Romantic hotels in Sydney for a grown-up getaway

Spicers Potts Point does intimacy right. This retreat has just 16 rooms and four suites, which means plenty of privacy and personal service. Sweep your special someone off their feet in a Victoria Terrace Suite, where you’ll spend an evening cosied up on sumptuously soft furnishings. Ease into the day on your sun-dappled private terrace, sipping complimentary espresso and loose leaf tea.

The hotel is perfectly placed for sightseeing, too. Be guided around iconic landmarks on a private tour for two, or take to the skies with a helicopter flight complete with three-course lunch. Afternoons bring a delectable selection of complimentary canapés back in the hotel’s long bar. After sunset, retreat to the privacy of your suite for a sensual soak in the freestanding bath.

Head north of the city to Jonah’s Boutique Hotel for a weekend on one of Sydney’s finest beaches. It’s all about water-themed luxury in your room, where you’ll find a deep spa bath and private ocean-facing balcony. Fill your days with blissful strolls along the sandy shore, then refresh with a dip in the hotel’s outdoor pool. Call on in-house spa therapists for an indulgent in-room aromatherapy massage, or treat yourself to top-to-toe luxury with a Total Body Overhaul package.

As for dining, take a table alongside floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the restaurant, or drift out to the ocean-facing terrace for seared Tasmanian scallops and tongue-tingling lemon tart. A vodka-laced Zenzero cocktail is the ideal accompaniment to the soothing sound of the waves under the moonlit sky.

Whisk your loved one away to Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney, a cool oasis among the skyscrapers of downtown. A Jamison Club Executive Suite does up heavy romance, with a sumptuous chaise lounge, evening drinks and canapés and panoramic views of Darling Harbour.

The hotel’s day spa is on hand for luxurious tandem treats. Unwind in the double treatment room with a couples massage, then migrate to the Jacuzzi and enjoy some time together in the bubbling waters. Come dinnertime, Croft Restaurant offers a farm-to-table feast featuring hickory-smoked duck breast and cured Torello rose veal. After a glass of Veuve Clicquot in Silo Bar, head up to your room to sink into the crisp sheets of your king-sized bed.

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay just drips decadence and old-world romance. You’ll arrive to red carpet treatment, literally. Sweep through the sparkling lobby past antique Georgian furniture and up to your elegantly appointed room. In an Executive Suite with a plush king-sized bed, you get an intimate Juliet balcony that evokes Shakespeare’s most famous lovers.

In the on-site restaurant, The Dining Room, you’ll feast beneath hand-cut chandeliers. Savour crisp zucchini fritters followed by beef top sirloin, then finish your enchanting evening with a drink in the Highlander Whiskey Bar. Plan for the next day by booking an aromatherapy massage at the hotel’s Serendipity Miss Beauty Spa, or just make a date with the steamy sauna.

Dressed in art-deco charm and in the beating heart of the city, The Grace Sydney is an ideal spot for romance. You’ve got shops, world-famous sights and cultural attractions on your doorstep, or you can simply bask in the steam room and indoor pool or languidly laze on the sun deck. The historic hotel houses four different eateries, including a Japanese restaurant and an authentic Irish pub, so you’ll have plenty of choice when it comes time for a shared meal.

Mornings are an unhurried affair – espresso from the machine in your Junior Suite, a long soak in the bath built for two, then flaky pastries in elegant Grace Brasserie. Stroll 15 minutes to the harbour and explore the cobbled laneways and market stalls around The Rocks. Marvel at the majesty of the Harbour Bridge overhead, then slip into the Sydney Opera House for a guided tour of this World Heritage-listed architectural masterpiece.

Sydney’s Coogee Bay Hotel was made for idyllic nights by the beach. Watch the waves from the furnished balcony of a Boutique Ocean View Room, or upgrade to an Ocean Spa room and share a bubbling spa bath. Blending coastal town vibes with a splash of Victorian-era influence and a pinch of Pacific Ocean views, this place is one potent love potion.

Spend sun-soaked days on the golden sands of Coogee Beach, or take your time over an alfresco breakfast of poached eggs and king crab fritters topped with salmon roe. An onsite bottle shop is a handy place to grab champagne in case you’ve got a question to pop along with the cork.

Discover Sydney’s bohemian side at the Larmont Sydney by Lancemore. This award-winning hotel is in quirky Potts Point, a part of the city that has maintained its free-spirited roots even through the area’s gentrification.

After a romantic room-service breakfast of sweet pastries and a hot panini to share, join in on complimentary yoga at the Body Mind Life studio. Breath in that sea air as you stroll to dreamy Rushcutters Bay Park, where you can grab a coffee from the kiosk and watch boats bobbing on the water.

Dinners are an intimate affair at the hotel’s own Penny Ln restaurant. Enjoy seasonal dishes like rosemary-crusted dorper lamb rump and salt-baked beetroot, then head back to your Balcony Suite for a nightcap on your private terrace.

Pack a weekend bag for a taste of the high life at Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour Hotel. Hugging Circular Quay, the hotel offers views of the Royal Botanic Gardens and the shimmering harbour. The fridge in your gourmet kitchen will keep your wine and chocolates the perfect temperature for you to enjoy on your private balcony or in your corner spa bath.

Order a room service breakfast to eat on your terrace, or wander down to Circular Quay for brunch at the Museum of Contemporary Art after a long lie-in. Seek out the hotel’s sultry sauna to melt away any remaining cares, or for a change of pace, zip around the harbour on a jet boat ride. You’re moments from the iconic Opera House at all times, so book ahead to take in a show.

The Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour Hotel was made for date nights. Soaring above the reimagined Darling Harbour precinct, rooms are warmly decorated and boast cushy King Koil bedding. Sleep in late, then have a decadent breakfast by the water at a Darling Harbour café.

The city centre’s just across Pyrmont Bridge. Wander over to splash some cash in the historic Queen Victoria Building, or head up Sydney Tower for sky-high views. The walk will work up your appetite for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, The Ternary, where you’ll feast on flavour-packed creations like fried soft-shell crab and mango crème brûlée.