City breaks plus bubbles: Sydney hotels with in-room hot tubs

Overlooking the photo-famous harbour, Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour Hotel is just a stone’s throw from many of the city’s top attractions. Get a lay of the land in your chic room, where curtains can be swept aside to reveal an unparalleled view of either Sydney Harbour or the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Start the morning by relaxing in your own private spa tub before heading to the onsite gym and pool to squeeze in an early-bird workout. When you return from sightseeing, you can make the most of the postcard views on the recreation deck that looks over Circular Quay. As for sunset, grab your tipple of choice at the Hacienda Sydney vista bar and watch the day wane over the Harbour Bridge.

The Darling is a fresh and contemporary take on luxury living. You’ll be soaring high above some of Sydney’s ritziest neighbourhoods here, with Balmain and Glebe visible through your room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. After taking in the bespoke furniture, unique art walls and a custom pillow menu, check out your relaxing bathroom paved in cool marble tiles. Round spa tubs in choice suites come with unobstructed sightlines over the city.

Outdoors, the 25m lap pool is open year-round – in the warmer seasons, you can order heavenly treatments from Darling Spa right to the poolside. When you’re through with your splash and massage, catch a cosy gig or a beat-blasting concert at The Star Event Centre nearby. If theatre’s more your style, the Sydney Lyric Theatre puts on a thrilling itinerary of musicals, performances and ballets.

With views of the iconic Sydney Opera House out its windows, the centrally located Park Hyatt Sydney offers guests a lavish stay in contemporary suites. Splash out on a premium suite to dial up the pampering – you can drop your bags in your spacious lounge area, then ease into your sparkling marble spa bath to start your city break off right.

After a leisurely morning coffee on your private balcony, head out to explore The Rocks – a historic neighbourhood of laneways bursting with cosy cafés, friendly pubs and independent shops. A stroll around the cobbled paths will take you through artisanal markets, art galleries and museums full of history. Alternatively, you can get your art fix right in the hotel – it’s home to 155 original pieces of art commissioned from talented Australian artists.

Located in Circular Quay, the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay’s the place to stay if shopping is at the top of your harbour city to-do list. Amid the bustling CBD is Pitt Street Mall, a pedestrianised section of the road that features designer shops, busy malls and restaurants. From flagship chain stores to unique independent shops, it’s Sydney’s number one shopping spot.

As for the hotel, the grandeur starts right when you enter. You’ll be greeted by the Greatroom, a modern space that echoes the cosmopolitan backdrop of the surrounding CBD. After a long day pounding pavements, head up to your classic guest space decked out in soothing, neutral tones and contemporary art pieces like maps of Sydney. Your tiled, monochrome bathroom will be waiting to welcome you back with a long soak in the whirlpool bath.

A renowned name in the hotel world, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney lives up to its reputation. The Opera House and Harbour Bridge glimmer from beyond guestroom windows, so you can take in the top sights as soon as you wake in signature bed linens.

Fill your marble spa bath with speciality Shangri-La toiletries while room service delivers a silky flat white and eggs with avocado. After scrubbing up, slip on a plush bathrobe and wander down to the health club. You can while away the day swimming leisurely laps in the tranquil pool, soak in the Jacuzzi or top up your tan on the sundeck bathed in the famed Sydney sun.

The Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney blends perfectly with its downtown Sydney setting. You’ll take in the city lights from soaring windows in your plush guest space, then shut out the urban buzz entirely with blackout curtains when you want to snooze. In choice rooms and suites, you can take in the cityscape right from your deep soaker spa bath.

The relaxation continues around the heated indoor swimming pool framed by reclining daybeds. Swim a few leisurely laps here, or unwind in the bubbling Jacuzzi before sweating out any lingering stresses in the sauna and steam room. When hunger strikes, make your way to Croft Restaurant, where farm-to-fork fare showcases the fruits of the Aussie earth. Tuck into mouthwatering mushroom saffron ravioli or pastrami crusted lamb loin with a side of rustic lemon and chilli chips – just leave some room for a glass or two of sweet Moscato at Silo Bar as a nightcap.

For those looking to embrace Sydney’s beachy side, Kims Beachside Retreat is exactly what it sounds like: an idyllic beachfront stay in serene surroundings. Around an hour’s drive north of Sydney in Toowoon Bay, the retreat consists of 34 individual bungalows and villas spread over 2.5 hectares of sub-tropical rainforest.

You’ll find your cabin tucked between bamboo groves. Sink into the bubbles of your heated outdoor Jacuzzi with a glass of wine, or opt for a room with an indoor spa bath or your own private swimming pool if you want to up the seclusion even more. The pampering doesn’t stop there, either; you can book a healing treatment at the onsite nature spa. Come dinnertime, swing by the restaurant for a satiating buffet meal. You can sample delicate sashimi, fresh seafood, international cheeses and hearty main courses before swaying to live music at the hotel’s own cocktail bar.