Sensational Sydney hotels with harbour views for a picture-perfect stay

For travellers on a budget, the Sydney Harbour YHA offers not only shared dorm rooms, but also private rooms. This is by far the most affordable accommodation offering a Sydney Harbour view.

Nestled in the middle of The Rocks, this award-winning hostel boasts an incredible view of the Sydney Opera House from its rooftop terrace. When you stay here, you have the luxury of starting your day with breakfast on the roof or ending it relaxing in a rooftop egg chair, watching the sunset over the harbour.

Or if you’re in the mood to socialise, why not join in on one of the events put on by the hostel? From pub crawls to walking tours to communal dinners, the Sydney Harbour YHA makes it easy to get to know the city and enjoy it with some new friends.

Private rooms at this hostel come with most of the amenities you’d expect at a hotel, including free Wi-Fi, an ensuite bathroom, air conditioning, and fresh linens and towels. Premium private rooms offer partial city and harbour views as well as flat-screen TVs.

Venturing north of the Harbour Bridge to McMahon’s Point, the Harbourside Apartments sit right on the waterfront with direct views across the harbour to the bridge and Opera House.

Unlike other Sydney hotels with harbour views, this one is a serviced apartment complex with studios and one-two bedroom apartments, all of which come equipped with a full kitchen and daily maid service. It’s a great option for those Sydney visitors who want to live more like a local and be able to prepare their own meals or spend time unwinding in their own living area.

All rooms have a view of either Lavender Bay or inner Sydney Harbour, but rest assured that no matter which room type you’ve booked, you can enjoy an expansive panoramic view of the Sydney skyline from the waterfront swimming pool and BBQ area.

For those seeking unique harbour view accommodation in Sydney, Q Station sits on outer Sydney Harbour near Manly and offers a different perspective. Rather than boasting views of the skyline and its two major landmarks (which are just a 30-minute ferry ride away), this hotel is delightfully removed from the bustle of the city and more in touch with nature.

Here you’ll be able to relax and take in the dramatic cliffs of the nearby headlands and the daily slew of sailboats passing by, or you might opt to go for a bushwalk or bike ride around North Head Sanctuary.

Q Station also happens to be steeped in history, being Sydney’s former quarantine station for newly-arrived migrants in Australia. All of its buildings have been kept intact from their original yellow paint to their heavy window panes. Q Station offers history tours of its old heritage buildings as well as their famous ghost tours, which rattle guests with ghost stories from one of Australia’s most haunted sites.

The guest rooms are all rooms that the migrants would have stayed in, but with a contemporary twist to cater to today’s visitors. Each room boasts a view of either Sydney Harbour, the surrounding national park, or the old heritage buildings.

Sydney’s leafy Eastern Suburbs make for a fine base for exploring the city. Located just five kilometres from the city centre, the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay is a waterfront boutique hotel just a five-minute walk from the nearest beach and ferry wharf.

This five-star hotel is excellent value for money. Guest rooms are equipped with a private balcony, marble bathroom, and floor-to-ceiling windows, which face out towards either Sydney Harbour or the hotel’s courtyard garden.

The InterContinental’s rooftop is what really steals the show, though. Its legendary infinity pool with stunning harbour views is exclusive to hotel guests, but non-guests can linger at the adjacent rooftop bar. Pool-goers are provided with sun loungers, sunscreen, and beach towels – all the essentials for a lazy afternoon relaxing in the sun.

In addition, the on-site Stillery Bar & Restaurant hosts an elegant cocktail bar and incorporates locally-sourced seafood and produce into its menu options. This is the place to go if you want to sample some Sydney Rock Oysters, which are said to be the best oysters in all of Australia.

With 565 rooms and suites spread across 40 floors, the Shangri-La Hotel is one of the largest hotels in Sydney and boasts the largest windows of any harbourfront hotel to match. The vistas from the higher floors are particularly stunning, with rooms and suites offering numerous different views. From Darling Harbour to Balmain Bay, the harbour landmarks to the distant Blue Mountains, you can choose a room with a view in whichever direction you prefer.

As for the guest rooms themselves, all feature modern contemporary design and furnishings including marble bathrooms, a pillow menu, Signature bed linen and toiletries, and a separate bath and shower. The Shangri-La suites take luxury to the next level with a lounge area and second flatscreen TV, a DVD home theatre entertainment system, and access to the exclusive Horizon Club Lounge (which faces the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House and spans four floors).

The on-site Blue Bar on 36 is popular amongst both guests and non-guests for special occasions or date night drinks. It’s the kind of place that calls for dressing up in the finest outfit you’ve packed in your suitcase and enjoying some fancy cocktails while gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Sydney Harbour.

Ever dreamt of sleeping on the world’s longest timber-piled wharf? If you haven’t, then this is just one added perk of staying at Hotel Ovolo Woolloomooloo. Located just outside of Sydney CBD, Finger Wharf is equipped with plenty of dining and entertainment options to accompany your stay at this hotel.

Just steps from the hotel lobby you’ll find the trendy China Doll restaurant, Old Fitz Theatre, and Artspace Gallery, which are popular amongst Sydneysiders and tourists alike. Hotel Ovolo is more unique and personalized than the average cookie-cutter hotel and offers guests an authentic experience in Sydney.

From the outside, passersby can admire the hotel’s stylish French windows with teal blue accents. On the inside, each room tells an Australian story through local artwork and caters to the tech-savvy with an in-room iPad, smart TV, and electric blinds. Some rooms offer a view of the Sydney skyline and harbour.

When staying at Hotel Ovolo, be sure to stop at the famous Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, stationed just around the corner from the wharf. This little outpost is a must-visit to sample some of the best Aussie pies around.

True to its name, Pier One Sydney Harbour commands a prime spot on the harbour just around the corner from the Harbour Bridge. It’s one of the best Sydney hotels with harbour views, featuring rooms and suites that overlook Walsh Bay or the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This independent boutique hotel was created out of a repurposed shipping wharf in 1999 and newly renovated in 2019. The building’s maritime history is well preserved throughout the hotel, with each guest room being slightly different from the next. Each room and suite boasts unique heritage windows, a refurbished ensuite bathroom with a stone vanity, and a Nespresso coffee machine. Some suites include a deep bathtub for extra relaxation and a balcony with panoramic harbour views.

For the ultimate five-star luxury hotel experience, you’ll want to splash out for a room at the Park Hyatt Sydney. There’s no other place where you can lounge around a rooftop pool with a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side and the Sydney Opera House on the other (and be the envy of all the tourists walking around just four stories below!).

Rooms and suites at the Park Hyatt don’t come cheap, but they do come with custom furnishings, designer lighting, and specially commissioned artwork by local Australian artists. With a natural, contemporary feel (think shades of chocolate, beige, and cream throughout) and private balconies overlooking Sydney Harbour, the Park Hyatt is the pinnacle of luxury in Sydney.