2 Best Hotels in Sydney, New South Wales

In its character as well as its dimensions, this friendly B&B on a quiet part of a bar- and club-lined street is reminiscent of a European pensione. Simple, tastefully outfitted rooms come with high-quality beds and linens, as well as wooden blinds over the windows. Access to the four floors of rooms is via a small staircase, and there is no elevator. There are single, double and superior rooms, the latter suitable for a family. Despite its proximity to the heart of Kings Cross, the hotel has a relaxed, serene atmosphere. There's a two-night minimum stay; book online for cheaper rates.

If your idea of heaven is sleeping above a pub that brews its own boutique beers (or ales, as they're rightly called), this is the place. The hotel, hewn from Sydney sandstone, has been a popular watering hole with Sydneysiders and visitors for decades. Built in the early 1840s, the building has been restored to its former grandeur. While the nine guest rooms and the first-floor Lord Nelson Brasserie restaurant have exposed sandstone walls, their fittings and design are very contemporary. Seven standard rooms have en suite bathrooms and cost A$20 a night; a smaller room with en suite bathroom is A$220 a night, while another room (costing A$) has a bathroom that's located a short walk across the hall. All rates include continental breakfast. The hotel is a stroll from the Harbour Bridge. The bar is always busy on Friday nights and most weekends as the craft beer is excellent.