If you are going to splurge on one Sydney hotel, the Park Hyatt sits in the best seat in the house, tucked below The Rocks with the Opera House filling the windows across the water. Rooms are hushed and generous, many with balconies right over the harbour, and the rooftop pool looks straight at the sails. Service is polished without being stiff. Ask for a harbour-view room when you book, and wander two minutes to the historic laneways of The Rocks for a drink once you have dropped your bags.