3 Best Hotels in The Rocks, Sydney

Formerly a wool-storage facility, this four-story hotel is an Accor MGallery property, which is a select portfolio of distinctive and individual hotels in Australia. Built in 1887 and converted into a hotel in 1989, the 59-room property has been stripped back to its foundations, exposing its original sandstone and brick. Everything is new from the carpets, beds, furniture, TVs, lighting, and bathrooms, however, it retains its historical character, and the bar (Eric's) and restaurant (Scarlett) are named after a pair of ill-fated lovers—a sailor and the madam of a brothel that stood next door to the hotel in the late 19th century. The new lobby resembles a library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined with old tomes, historic photos grace the walls, and the cozy bar doubles as the check-in counter. Five room types range from heritage rooms to the top-floor harbor suite with glorious views of the Opera House. A lovely new inclusion is the courtyard terrace on the ground floor, filled with greenery and bathed in natural light.

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.

Even though it's been around for a few decades, this hotel with its low-key facade is still a bit of a secret. It's in a great location (right in The Rocks and about a two-minute walk from Circular Quay), and the rooftop pool and terrace have spectacular views of the Opera House, bridge, and harbor. The eight-story hotel has a dramatic central atrium topped with a glass roof; the guest rooms open out onto passageways that overlook the reception desk, lobby bar, and restaurant several stories below.