Best Luxury Hotels in Sydney

With sweeping views of both Darling Harbor and Sydney Cove, the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney is one of the most desirable hotels in the city. Asian-inspired interiors are luxurious, and the large and bright rooms have big marble bathrooms complete with separate showers and soaking tubs. Amenities are extensive, and include a peaceful indoor pool, modern fitness center, a destination restaurant, and serene spa. With 563 rooms, the hotel may not be intimate, but the polished interiors and great views make it worth the price tag.

This historic boutique’s 100 rooms and lofts have a posh, nautical style, with dark wood accents, deep blues and wood beams, as well as modern amenities. The hotel's hot spot, WaterBar, is an impressive cathedral-meets-warehouse lounge with an extensive food and cocktail menu, stylish seating, stunning high ceilings and an overall ultra-cool ambiance. Other high-end features include a large heated indoor lap pool with outdoor sun deck, a modern fitness center, and amazing views.

The Amora is a bright, contemporary luxury hotel, with minimalist, modern rooms, some with beautiful harbor or city views. The modern tile bathrooms have walk-in showers and separate large soaking tubs. Outside the rooms, the hotel has two trendy restaurants and two bars, a tiny fitness center, a small but contemporary spa, and an attractive indoor pool.

The Marriott has a few notable features, including a sophisticated lobby with fresh orchids, marble floors, and a cozy guest lounge, a classy restaurant with beautiful views of Hyde Park, and a rooftop pool with great city views. Rooms, though somewhat chain-like, have bright accent walls, upscale amenities such as flat-screen TVs, plush beds with crisp white linens, and stylish, contemporary artwork on the walls.

Everything about the 70 rooms in the chic Quest Potts Point hotel is luxurious but small, which helps . Bright, stylish rooms have mirrored surfaces to create the illusion of more space, cool striped chairs, and tiny, but very functional, kitchenettes. Bathrooms are floor-to-ceiling marble but aren't entirely private due to fogged glass doors. One perk here is the rooftop terrace, full of seating for taking in the views, and the location in the King's Cross area is great for experiencing the bohemian culture and nightlife of Sydney.

The style throughout this upscale, 80-room boutique is trendy and contemporary; the lobby has plush, electric blue seating, and rooms have clean-lined, retro-modern furniture, dramatic headboards, and crisp white bedding. Some suites -- such as the courtyard suite -- feature private terraces and great views of the city. Guests have free access to the big