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Sydney hotels

Live prices · checked 15 Nov 2026, 18:52 Sydney time

Where to stay in Sydney.

Sydney is spread around a harbour, so the useful question is which part of it suits your trip. These are 40 of Sydney's best-reviewed 4–5★ hotels (the top few in each area), priced live for Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026 (2 nights, 2 adults), sorted by the area they are in.

For Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026 the typical nightly price is lowest around Airport and Mascot (AUD 307) and highest around Manly (AUD 834).

Guests

The areas side by side.

Sydney areas compared by typical nightly price, Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026
AreaHotels pricedTypical per night
Airport and Mascot5AUD 307
North Sydney and Milsons Point4AUD 357
Parramatta and Olympic Park5AUD 368
Surry Hills and Central4AUD 443
Potts Point and Kings Cross3AUD 453
Circular Quay and The Rocks5AUD 510
CBD and Town Hall4AUD 532
Darling Harbour and Barangaroo5AUD 554
Manly2AUD 834

Typical = the middle price of the hotels priced in that area, for Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026.

Circular Quay and The Rocks.

The harbour front by the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, with the old streets of The Rocks behind it and the ferry wharves in the middle.

Best for:
First visits where you want to walk to the landmarks.
Getting around:
Circular Quay station and the ferry wharves are beside it, so trains and harbour ferries start here.

The 4 cheapest of the 5 best-reviewed hotels priced here.

CBD and Town Hall.

The city centre between Circular Quay and Central, with George Street, the shopping and the main train stations.

Best for:
A central base with the most hotel choice.
Getting around:
Town Hall, Wynyard and Martin Place stations are in it, and the light rail runs along George Street.

Darling Harbour and Barangaroo.

A pedestrian waterfront of restaurants and entertainment on the west side of the CBD, with the convention centre.

Best for:
Families, conferences and dining by the water.
Getting around:
The Inner West light rail and the Barangaroo and Pyrmont Bay ferries stop here; the nearest train station is Town Hall.

The 4 cheapest of the 5 best-reviewed hotels priced here.

Pyrmont.

A mostly residential harbour-side suburb next to Darling Harbour, home to The Star casino and the Sydney Fish Market.

Best for:
A quieter base a short walk from the CBD.
Getting around:
Light rail stops at Pyrmont Bay and The Star; the ferry wharf is at Pyrmont Bay.

Surry Hills and Central.

A food-focused inner suburb with Sydney's cafés and restaurants and a large LGBTQIA+ community, next to Central station.

Best for:
Eating out and nights out, with good transport.
Getting around:
Central station is on its western edge and the light rail has a stop on Devonshire Street.

Potts Point and Kings Cross.

Harbour-side streets east of the CBD with a mix of restaurants, bars and late-night places.

Best for:
Nightlife and harbour views, a walk from the CBD.
Getting around:
Kings Cross station is on the T4 Eastern Suburbs line.

Paddington.

Victorian terraces and the boutiques of Oxford Street, with a Saturday market.

Best for:
Shopping and a quieter, residential feel.
Getting around:
The nearest train station is Edgecliff; buses run along Oxford Street.

North Sydney and Milsons Point.

The business district on the north side of the Harbour Bridge, with the harbour and the city skyline across the water.

Best for:
Business trips and harbour views, a few minutes from the CBD by train.
Getting around:
North Sydney station is on the north shore train line, a short ride across the Harbour Bridge from Wynyard.

Bondi.

Sydney's best-known beach, about 7 km east of the CBD.

Best for:
Beach stays. You are away from the city sights.
Getting around:
There is no train to the beach; visitors usually take a train to Bondi Junction and a bus on.

Manly.

A beach suburb on the north side of the harbour, reached by ferry from Circular Quay.

Best for:
Beach stays with a ferry commute to the city.
Getting around:
Ferries run between Manly Wharf and Circular Quay.

Airport and Mascot.

Hotels around Sydney Airport in Mascot, about 9 km south of the CBD.

Best for:
Early flights and late arrivals.
Getting around:
Trains on the Airport and South line (T8) run from the airport stations to the CBD. An airport station access fee applies on top of the fare; check Transport for NSW for the current amount.

The 4 cheapest of the 5 best-reviewed hotels priced here.

Parramatta and Olympic Park.

Western Sydney: Parramatta's centre and Sydney Olympic Park, home to Accor Stadium and the Royal Easter Show.

Best for:
Stadium events and the Easter Show.
Getting around:
Parramatta is on the T1, T2 and T5 train lines and has a light rail; Olympic Park has its own station and ferry wharf.

The 4 cheapest of the 5 best-reviewed hotels priced here.

Questions.

Where is the best area to stay in Sydney for a first visit?

Most guides recommend Circular Quay and The Rocks, or the CBD just behind it, for a first visit, because the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the ferries are within walking distance. For Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026, the cheapest hotels we can book there are Little National Hotel Sydney (AUD 428 a night, 9.4/10, free cancellation); Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney (AUD 485 a night, 8.4/10, non-refundable); Paradox Sydney (AUD 510 a night, 8.9/10, non-refundable).

Where should I stay in Sydney to be near the beach?

Bondi is the best-known beach, about 7 km east of the CBD, and Manly is the other main choice across the harbour. For Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026, the cheapest hotels we can book there are The Blue Hotel Bondi (AUD 425 a night, 8.3/10, non-refundable).

Where should I stay in Sydney near the airport?

Mascot is the suburb around the airport, on the T8 Airport and South train line to the CBD. For Fri 20 Nov – Sun 22 Nov 2026, the cheapest hotels we can book there are Citadines Connect Sydney Airport (AUD 232 a night, 8.3/10, non-refundable); Travelodge Hotel Sydney Airport (AUD 287 a night, 8.3/10, non-refundable); Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel (AUD 307 a night, 8.3/10, free cancellation).

Is there a hotel tax or tourist levy in Sydney?

As of October 2026 we found no accommodation levy in New South Wales or Sydney. Prices advertised to consumers in Australia must include GST (10%), and every price on this page does.

How are these prices worked out?

Each price is the cheapest bookable room for the whole 2-night stay for 2 adults, in AUD, with GST counted, including any part the hotel collects at check-in. They are checked live through Fostay's hotel supplier and refreshed every six hours.

How are the areas drawn?

Each hotel is placed with the nearest landmark in the list (Circular Quay and The Rocks, CBD and Town Hall, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo, Pyrmont and so on) if it is within about a kilometre of it, a little more for the large areas. Hotels farther from all of them are left off this page; they are on the full Sydney list. The areas are a guide to walking distance, not official districts.

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