Sydney Hotels

Sydney: A City Guide

Known for its glistening harbor, iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Sydney is a stylish modern city with a relaxed attitude. A strong focus on the outdoors means visitors enjoy sun-soaked al fresco dining and white-sand beaches, before heading to chic eateries and bars in the leafy inner suburbs.

Sydney: City Layout

Skyscrapers sit alongside tranquil parks in Sydney’s CBD (central business district), a few steps from Sydney Harbour.

Village-like suburbs hug the fringe, including buzzy Glebe and Newtown. South, hip Surry Hills is full of pubs and foodie hangouts. To the east are the bars and restaurants of Darlinghurst, while upmarket dining is the draw in nearby Potts Point and Woolloomooloo.

Posh Double Bay features designer shops, and Coogee is a laid-back beachside retreat. To the west is the shopping hub of Parramatta.

Sydney’s CBD is an ideal accommodation choice for easy access to Sydney Harbour and the Royal Botanic Garden. Vibrant Sydney areas include The Rocks, dotted with convict-built sandstone pubs. Leafy Potts Point offers chic bars, while stylish Double Bay offers upscale boutiques. For a family beach holiday, Coogee is a 15-minute drive from the city. Parramatta is the bustling commercial heart of Sydney’s west.

You can sign up to the IHG^® Rewards Club and enjoy up to 5% off with “Your Rate” when you book your accommodation in Sydney directly through our website.

Eating Out in Sydney

No matter where you choose to stay in Sydney, you won’t be far from its world-class dining scene. Bohemian Newtown in Sydney’s inner west is a hive of small bars and restaurants. Highlights include popular mainstay Thai Pothong, one of many excellent Thai restaurants in Sydney. Surry Hills and Glebe have vibrant strips brimming with dining and nightlife options. You’ll find chic restaurants in Woollahra and Potts Point.

Culture & Nightlife

Choosing where to stay in Sydney is made that little bit easier when many of Sydney’s cultural attractions are clustered harborside. The iconic Sydney Opera House hosts esteemed opera and theater shows, and has its own stylish cocktail spot, Opera Bar. Check out the Art Gallery of NSW next to the Royal Botanic Garden, and head around Circular Quay to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Sydney nightlife is alive in the colonial-style pubs of The Rocks nearby.

Shopping in Sydney

It’s a quick walk from Holiday Inn Darling Harbour to Pitt Street Mall for big-name brands and department stores. The Queen Victoria Building offers designer boutiques and high-end fashion. Out west, Westfield Parramatta is a vast mall with hundreds of retailers. Westfield Bondi Junction, in Sydney’s east, has over 500 shops, including luxury brands.

Redeem your IHG^® Rewards Club points when booking accommodation in Sydney, and choose a Double Bay luxury hotel to be near some of the finest shopping in Australia.

Beaches in Sydney

Sydney is known for its outstanding beaches, from relaxed Manly and its picturesque tree-lined promenade, to sprawling Cronulla and fashionable Bronte and Tamarama. In the east, Bondi Beach is Australia’s most famous beach, offering an abundance of chic bars, sidewalk cafés and beachfront restaurants.

The kids can play on the sand at family-friendly Coogee Beach, while the grown-ups can try the multiple bars and ocean-view balcony at Coogee Pavilion.