoyed what my friend Delia described as the best Negroni she’d ever had. On the ground floor you’ll find coffee house and bakery Jacob the Angel, a cocktail bar that also serves small bites with live DJs at The Mulwray and the Mediterranean restaurant The Palomar, with all three developed by Layo and Zoë Paskin of London’s Studio Paskin.
The Palomar Sydney has already received its first hat and is a sister restaurant to the Palomar London. Here you can watch the flames and chefs at work from the open kitchen bar or take a seat in the dining room. We opted for a table by the window and after a delicious Pina Paloma cocktail we dived into sharing a mouthwateringly delicious and huge Coppertree Farm ribeye with crispy potatoes, grilled carrots and green beans as sommelier Eleonore Wülf introduced me to my first Kalecik Karasi and immediately added this Turkish grape to my red wines to find list.
Then it was just a quick wave back to the people applauding as I got into the lift before curling up in that oh so comfy bed.
The Brighton Hotel Sydney – M Gallery Collection, Brighton Le Sands
If I couldn’t see the Sydney city skyline from my bed it would be easy to forget where I am. After flying in late the night before I’d taken a ten minute taxi from the airport to my beachside hotel where I’d stood on my terrace breathing in the fresh, salty air and looking out at moonlight on the water before curling into bed.
As I step outside onto my terrace at The Brighton Hotel Sydney – M Gallery Collection, I can see the city in the distance and planes taking off from the airport, while right below me the hotel’s blue pools are winking at me (yes, that’s the one in the photo above), while the beach directly across the road is inviting me for a beach walk start to my day.
Formerly known as the Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach Hotel, The Brighton recently went through a multi-million dollar transformation before joining Accor’s luxury boutique MGallery Collection. The resort-style hotel has 307 rooms and suites, many with balconies and water views. My Terrace Suite is a stylish and spacious 51m2 stay with a very comfortable king bed, a large living area with a couch that I now want in my own home, a soaking bath and walk in shower stocked with Ink & Water products, and a large terrace with outdoor chairs and lounges.
There are so many design touches both in my room and around the hotel that I love and it’s easy to think I’ve woken up somewhere in the Med rather than Botany Bay. The natural materials in tones of seafoam and stone add to the serenity, and the light filled Sands Bar is a welcome spot to be in both its inside and outdoor spaces.
While I missed the chance to join the adults-only beach club fun on the weekends as I was staying midweek I had a sneak peek at the space and could easily see myself kicking back in sun loungers and sipping cocktails to the DJ beside the beach club pools.
At other times of the week guests can use the main pool where string umbrellas and white shade cloths offer varying degrees of shelter from the sun, as well as an adults only inside pool next to the extensive gym. In December the water in the main pool was suuuuper refreshingly cold, but there’s a hot tub standing by if it’s too fresh for your blood.
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Brighton Le Sands has a rich Greek-Australian heritage and the hotel’s signature restaurant Ammos Brighton is where you can find some of the best Greek food in Sydney. The hatted restaurant is led by one of the pioneers of modern Greek cuisine in Australia, Peter Conistis along with executive chef James Roberts, and is where I soaked in the views while dining on delicious Harvey Bay scallops with seaweed kataifi and Kinross lamb rump before finishing with coconut galaktoboureko with mango, lime, passionfruit.
The hotel will be opening more restaurants in the months to come, but whether you’re staying the night or just visiting Brighton for the day, be sure to make time for cocktails and bites at Sand Bar where the fried ice cream is an absolute must.
The Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney, Haymarket
The latest new way to stay in Sydney, The Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney became the first Caption hotel in Australia and the Pacific when it opened its doors in mid October and is a fun and colourful addition to a special corner of Sydney.
The hotel is found in a quiet side street behind the Capitol Theatre in Haymarket and is easy to find thanks to the theatre style lightbulbs at the entry and Peony Dream artwork by Hiromi Tango climbing across the front of the building.
Inside a mural by Sydney artist Chris Yee greets guests on the ground floor and leads up to the café, bar and co-working space Talk Shop. To check in guests can choose the DIY option with a mobile check in to use their phone as their key or go old school with one of the smiling staff members giving them a keycard.
As I haven’t had the chance to stay in a Caption by Hyatt hotel in Nashville, Chattanooga, Shanghai, Osaka or Tokyo before this was my first Caption experience. Following in the footsteps of its sister hotels, the Sydney addition to the family has bold graphics on bedroom walls, uses repurposed materials, has eco friendly touches around the hotel and doesn’t have a lobby. Instead people are invited to hang out in Talk Shop where there are lots of comfy spaces to sit and work or play with chess and boardgames standing by.
The hotel has 174 rooms and mine was on the 14th floor with views over Chinatown and beyond, including a bird’s eye view of Market City where I realised for the first time there’s a tennis court on top of the building. As well as the feature artwork by Chris Yee in the bedroom, the bathroom has graphic wallpaper by Melbourne-based artist Samy Baby with images that have been inspired by the neighbourhood including trucks bringing fruit and veg to the local market.
The Robert Gordon ceramic cups are a nice touch, if a tad smaller than I usually like my tea cups to be, and a water jug is provided for filtered water refills in the hallway. And while this shouldn’t be so exciting it’s worth mentioning, the TV casting was super easy to connect and worked the first time for movie time in bed.
The comfy bed and black out blind combo led to thumbs up from my Fitbit for a good, deep sleep and in the morning I popped downstairs to Talk Shop for a wonton noodle soup breakfast. Other options include skakshuka and a steamed egg breakfast bowl with blue swimmer crab and sweet corn along with classics like crushed avo on sourdough and egg and bacon rolls.
For lunch and dinner Talk Shop shares wellness vs indulgence options with burgers and bowls. And guests can get $20 to spend by getting to know the neighbourhood through the Haymarket Hundred where they collect photos of three things including a friendly local ginger cat.
If you’re after a quick bite on your way out the Grab n Go Café has you covered with wraps, rolls and pastries including tamago croissants, and foodies will also love having the flavours of Thai Town and China Town on their doorstep just waiting to be explored.
The EVE Hotel Sydney, Redfern
One of the most exciting new hotel openings in Sydney has been particularly interesting for those who remember this space as the old Surry Hills Village shopping centre. After living less than a block away this was very much my local and I’ve eagerly followed the development news over the last few years.
When I had the chance to check in and stay at The EVE Hotel Sydney my expectations were high. And I can happily say, they were exceeded.
Everything about this hotel made me smile from the joy of floating in the 20m rooftop pool (yes, that’s the one at the top of this story) where the music is louder underwater, right down to the sleek gold pen and thick luxurious paper stock in the notepad beside the ridiculously comfortable king size bed.
The jewel in Sydney’s new Wunderlich Lane precinct’s crown is part of the TFE Hotels family and was designed by Adam Haddow of SJB Architecture and Daniel Baffsky’s 360 Degrees landscape architects while George Livissianis Architecture and Interior Design created the rooftop restaurant Lottie.
The EVE has 102 rooms ranging from 27sqm Courtyard and Sunset Rooms up to the 153sqm EVE Residence, which has its own private access, with accessible rooms available.
As someone who likes fresh air I was happy to see every room has a Juliet balcony or terrace so you can step outside or just prop open the door to let that fresh air in. And when you want to shut the world out the black out blinds really mean business. Seriously, make sure you set a couple of alarms if you need to get up in the morning because you won’t be waking up with the sun.
There are so many touches that I loved in the room including the large glazed ceramic robe hooks where you can add your clothes to the snuggly soft robes, the Kairos Glasswear and olive oil-based hair and skin amenities by Australian-owned brand Saardé – all available to buy at their flagship store downstairs – and the mini bar selection including the hotel’s own Bar Julius ‘Ruby’ Negroni along with Pol Roger Champagne, Clonakilla Shiraz and Pepe Saya Buttery Salted Caramels among their list of treats.
Keep an eye out for the vaulted ceiling artwork by Dinosaur Designs’ Louise Olsen in Bar Julius where you can have breakfast from 6.30am and drinks including sticky date espresso martinis up until midnight. Up on the rooftop Lottie is a contemporary Mexican restaurant and mezcaleria where you can be joined by outside guests.
The pool however is for hotel guests only and is where I enjoyed my Lottie dishes after using the QR code by the seats to have them delivered to my cabana.
When I showed friends my pool happy snaps they said they thought I was in Beverly Hills or Morocco. Oh yes, my old ‘hood has changed. And I’m so here for it.
The Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Town Hall, CBD
After closing its doors for nine months for a multi million dollar refurbishment, the Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Town Hall reopened in February 2025 creating a great new way to stay in the heart of the city.
If you’re coming from the airport you can hop in a taxi or Uber, but as the hotel is so close to Town Hall train station (seriously, it’s just a few minutes walk when you nip through the Town Hall Arcade to the corner of Kent and Bathurst Streets) I decided to take the Airport Link train with bonus Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House views on the way to Town Hall.
This apartment style hotel has 145 rooms from studios up to three bedroom apartments. My one bedroom apartment had a curved corner window looking out at the city where I could look up at Sydney Tower where I once Skywalked around the top as I caught up on work or enjoyed breakfast at the round table. I had a balcony where I could go outside to enjoy the sunset views, and as soon as I closed that balcony door the city noise was locked outside so I could enjoy a good night’s sleep.
I rarely watch TV in hotel rooms but if I wanted to I had two Chromecast capable TV options in the bedroom and living room where the long curved couch provided a great place to kick back and relax.
Apart from the studios, all of the apartments have washing machines and driers, as well as fully equipped kitchens with ovens, stovetops, microwaves, dishwashers and full size fridges.
After being on the road for a few weeks I enjoyed the chance to make my own breakfast. While some things are provided in the mini bar the hotel is just a few minutes away from the Town Hall Woolworths where you can pick up supplies.
Up on the top floor there’s a small pool and a fully equipped gym, as well as four conference spaces including one with a balcony for some fresh air with your coffee break.
I’m told design firm Bates Smart were aiming for a ‘home away from home’ experience and considering how easily I could live here I do believe they’ve nailed it.
Rydges Australia Square, CBD
In January 2025 EVT Hotels & Resorts latest Sydney hotel officially became known as Rydges Australia Square after their transformation of the old Tank Stream Hotel was complete.
This full service hotel has 280 recently refurbished guest rooms over 15 floors and as I walked into my room I knew I’d found a spotlessly clean and comfortable space to call my base in the city.
From this super central location it’s an easy 10 minutes or under stroll to Circular Quay to the north, Pitt Street Mall to the south, the Royal Botanic Gardens to the east and Barangaroo to the west.
All rooms come with Rydges Dream Beds and double glazing so you can see but not hear the city outside. The shower is stocked with full size Thankyou bathroom amenities, and the mini bar area has a mini refrigerator and an Espresso coffee machine as well as a kettle and teabags for tea lovers like me.
The 42” LED TV has multimedia connection ports to connect your own devices as well as a long list of free movies to watch. While the hotel doesn’t have its own gym if you like to work out when you travel you can make the most of complimentary access to nearby fitness facilities. And if you’re travelling for business there’s a newly built Executive Boardroom for up to 14 people and private dining for up to 25.
Breakfast is served in the Le Petit Flot restaurant. The breakfast buffet includes hot and cold dishes from bacon and eggs and freshly baked pastries to seasonal fruits and yoghurt. At lunch and dinner time Le Petit Flot moves into its French-inspired restaurant mode where I enjoyed a very tasty confit duck breast with baby beetroot, peas and port wine jus, along with a pear, walnut and gorgonzola salad.
You can also start your day with a coffee and pastry looking out over Australia Square in the Poco Local Wine Bar, which turns into an Italian style bar in the evening where you can dine on share plates including prosciutto crudo and burrata with basil oil while sipping Prosecco or an Italian red.
And while the staff at reception are very friendly with genuine smiles, you can also use the check in and check out kiosks if you prefer.
The Old Clare Hotel, Chippendale
While it’s not new as such, The Old Clare Hotel has earned a spot in this story because soon it’s going to feel like a new one.
This stylish hotel in Sydney’s Chippendale is one of those places I’ve enjoyed many drinks and bites to eat with friends in the bar before, and the last time I was in Sydney I had a chance to stay upstairs for the first time too.
It’s an exciting time for The Old Clare, which will soon be revealing some fresh looks and feels as part of its new chapter with Ode Hotels. This newly launched boutique hotel collection by EVT Hotels & Resorts already has three special properties with the Harbour Rocks Hotel in Sydney and The Inchcolm in Brisbane joining the Old Clare as the original three Ode Hotels.
After landing at Sydney Airport I hopped on the train to Central Station and walked around 600m to the Old Clare. After checking in I smiled at the carpet kangaroo in the walk through area as I made my way to the lift and up to my room.
The hotel has 69 rooms across two heritage buildings, with a range of styles and layouts including a two level Chippendale Loft and four suites. I’m in one of the Abercrombie Rooms, which are around 72m2 and have vintage designer furniture, super king size beds and open plan bathrooms with freestanding bathtubs, along with separate rain and hand showers.
After a long flight a long soak in my big tub was just the tonic, and I loved freshening up with the LaGaia Unedited products too.
As I’d just come back from Japan I didn’t pack my swimmers for the trip as any water time would be swimmers-free onsen time. When I went up to look at the rooftop pool I was kicking myself, but I decided to enjoy the space with a glass of bubbles and a magazine instead.
When it was time for dinner there was no need to leave my hotel. If I’d been staying from Wednesday to Saturday I would have booked a table at The Old Clare’s hatted restaurant, Longshore, where executive chef Jarrod Walsh has a focus on sustainable seafood. As I was staying on a Monday I dined in the gastropub style Clare Bar and dined on a seriously delicious yellow fin tuna crudo toast with kimchi, green onion, soy and sesame followed by a chicken schnitty. And in the morning at my TOCH Bar breakfast I barely managed to resist the cinnamon waffles before going for another classic with a tasty smashed avocado toast.
During my stay I had a chance to chat to Group General Manager, Joel Gordon about his plans for this beautiful hotel including some new things to watch out for on the food and drinks front. I won’t give away any surprises but will say that I’m looking forward to walking back through those doors to see – and taste – some of those changes.
Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point
I love hotels that embrace a sense of place and at the new Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point that’s happening big time. No two Hotel Indigos in the world are the same as they love to tap into the history and energy of their neighbourhood, which in this case includes days gone by in Kings Cross.
The hotel is found just behind the Coca-Cola sign in Kings Cross and in the lobby and the rooms there are lots of nods to people who have lived and worked in the neighbourhood over the years including actors like Cate Blanchett who have taken the stage at Griffin Theatre Company productions and singers including Jimmy Barnes who rocked the cross in the good old days.
There are 105 pet friendly rooms with harbour or city views including some with private terraces. My King Suite was lovely inside with a big comfy king bed, a freestanding bathtub and shower, cute robes by Aussie label Bambury, full size Biology amenities and a tempting minibar with delicious cookies and sweet along with wine and mini bottles of cocktails, while my terrace had a perfect view of a mural I love, Still Thriving by Dylan Mooney.
As someone who remembers the original Sweethearts Café in the Cross I love the little history lesson that comes with the breakfast menu beside the bed, and there are Spotify playlists of songs inspired by the area with a Bluetooth speaker so you can really feel that vibe as you step back in time.
Some suites also come with record players and vinyl, and there’s another turntable in the lobby café where you can choose a record from the vintage vinyl collection to spin. The lobby also has something that made me look twice. My books! Yes, both of the books I wrote with Vincent Rommelaere from Australia Unseen were on the shelf and I loved seeing them in such good company.
The hotel’s Luc-san restaurant by chef Luke Mangan is an unexpected and delicious French Izakaya treat. If you want to stay in, you can order room service from Luc-San and also get bottled cocktails including Cherry Blossom Martinis sent up from their bar. But I highly recommend heading downstairs and enjoying the atmosphere in the restaurant as well as the flavours.
Luke also oversees the X Café in the lobby where you can enjoy a decadent or healthy breakfast before heading out into the day.
Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Chippendale
When I shared some videos from this stay my on Instagram stories a friend reached out to tell me they had to check Google maps to make sure that I was really in Sydney’s Chippendale. And I don’t blame him.
Between the palm trees, white walls, terrazzo tiles and all that space it’s a little hard to believe that this is found in the inner suburb but I can happily report that it’s true.
The Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Chippendale has 42 apartment style rooms that feel like coming home to your own inner Sydney pad. There are studio rooms up to three bedroom apartments, all with fully equipped kitchens with two-burner stovetops, ovens and microwaves, and every room has a balcony too. The one, two and three bedroom apartments also come with washers and dryers.
My one bedroom apartment had Smart TVs in the living area and another one in the bedroom so I could use Chromecast to watch the shows from my device on the bigger screen.
There’s a neighbourhood map with a QR code that opens a guide to all of the places that you can explore nearby including great food options. There are more than 40 places to eat within walking distance of the hotel, and one of Australia’s best food tour operators Mia Cucina has put together a Google map for hotel guests to make it nice and easy to find the one they want.
Or you can enjoy staying in with some local dishes delivered to your door. I’d just landed back in the country after a busy trip so as much as I was tempted to go exploring, I decided to order an Angry Tony’s pizza and a red wine, pop on an episode of Schitt’s Creek and have an early night.
While I could have had breakfast in bed, in the morning I went to the Terra Cotta Roasters café downstairs for a morning burger and coffee before it was time to pack my bags and be on my way.
Moxy Sydney Airport
A few years ago I had the chance to be one of the first people to stay in the Moxy East Village in New York and immediately felt the ‘oh yes’ that comes when you find a hotel that feels right up your alley.
When Australia’s first Moxy hotel opened near Sydney airport I knew where I wanted to stay before my next flight, and as I accepted a welcome cocktail with my room key in the hotel lobby that doubles as a bar those oh yes feelings were back.
At Moxy hotels they know how to make the most of their common spaces, and love to tempt people out of their rooms to mingle with fellow travellers. The Canadian interior design studio MAED. COLLECTIVE have created a shared Living Room with reclaimed vintage lounge chairs, a 1970s photo booth and Skee-Ball game, and spaces including The Record Room that can be a meeting space one minute and an event venue the next.
Upstairs there’s a gleaming laundry with an eye catching, or is that candy, image of a shirtless tattooed man doing a bit of ironing, while the gym has a hopscotch court on the floor alongside the pink weights and workout equipment including stationary and ‘take me off the wall and go for a real ride’ bikes.
The Moxy Sydney Airport has 301 rooms including king and queen options, along with twins and quad bunk beds for families and frugal friends. All rooms have an unusual space saving twist on bathrooms with toilets and showers behind a textured glass wall, and hand poured cement sinks on the other, shared part of the room, side.
If you want to dine or work in your room there are folding furniture chairs and a table doubling as an art installation on the wall alongside a 55-inch flat screen TV. But why stay in when you can meet new travel friends downstairs? Or just enjoy people watching while sipping a ‘Gateway to Play’ gin collaboration between Moxy Airport and Archie Rose Distillers (that’s with apple, native thyme and Dorrigo pepperleaf botanicals for the gin lovers out there) and nibbling the sinfully good Loaded Dough Not Fries with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.
At the end of the night I had to remind myself I was an easy airport shuttle from my flight the next day rather than at a buzzing new Sydney hotel in the city. A whole lot of fun and super airport convenient to boot is an oh yes combination in this gal’s book.
W Sydney, Darling Harbour
Sydney is now home to the world’s biggest W Hotel after the W Sydney opened its doors. The $1 billion hotel has 588 rooms, including 162 suites, a 30-metre, open air infinity pool on the 29th floor, a rooftop bar and W’s signature Living Room Bar, an AWAY Spa that also has another bar, and a state-of-the-art FIT gym.
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And with 1300 square meters of event space across eight rooms, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the harbour from the Great Room, the W Sydney is bound to become a new hot spot for Sydney events.
ADGE Hotel + Residences, Surry Hills
“I can see you wearing my hotel carpet and looking fabulous in it.” As soon as I stepped into my room at ADGE Hotel + Residences I was sending that message with a photo to my friend Athena and seeing her rocking this pattern oh so clearly. Inspired by the Italian fashion houses of the 1950s and ‘60s the rooms are packed with personality, and the style love continues in the hallways which look like they’ve sprung out of a tattoo studio and the industrial lobby with pops of colours in fun chairs.
The ADGE is on Riley Street, Surry Hills, a street I used to live on in my early Sydney days and is next door to an old hotel I’ve stayed in too. The Cambridge Hotel that I knew is currently undergoing a massive overhaul before it becomes part of the $65 million ADGE upgrade. When the renovations are complete, the two sections will share the communal lobby and there’ll be 242 rooms to choose from, but for now there are 93, including the one I called home for the night, 501.
My room has a pod bathroom that you can see out of but not into, and other welcome details including Smeg fridges, smart TVs, and windows that open for fresh air as well as the air con option on hot Sydney days and nights.
202 Elizabeth, Surry Hills
Despite being a former Surry Hills resident, and despite the hotel’s name being its address, I’ll admit I couldn’t quite figure out where 202 Elizabeth was before I went to stay. Turns out the doorway to 202 Elizabeth is a blink and you miss it affair, but from the moment I walked through that door I knew I was in the right place.
202 Elizabeth is a 38-room boutique hotel that’s also known by those in the biz as ‘the impossible build’ thanks to the rather unusual challenges they faced. Landlocked on three sides and with busy Elizabeth Street out the front, traditional construction methods were off the table so they decided to build the hotel from the inside out.
Sydney based Alessi Design + Build constructed most of the hotel offsite and then pieced it together like a jigsaw puzzle with cranes. The hotel is entirely built out of carbon negative, cross laminted timber (CLT) and created zero waste during construction making it one of the most sustainably built hotels around.
Knowing the challenges they faced made me smile as I saw the exposed timber in the lift shaft and stairways, where it still smells like freshly cut wood too.
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202 Elizabeth is adults only and pet friendly, which means while fur babies are allowed, human ones need to wait until they’re 16 years and over.
Every room comes with a king sized bed, a complimentary mini bar with organic soft drinks and snacks, a rain shower with Hunter Lab amenities and striking wallpaper by Kingdom Home Design including roses, pineapples and palm frond designs.
I was lucky enough to stay in The Lizzy, the 40m2 suite on the top floor where I had not one but two walk in showers beside one another, a bathtub, a living area and loads of design touches I loved, down to the most elegant electric kettle I’ve ever seen in a hotel room.
Pet friendly rooms come with balconies and while The Lizzy may be balcony free if I wanted some fresh air I could relax in the courtyard out the back, or on the large rooftop with views over Surry Hills and towards Central Station’s clock tower.
202 Elizabeth may not have a restaurant but they can organise a delicious breakfast in bed and you’re only a short stroll from some great places to eat in Surry Hills and Thai Town.
Kimpton Margot Sydney , CBD
When the boutique hotel pioneers Kimpton arrived in Australia we were among the first to see the Kimpton Margot Sydney.
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Every Kimpton hotel has its own unique identity and the Kimpton Margot Sydney is tapping into the artistic women who helped shape the Australian art scene in the 1930s. As well as setting the hotel in one of the city’s historic Art Deco buildings, the Kimpton Margot Sydney will also create an immersive art program with an eclectic lineup of local artists.
The Kimpton Margot Sydney features 172 luxury rooms and suites, a range of culinary experiences by one of Australia’s top chefs, Luke Mangan, a rooftop swimming pool, in-styled event spaces, and other hotel hallmarks.
Guests are treated to complimentary drinks in the bar from 5-6pm every night, can explore Sydney on two wheels on free Lekker bikes, and there’s no extra cost if you’d like to bring a four legged friend, with Kimpton’s ‘if it fits in the lift’ hotel pet policy extended to this new Sydney stay.
Even if you’re not staying in the hotel we can highly recommend treating yourself to a meal at Luke’s Kitchen or a cocktail in the bar. We were lucky enough to be in town for the first Bottomless Brunch and can happily report that every dish in the five course degustation was a hit. And at $99 it’s insanely good value, especially when you consider the free flowing sparkling Veuve D’Argent Blanc de Blanc Brut and Triennes Rosé Provence rosé.
For an extra treat, say yes when the bloody Mary trolley and the caviar trolley rolls around. This is one brunch you’ll be telling your friends about for weeks.
Capella Sydney, CBD
An exciting addition to the Sydney luxury hotel scene, Capella Sydney opened its doors in March 2023 after a seven year restoration and renovation process.
The first Capella hotel in Australia occupies an entire, albeit smaller, city block and is just a short stroll away from Circular Quay and the Opera House. Capella Sydney has transformed the historic Lands and Education Buildings into 192 guestrooms and suites across nine levels, with Italian Frette linen and a bespoke collection of vegan, sustainable in-room amenities designed in partnership with Haeckels.
There’s a 20m indoor heated pool and a spa, Sandstone Spa and Fitness Centre, a rooftop harbour lounge, in-house restaurant, and gallery room for private events. The hotel’s restaurant Brasserie 1930 has already received two hats from the Good Food Guide and guests can take a more casual dining seat in Aperture in the building’s old quadrangle underneath the bespoke kinetic sculpture Meadow by Studio Drift.
Hotel Morris, CBD
Sydney’s newest oldest hotel originally opened back in 1929 and almost 100 years later has now been reborn as part of Accor’s Handwritten Collection.
The revamped Hotel Morris opened in February 2023 in an Art Deco building that for 34 years claimed the title of Australia’s tallest hotel.
There are now 82 rooms in the boutique heritage listed hotel, and day to night dining options downstairs at Bar Morris where Italian inspired dishes can be enjoyed with Italian and Australian wines.
Aiden Darling Harbour
Set in a landmark 1930s Art Deco building the Aiden Darling Harbour officially opened its doors on the 1st of February 2022, and a couple of days later we were among the very first to stay.
There’s a lot to love in this new boutique hotel, including the gorgeous hand painted murals by award-winning artist in residence Jessica Le Clerc.
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On our sneak peek at the different room types we were able to see how every mural is different, with each of the artworks beside the bed featuring local native flowers. Those in internal rooms have something different. Rather than a mural on the wall they look out onto the hidden mural, a 25m high rainforest scene that’s all the more beautiful on a rainy day.
We also loved the sustainable touches including Moda bottles in the fridge that can be refilled with still or sparkling taps on every floor, and the way the air we were breathing in our room hadn’t been shared with other rooms thanks to the hotel’s state-of-the-art air-conditioning units and filters.
The Aiden Hotel also gets bonus points for having a steamer in every room, as well as a cupboard full of ironing boards and irons in the hallway for those who prefer to go old school when they tackle creases.
Read: New Perth Hotels – the latest ways to stay in WA
The Wayfarer’s Bar & Cafe is a great spot to enjoy a locally brewed beer or a cocktail mixed with local spirits. You can also take the custom bottled cocktails to your room but personally we liked the extra touches in the bar when they added a salt rim and chilli to our Firecracker Margarita.
After opening with 42 guest rooms in February the Aiden will add another 46 rooms from April 2022, with the completed hotel having 88 compact rooms, some with access to an open-air private balcony with harbor and city skyline views. Just in time to become a new place to stay for Vivid Sydney.
Ace Hotel Sydney, Surry Hills
Australia also has its very first Ace Hotel, and as those who’ve stayed in their properties in other parts of the world know, that’s a pretty exciting thing. The Golden Age Group opened its first Australian property in Surry Hills and true to its brand, Ace Hotel Sydney taps into the culture, creativity, and energy of Surry Hills in collaboration with Flack Studio.
This new Sydney hotel features 264 luxury rooms, a communal lobby, a ground-floor cafe and restaurant, a gym for the health buffs, and a rooftop bar and restaurant looking out over the city.
So there we have the new Sydney hotels you need to know for the year ahead. What’s coming next? We look forward to stepping through those doors and sharing it with you.
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