Summer in SydneyCredit: Destination NSW
Scenic views from Jonah's Restaurant and Boutique Hotelpool, Whale Beach, Sydney.
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There’s no shortage of hotels in Sydney central district. But if you’re after accommodation that offers a true taste of the city’s enviable lifestyle — think sun, sand and surf — then it’s hard to beat a stay on the Northern Beaches, a coastline curving 40km from Manly all the way to Palm Beach. Here are some great surfside stays to base yourself while you’re here.
Manly
Spend the night in Manly and you’ll feel like you’re staying in a relaxed surfside village. It’s a reality that is just a 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay in the heart of Sydney. When you arrive in this sun-kissed suburb, you’ll have a parade of beaches on your doorstep, not to mention protected coves for swimming and others with waves, and all manner of waterside bars and restaurants to gaze over the ocean or harbour. Taking prime position along the suburb’s main stretch of sand is the Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific Hotel, which offers slick rooms overlooking the ocean — the sunrise here is particularly dazzling.
Whale Beach
A clifftop, oceanfront retreat with star appeal, Jonah’s Whale Beach is a breezy hour north of Sydney’s centre — or an even breezier 20-minute seaplane ride from Rose Bay. Regardless of your mode of transport, you’re welcomed to this elegant white Whale Beach boutique hotel with unbroken ocean views, a highly awarded restaurant and uber-stylish rooms, renovated in 2017 with navy and gold accents, textured wallpaper and oak herringbone parquetry flooring. With just 11 accommodations, Jonah’s is as exclusive as they come — you’ll certainly feel like a celebrity sipping champagne on the patio in the sun with million-dollar views before you.
Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific, Manly Credit: Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific
Enjoying the view at the Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific Hotel in Manly, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
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Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific, Manly Credit: Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific
Enjoying the view at the Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific Hotel in Manly, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Narrabeen
Surround yourself with water at the Narrabeen Sands Hotel by Nightcap Plus, sitting in between ocean and lagoon on the narrow Narrabeen peninsula, a 45-minute drive north of the city. The property has 47 studios, suites and one-bedroom apartments, many with ocean views, as well as a restaurant and bar. Hire one of the hotel’s bicycles to explore the local area — you’re just a few pedals from the main beach (popular among surfers for its great breaks), and a few more from the Narrabeen Lakes, which is the largest estuary in the Northern Beaches. There’s an 8.4km trail around the entire waterway, with your scenic route an ideal way to spot native wildlife.
Palm Beach
Not far from the Barrenjoey Lighthouse perched at the very tip of the Palm Beach Peninsula, Barrenjoey House features just seven rooms, each furnished in hues that nod to the retreat’s gardens and Pittwater beyond. Enjoy cocktails in the guest-only lounge or courtyard, or make a preferential reservation in the always busy restaurant — the menu here focuses on modern Australian fare, from crab toast to pork cutlets. Walk off your meal on tracks around the headland, swim in the tranquil Pittwater or watch surfers tackle the waves along Palm Beach itself.
Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach, Sydney Credit: The Boathouse Group
The boutique Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
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Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach, Sydney Credit: The Boathouse Group
The boutique Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
North Narrabeen Rockpool, Narrabeen Credit: Destination NSW
Sun rising over North Narrabeen Rockpool, Narrabeen.
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North Narrabeen Rockpool, Narrabeen Credit: Destination NSW
Sun rising over North Narrabeen Rockpool, Narrabeen.
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Sydney Harbour in SummerCredit: Destination NSW
Your dog will enjoy seeing the sights of Sydney as much as you do.
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Planning a sojourn to Sydney and don’t want to leave your beloved pooch behind? With hotels increasingly willing to cater to pets, there’s no reason you have to. From beachside to the inner city, these luxury escapes not only welcome four-legged friends, they also provide special inclusions tailored for dogs. Just be sure to book in early, as not every room in these properties can house pets.
Pier One Sydney Harbour, city centre
Nestled below Sydney Harbour Bridge in historic Walsh Bay, Pier One Sydney Harbour is one of the city’s more memorable stays. The hotel sits on a former working wharf over the water, and has devoted some of its ground-level rooms to furry family members. Stay here and your dog will have direct access to the boardwalk that wraps around the sides of the hotel facing the water, with plenty of seagulls to keep it entertained. Pier One’s Puppy Package comes with all the extras: an eco-friendly dog bed, food and water bowls, and a mini bar stocked with treats. Keen to really amp up the spoils? Check out the dog-friendly in-room dining menu, or book an outdoor spot at the hotel’s ground-level The Gantry Restaurant, which offers a Doggy Degustation menu with such treats as beef bone broth and Doglato (a gelato equivalent for pooches) for dessert.
QT Bondi, Bondi Beach
Right on the esplanade facing Sydney’s most famous city beach, QT Bondi welcomes guests trailing sand and their beloved pets. With its chic, contemporary style and energetic vibe, the hotel mirrors Bondi’s laid-back beach lifestyle and allows easy access to its café, bar and restaurant scene. The hotel offers a pet-friendly room that features a special mini bar filled with doggie treats and a pooch-friendly vegan in-room dining menu. Although dogs aren’t permitted on Bondi Beach itself, you’ll be in good company joining the parade of dog-walkers on the promenade, or head to the nearby Rose Bay Foreshore, where pets are free to frolic off-leash.
Little Albion, Surry Hills
The Little Albion boutique hotel occupies a charming former convent in Surry Hills, a leafy inner-city hub populated by creative types and dog lovers. There are two pet-friendly rooms at the hotel, both at ground level, with a bed, bowl and blanket included, but if it’s an over-the-top spoil session you’re after, the Plush Pup Package can’t be beat. Pets are welcomed with Mimi & Munch baked doggie treats on arrival; gifted with a The Daily Edited personalised name tag to look their fashionable best; booked in for a fitting with Dogue doggie stylist; assigned a butler, in case you need to dash out solo; and even receive a turndown service with Doglato.
Doggy Degustation, Pier One Sydney Harbour Credit: Anna Kucera
Chowing down on the Doggy Degustation menu at Pier One Sydney Harbour hotel.
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Doggy Degustation, Pier One Sydney Harbour Credit: Anna Kucera
Chowing down on the Doggy Degustation menu at Pier One Sydney Harbour hotel.
QT Bondi, Sydney Credit: QT Bondi
Your dog will love a fur-friendly stay at QT Bondi.
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QT Bondi, Sydney Credit: QT Bondi
Your dog will love a fur-friendly stay at QT Bondi.
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
Despite occupying prime real estate in one of Sydney’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay is not too posh to pooch. Suitably elegant and opulent in its well-to-do setting, the hotel invites dog owners to book its Pet Stay Package. Your room will be set up with a stylish pet bed and bowls, and you can order a meal from the dog-friendly in-room dining menu, which includes options such as Banjo’s Delight, a feast of Angus beef, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potato. Double Bay is conveniently close to the city and the Eastern Suburbs beaches, yet has a peaceful village feel and is the ideal idyll for people- and dog-watching.
Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour
Sydney’s sister Ovolo hotels, Ovolo Woolloomooloo to the east of the city centre and Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour in inner-city Pyrmont, are both dog-friendly and are equally luxurious and immaculately designed. But the Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour earns pooch preference points for being close to Pyrmont’s off-leash Waterfront Park. While all Ovolo hotels indulge human guests with complimentary munchies from the mini bar and drinks at social hour, pets also get the star treatment. The V.I.Pooch Package at each Sydney Ovolo includes a comfy dog bed, food bowl, and the never more aptly named doggy bag ꟷ packed with treats and toys they’ll drool over.
The Langham, Sydney
Pet-friendly may not be a description you’d first associate with the ultra-regal The Langham, Sydney, near Barangaroo in the city centre. Yet along with its plush interiors, a private tennis court, an indoor pool with an amazing painted dome and the serene The Day Spa by Chuan, it happily allows you and your furry charge to co-habit during your stay. Rooms are set up with a dog bed and eating bowls, there’s an in-house dog-friendly menu, and if you fancy letting yourself off the lead to hit the town, dog-sitting services can also be requested.
Pup Package, Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel Credit: Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel
Bedding down at the Little Albion hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
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Pup Package, Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel Credit: Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel
Bedding down at the Little Albion hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
The Langham, Sydney Credit: The Langham
Your dog will feel like canine royalty at The Langham, Sydney.
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The Langham, Sydney Credit: The Langham
Your dog will feel like canine royalty at The Langham, Sydney.