sydney afterglow

Sydney Opera House (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Still in the afterglow of my trip to Australia, and the picture above is my favorite memory from the trip. Our group enjoyed a private harbour cruise that included lunch. Towards the end of the trip, we passed the Opera House and passed under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, providing the beautiful framed view in the picture above. Sydney is a truly beautiful city with some great hotels. I had the opportunity to stay at and/or visit three of them.

Four Seasons Sydney is perfectly located right at the entrance to the Rocks area of Sydney — full of shopping and dining possibilities. A beautiful city hotel, Four Seasons has two categories of guest rooms, Deluxe and Premier. You should definitely go for the Premier category! Though the Deluxe room (280 sq. ft.) will suffice for a single traveler, it may feel cramped for a couple or for someone staying more than a couple of nights. The Premier Rooms are double the size (a very spacious 570 sq. ft.) and not very much more. Looking at rates for 28JUN, 2016, Deluxe Rooms range from 275 AUD - 355 AUD depending on view. Premier Rooms begin at 375 AUD. Double the space for just $73 USD ... it's a no-brainer! These rates include the Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities; though contractural obligations prevent me from listing the amenities (such as the complimentary breakfasts and other perks you'd expect), email me for complete details; you won't be disappointed.

What about views? I actually found the view from the City rooms to be quite interesting, especially from the higher floors, but the splurge to book a Full Harbour room is worth it. My view from an "09" room looked directly at the Opera House; check out the view of Vivid Sydney as photographed from my window.

Langham Sydney is the boutique choice in Sydney, just 98 rooms and suites. Formerly The Observatory, an Orient Express (now Belmond) property, Langham has totally renovated the property. Rooms are much lighter, the original dark wood paneling now painted in shades of off-white with pastel accent colors. The interior style of guest rooms is more feminine than the other hotels I visited in Sydney, and The Langham would be a good choice for couples who prefer a less corporate-feeling hotel.

What about location? The hotel is located on an attractive residential street lined with two-story historical buildings. Just a 10 minute walk from the Rocks area of Sydney, the one thing you won't get is a view of the Opera House from your room. Some rooms have a Western Harbour view. I can provide Virtuoso amenities at the Langham which include an upgrade if available, daily buffet breakfast for two, $100 F&B credit, and complimentary WiFi.

Park Hyatt Sydney is a recently constructed low-rise hotel right on the harbour with a direct view of the Opera House. Though more expensive than the other two hotels, you will not be disappointed with a stay. I recommend booking a room with a direct, uninterrupted view of the Sydney Opera House — either the Opera Room (430-485 sq ft) or an Opera Deluxe (807 sq ft).

Truly a WOW hotel, book the Harbour Suite for a most incredible view. Virtuoso amenities include an upgrade if available (but not from room to Suite), full breakfast, and $100 spa credit.

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.