Whether you want to feel a renewed connection to your hometown of Sydney on a well-deserved staycation or drink in the beauty of the city and its glittering harbour as a visitor, there’s a slew of new and recently refurbished luxe hotels in the heart of town for you to choose from.

Travel back in time at Kimpton Margot Sydney, city centre

Be transported to the heyday of the Art Deco era at the Kimpton Margot Sydney, on the southern edge of the heart of the city centre. Peer up at the giant pink scagliola pillars rising through the double-height grand lobby before settling in to a generously sized suite that feels more like an apartment than a city hotel room. Refresh with a swim in the open-air rooftop pool before deciding where to eat: at the hero restaurant by acclaimed Australian chef Luke Mangan nestled to one side of the lobby, or at one of the many other fine-diners in the city.

Connect to the city’s rhythms at Little National, city centre

Put yourself in at the heart of the action by checking into Little National Hotel above Wynyard train station in the city centre. Get your Zen on in Japanese-style accommodation that’s modest in size but offers affordable luxury to savvy travellers. Take in the high ceilings and great natural light before making your way up to the rooftop bar and lounge for some quiet time. Then plunge into the thick of the action, enjoying the 10-minute stroll to the historic The Rocks precinct and neighbouring Circular Quay, walking downhill to the nearby waterside dining hub of Barangaroo, or hopping across Wynyard Park to Shell House and its three excellent bars and restaurant.

Feel grand at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, city centre

Steep in Sydney’s rich colonial history at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, which wraps around the striking former General Post Office building in central Martin Place. Let yourself be enveloped in fairytale glamour as you climb the Fullerton’s grand staircase and check in to a spacious suite before joining the hotel’s Heritage Tour to immerse in the colourful tales of the iconic sandstone building. Shop until you flop, with the pick of city shopping a few minutes’ walk away, before exploring the Royal Botanic Garden, Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour, all less than 15 minutes away on foot.

Gaze out at the harbour from InterContinental Sydney, city centre

Surround yourself in luxury at the recently refurbished InterContinental Sydney, which occupies the grand 19th-century sandstone Treasury Building at the Circular Quay end of the city centre. Sprawl out on the window-side chaise longue in your Opera House Room and soak up the bird’s eye view of the white sails of the Sydney Opera House, or settle down in your Harbour Bridge Room to watch the tiny figures of climbers ascending the famous steel arches. Then take in the whole panorama of the city over a signature cocktail at the reservations-only Aster rooftop bar on the 32nd floor.

The Porter House Hotel, city centre

Embrace the best of both worlds at The Porter House Hotel, one block away from the shady oasis that is Hyde Park in the heart of the city centre. Marvel at the seamless way a 19th-century sandstone merchant building melds with a more modern tower as you check in and wash away the day’s travels in the free-standing bathtub in a Junior Suite. Feel calmed by the muted blue-grey tones and lashings of natural light in your room as you dress for dinner. And savour dishes displaying Asian influences and employing Australian native ingredients at the Porter House’s excellent Dixson & Sons restaurant.

Live it up at Crown Towers Sydney, Barangaroo

Feel like you’re on top of the world when you survey the harbour from your suite at Crown Towers Sydney, housed in Sydney’s tallest building at one end of the Barangaroo waterside precinct. Challenge your senses as you swim to the edge of the hotel’s expansive infinity pool, seemingly defying gravity as you soak up the panoramic views, before retreating to your secluded cabana or indulging in a deluxe treatment at Crown Spa Sydney. Take your time deciding where to go for dinner: you have the Barangaroo dining strip at your feet as well as an array of fine-dining restaurants right there at Crown, including the Sydney iteration of Nobu Matsuhisa’s Nobu and Oncore by British celebrity chef Clare Smyth.

Get hip to the Ace Hotel, Surry Hills

Feel instantly cooler when you step into the busy lobby of Ace Hotel Sydney, the US hotel brand’s debut property in the Southern Hemisphere. Soak up the industrial chic vibes throughout this former brick factory and warehouse in Surry Hills, on the edge of the city centre. Then cosy up in in your Terrace room, which is flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows during the afternoon, and spin some vinyl on your room’s record player. See what all the fuss is about by securing a table at the Ace’s lauded rooftop restaurant Kiln, or browse the buzzy bars and restaurants of Surry Hills in easy walking distance of the hotel.

Watch the waves roll in at Manly Pacific

Recharge and rejuvenate as sea breezes waft over you and an endless procession of waves crashes onto the golden sands at the recently renovated Manly Pacific, in the Northern Beaches hotspot of Manly. Contemplate the famous beach from the balcony of an Ocean Drifter room, or restore your energy levels in the privacy of your own spacious terrace with beachside views in a Sun Lounger suite. Watch the shadows of the tall Norfolk Island pine trees lining the beach lengthen and dissolve into the dusk from the bright, airy 55 North bar off the lobby before feasting on fresh local seafood at the hotel’s French-influenced Bistro Manly.