Sydney Australia Hotels & Motels

When to Visit Sydney, Australia

Sydney's location in the southern hemisphere means that you will need to plan for a seasonal change when traveling (and packing!). It will be colder in Sydney from March-August. If you're headed to the city to frolic on its miles of sunny beaches, to go diving, or to spend time on the water, you may wish to visit in the warmer months of September-February. However, the ocean's close proximity moderates the temperature so that it never gets too chilly to visit, not below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Surfers also flock to the area for some of the world's finest waves at picturesque Bondi Beach.

Affordable hotel rates can be had in Sydney all year long, but you'll score the best deals outside of the summer beach season. Winter or fall, you'll still find plenty of fun activities in Sydney, beginning in the heart of it all at the Circular Quay. Here you can stand in the shadow of the Opera House, or step inside for a fantastic show. Other activities for all seasons are the Museum of Contemporary Art, or admiring the noble facades of the Customs House Library, or steeping yourself in the city's history at the Museum of Sydney. A springtime stroll and window shopping on Oxford and Williams Streets is also an enjoyable all-season activity.

Best Sydney, Australia Hotel Discounts

Sydney hotels don't offer much in the way of AAA, AARP, or military discounts, but you will certainly save money if you plan well in advance and secure a rate online. Many hotels offer special online-only discounts to invite early bookings.

Save money by visiting Sydney during the city's off-season, September through November and March through May. Tourists, especially those from countries in the Northern hemisphere who are seeking warmer weather, tend to visit during Australia's peak summer months to head to the beaches. So visitors coming during Australia's spring and fall seasons will enjoy lighter tourist crowds and the benefit of lower hotel rates.

Additionally, you can save more by booking room blocks. This is of particular interest to anyone considering travel to Sydney for a destination wedding, reunion, conference, or exhibition. Booking a block of hotel rooms will often yield a savings of 10-25 percent on rooms.

Best Value Options in Sydney, Australia

Book well in advance, and your money will go a long way in Sydney. The 4-star hotel Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour excels in style and substance, with a great historic site in the Pyrmont District to match. International and business travelers will love the hotel's minimalist style and its convenient location in the financial district, which is only a short walk from the Sydney Convention Center. In the halls of the Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour you'll see contemporary art in fascinating contrast to the building's original 1888 architecture. Luxurious, yet highly modern styling extends to the rooms as well, like subway tiled bathrooms, rainfall showerheads, and standing tubs. There is an onsite fitness facility and an excellent hotel restaurant and coffee shop. You'll save on cocktails at the complimentary reception, held daily for guests, capping off a luxurious stay for half the price of a luxury hotel.

If you came to Sydney for the waves but don't want to pay beachfront hotel prices, you're in luck. Dive Hotel Coogee boasts an oceanfront location that is close to Sydney's famous Bondi Beach, only minutes from Coogee Beach and Wiley's Baths. The cozy 4-star hotel helps cut costs by offering in-room kitchenettes with fridges and microwaves, so you can take a break from the beach to make a sandwich or snack in your own room. You'll find all the conveniences you need during your stay, like coffeemakers, ironing boards, and free wireless internet. If you need to catch a ride to a site or into town, hop on the shuttle for a minor surcharge. The daily, complimentary continental breakfast adds to the value you'll enjoy while staying at the charming and convenient Dive Hotel Coogee.

Sydney, Australia - Foodie Haven

The harbor city's explosive growth over the last few decades has ushered in a new era of fusion foods. The city has become a melting pot of fusion flavors with a dining scene that is second to none. Asian and Middle Eastern influences carouse with modern and experimental fare. Outdoor dining options are abundant in Sydney, at stellar places like Quay, which is consistently ranked amongst the best restaurants in the world and overlooks the Sydney Opera House.

Then there are the quirky little nooks and hole-in-the-wall cafes, like Bourke Street Bakery. It's a tiny place, so you may end up devouring your coveted pastries and sausage rolls at a sidewalk café table under a blue sky. Dining in the city is an elite experience for the taste buds, but the restaurants are always approachable and often casual. Tapas are also favorites here, because dining in Sydney is always a social experience – meant for sharing.

Travel overview of Sydney, Australia

Australia's official capital may come as a shock to some, as Sydney is almost always regarded as the country's capital. Sydney is the capital of New South Wales, and remains Australia's most populous and largest city. Situated at the edge of Tasman Sea's southeastern coast, the city's inhabitants are a mix of people from all over the world, giving the city a diverse character. Built around the famous Sydney Harbor, images of the Sydney Opera House immediately occupy anyone's mind. But tourists need to know that the city's glamour goes past beyond its Port Jackson icons. Sydney is surrounded by the notable parks of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Hyde Park. Its coastlines are made famous by news of the Bondi Beach, which makes one of the most livable cities in the world an exciting place to live in, even with all that tan. Sydney is one of the world's busiest ports because of the international array of tourism, education, music, entertainment, and commerce, making it an Alpha World City and one of the most innovative cities in the world.

"Sydney is rather like an arrogant lover. When it rains it can deny you its love and you can find it hard to relate to. It's not a place that's built to be rainy or cold. But when the sun comes out, it bats its eyelids, it's glamorous, beautiful, attractive, smart, and it's very hard to get away from its magnetic pull."
Baz Luhrmann, a famous film writer and director who has spent much of his life trying to create fabulous movies in Sydney, summed up his feeling about this city in these eloquent manner. Poetic as they may be, these are the words of truth, for Sydney is indeed like an amorous interest, a place where you think everything is perfect until something gives way. 

For most people who have “ for whatever periods of time “ resided in Sydney for work, education, family or any other reason, Sydney holds a special place in their hearts. There are few other cities who could pull off that look Sydney bears when it's high summer, just the beginning of the New Year, with sun shining high and mighty, streets full of enthusiastic people and when you would be forgiven to mistake its beauty for loyalty, charms for sophistication and love for affection. 

Sydney itself bears a special position in the history of Australia, a country notoriously rugged and dotted with great cities along its coasts while the heart of it still lies uninhabited, waiting for the next wave of settlers to come and pitch some tents. 

Tourists who are taken in by the high-praise that Sydney regularly receives from fellow travelers, or those who are going to visit Sydney for work, there is a lot in store for you. 

To help you get over the initial confusion, we have rounded up some rudimentary information about hotels in Sydney in this write-up. 

Living on a Shoestring Budget in Sydney 

Tourists who do not have a good deal of financial resources to back their Sydney trip need have some reasons to think twice. 

Sydney, though not quite Melbourne, is still an expensive city to live in, given that it ranks among top ten cities (worldwide) in terms of human development index and happiness index. So, on that account, it could turn out to be an uphill task to try and find cheap hotels that will help you crash at night in peace. 

But if there's a will, there's a way. 

Even though cheap hotels in Sydney may not be as cheap as you would have liked, there are a handful of choice you will never go wrong with. 

The Darling “ named after Australia's most loved river “ is a popular tourist choice when it comes to affordable and budget hotels in Sydney. Located in a strategically convenient place, the Darling provides safety, convenience, affordability and comfort, all bundled up in a nice package. 

Woolbrokers' Hotel is another entry in this segment, located at a short distance from the city center. The Russell Hotel and Abey Hotel can also be explored if you are looking for budget accommodation in Sydney. 

Living Life “ King Size 

Sydney really comes into its own when we talk about expensive, luxury hotel and resort establishments that, at times, put royal palaces to public shame. 

Shangri-La Hotel Sydney is the most preferred luxury hotel in this city of lights, closely followed by industry bigwigs like InterContinental Sydney and Sheraton on the Park. 

The Westin also makes a remarkable appearance in Sydney with its brand name that tourists can blindly trust. 1888 Hotel is another luxury hotel that is housed in a heritage aristocratic home. 

Living in such luxury Sydney hotels will only make your trip more memorable, enjoyable and certainly, worth the while! 

What Are The Alternatives? 

Tourists of the third kind do not much care about luxury hotel or resort suites, and they surely do not get attracted to the prospect of saving money by staying at a budget hotel. 

For such sticklers, Sydney provides a number of independent options. Renting a studio apartment in a posh neighborhood of Sydney can be a great way of staying in luxury with the warmth of a house, for example. 

Similarly, a number of holiday rentals and summer houses regularly go on rent in Sydney. These, however, tend to be on the costlier side, meaning that tourists need to think twice before going with them! 

Sydney Sightseeing Tips 

The only factor one needs to be aware of while sightseeing in Sydney is the fact that it can get really hot and humid during summer months. So, you should be best equipped to tackle heat strokes and dehydration, by carrying with yourself a bottle of water or keeping yourself hydrated with the help of energy drinks. 

It may sound trivial, but it's quite important “ especially because nobody would want to visit hospitals in an expensive city like Sydney, where your native healthcare plans do not work! 

Sydeny: Ideal Time to Visit & Weather 

For those who are not aware, Australia lies in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning that weather conditions experienced ˜down under' are diametrically opposite to those experienced in the Northern Hemisphere. 

The summer in Sydney starts just before Christmas, in the first or second week of December. So, December is a pretty good month to schedule your Sydney trip in. Tourists, however, need to be advised that December also marks the costliest month in terms of tourism in Sydney. If you are thinking of traveling to Sydney in December, you better be prepared to shell out extra hundreds of dollars in costlier air fares and even costlier hotel expenses. 

Summer in Australia draws to a close as February nears its end. This can also be good time to visit Sydney, especially as the throngs of tourists in Sydney are on the wane in this period. 

Majority of Sydney hotels tend to up their tariffs by as much as 40% during the height of summer, when most streets in Sydney are brimming with tourists and places like Sydney Opera House are virtually impossible to get into!