Sydney Great Values

Perched above an old pub, the Fortune of War, this small and welcoming hotel in the bustling Rocks district wears its age like a badge of honor, somewhat like a country bed-and-breakfast.  The 1887 building oozes character, with a breakfast room on the ground floor, and a sunny courtyard and small garden on the roof. The least expensive of the 29 rooms are compact and share a bathroom down the hall, but even here you’ll find Molton Brown amenities and chocolates on your pillow. Higher priced rooms are garnished with period trappings, a fireplace, and portable air-conditioning units. The hotel’s location near Circular Quay (Sydney’s transportation hub) is a dream for penny-pinchers, and plenty of pubs and shopping options are a short walk away. Two drawbacks: Most rooms are exposed to street noise (ask for one facing Nurses Walk), and some may complain about the four stories worth of narrow staircases. On the plus side,  rates include breakfast.

This minimalist and modern boutique hotel in the bohemian suburb of Darlinghurst makes the most of its compact footprint with an un-frilly design scheme orchestrated with gray and olive tones (and the occasional splash of ketchup red). The 40 rooms are understated but crisp with retro furnishings, mirrored headboards, and mohair throw rugs; chic Aesop toiletries primp the bathrooms (a few of which have a tub). Standard rooms are smallish, while “executive” rooms are generously sized—a design refresh is scheduled to take place in early 2008, but look for the Kirketon to keep pace with the city’s fast-evolving hotel scene. Darlinghurst Road is a busy thoroughfare, so request a room away from the street noise. There’s a notable restaurant on the premises, and lots of fashionable cafés and boutiques nearby.

Formerly sordid, now fashionable, Darlinghurst is Sydney’s bohemian enclave, and also home to the Hotel Altamont, occupying a colonial Georgian manor close to King’s Cross. The building sounds dowdy, but the upbeat, design-forward hotel is elegantly modern, its welcoming lobby filled with light and a pool table. Rooms aim for style on a budget, with Balinese wooden beds and leather armchairs; high ceilings and large bathrooms – some units open onto a private courtyard. There’s a Tuscan-style rooftop terrace, and lots of clubs and bars nearby.  Madonna and various members of the Rolling Stones have all bunked here (though probably not because of its bargain prices). Rates also include breakfast.

Following a dramatic 2005 makeover at a cost of A$200 million – the largest single site investment by the Hilton group – this 44-floor hotel shows that W isn’t the only hotel brand to recognize today’s traveler as stylish, plugged-in, and fun-seeking. Deluxe rooms are designed with work stations, while the prime picks are the Relaxation Suites; glam corner units with a spa bath overlooking the city panorama. Extras include “Bathmaster” service – mixed-to-order in-room baths – and a “Provocateur” package that includes an aphrodisiacal tasting platter and tips and tools from Sydney icon Madam Lash. In addition to a spa and monstrous health club with an 82-foot indoor pool, the 577-room hotel boasts both excellent dining (hot Aussie chef Luke Mangan’s Glass Brasserie) and a sizzling nightclub (Zeta Bar, sister to the sexy Zeta London), while the location opposite the Queen Victoria Building is handy for emergency shopping runs.