The Ultimate Gay Travel Guide
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2024.
Australia is a relatively pricey destination, and as the most popular city for tourism, Sydney is perhaps the most expensive of the lot. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t great value options to be found in the city. These hotels are all comfortable and welcoming, and all benefit from excellent gay-friendly locations in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills. From this position, you’re within walking distance to most of gay Sydney, and an easy train or bus ride to all the major sights.
If you’re willing to splash out, Sydney has some truly outstanding luxury hotels. These range from classically elegant 5-stars to ultra-modern serviced apartments with all the comforts you could need for your stay. Many of the city’s best hotels are located around Hyde Park, which positions them close to the sights around the Harbor and, more importantly, to the Darlinghurst and Surry Hill gayborhood.
Australia is a tolerant and gay-friendly country. Being so, it’s unlikely visitors should experience any issues checking into any hotel in Sydney. The gay-friendly hotels selected above are some of the most booked hotels by gay travelers located in the Darlinghurst neighborhood with the most gay bars, clubs, and saunas.
Gay Hotels Sydney Darlinghurst
The main Sydney gayborhood is centered around the western part of Oxford Street, in the neighborhood of Darlinghurst. This Eastern suburb is a vibrant area filled with bars, cafes, restaurants, and clubs – many of them with rainbow flags proudly waving out front. An often-touted statistic is that 1 in 10 gay men in Sydney lives within two kilometers of Taylor Square at the heart of the gayborhood.
This is a great area to stay in for a number of reasons. The city is large and spread out, so it helps to stay near the gayborhood if you plan to make the most of gay Sydney. Plus, Darlinghurst is a pretty strategic area to stay for general sightseeing. The tourist heart of the city is not far, with sights including the Opera House, Botanic Gardens, and the Museum of Sydney all within a 20-minute bus ride or half-hour walk from Taylor Square.
♥ Excellent location for Oxford Street gay nightlife
♥ Large rooms perfect for groups
♥ One of the most booked gay hotels in Sydney
♥ Friendly staff
This modern gay-friendly Sydney hotel has large, bright rooms with comfortable furnishings and good amenities. The best thing about it, however, is the location. Just a few streets behind Oxford Street, it is less than a 5-minute walk to various gay bars such as Stonewall Hotel, Palms on Oxford, The Colombian Hotel, and cruise club TRADE (formerly known as Headquarters). Staff are super friendly and always happy to help. The Cambridge Hotel is one of the most booked gay hotels in Sydney.
Cambridge Hotel Sydney is undergoing major renovations in early 2020 but will open soon with a new updated look. Their sister hotel next door, ADGE Apartment Hotel, is an excellent (albeit pricier) option.
♥ Beautiful (and gay-friendly) Hyde Park location
♥ One of the only outdoor rooftop pools in Sydney
♥ First-rate fitness and recreation facilities
♥ Beautiful restaurant
This gay-friendly Sydney hotel is perfectly located next to Hyde Park, from where the Oxford Street gay area begins. It features the usual Pullman blend of style and practicality, with modern and perfectly designed rooms and excellent facilities. The outdoor rooftop pool, with stunning views of the green expanse of Hyde Park, is one of few in the city. The adjacent rooftop recreation deck includes an excellent gym and a jacuzzi with sweeping skyline views. There are two cool bars and a lovely parkside restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, where breakfast is served every morning. The Pullman Sydney Hyde Park is one of the most booked luxury gay hotels in Sydney.
♥ Ideally located for gay nightlife
♥ Spacious, colorful, and stylish suites
♥ Fully-equipped kitchen and laundry facilities
♥ Outstanding fine dining
ADGE Apartment Sydney is made up of a series of modern, colorful two-bedroom apartments that can sleep up to four. Aside from looking great, every apartment has everything you need for a comfy stay, including a spacious living area, a fully-equipped kitchen, washing and drying machines, and a private balcony. Go for the Penthouse apartments for an extra layer of luxury. Raita Noda, the on-site restaurant, is an award-winning fine dining venue serving an exclusive 10-course chef’s menu – advance bookings are essential. Located less than 5 minutes from several Darlinghurst gay venues, this is an incredibly popular gay hotel in Sydney and it fills up fast during Mardi Gras season.
♥ Location, waterfront, and within walking distance to Sydney’s iconic sites
♥ Generous and thoughtful inclusions, free mini bar, 24-hour gym, fun social spaces
♥ Spacious room design, with insta-perfect loft suites
♥ #1 hotel in Australia and South Pacific 2019’s TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards for Hotels
An historic waterfront building, redesigned as a light and luxurious hotel, offering extensive included benefits. Ovolo Woolloomooloo is one of Sydney’s leading design hotels, sitting in prime position along the city’s iconic waterfront.
The facilities at Ovolo Woolloomooloo are nothing short of excellent. Boasting a well-equipped fitness center open 24 hours, indoor swimming pool, and spa with steam room and sauna. The hotel’s Lo Lounge offers a multipurpose social area, open 24 hours with all-day nibbles and drinks available to guests.
♥ Walking distance to gay nightlife and major sights
♥ Stylish, modern, impeccably-appointed rooms
♥ Great fitness and wellness facilities
♥ Hyde Park view rooms available
Located on the north side of Hyde Park, this Sheraton Grand benefits from being both 10 minutes from the gay nightlife and 20 minutes from Sydney Harbor. The gay-friendly hotel features gorgeous design, blending classic elements like the sweeping grand central staircase with sleek, modern room interiors in tones of blue and grey. A wide range of room styles and sizes are available, but all offer luxury amenities like a walk-in wardrobe, large windows, and black marble bathrooms. Of course, the rooms facing Hyde Park are especially pleasant. Facilities include a well-equipped gym, a terrific spa, and a beautiful indoor rooftop pool. The food is fantastic – don’t miss out on the seafood buffet.
♥ First-rate CBD location
♥ Close to popular gay saunas
♥ Fitness available
♥ Super-comfy beds
Rydges World Square is located next to World Square Shopping Centre in Sydney’s CBD, a couple of blocks from Museum train station (which has an Airlink connection). The Oxford Street gayborhood is about 10 minutes away, and the city’s best gay sauna, 357 City Steam is just 5 minutes in the opposite direction. Room decor is a little on the dated/corporate side, but the rooms are spacious and extremely comfortable. In particular, the Rydges Dream Bed is as good as the name indicates. Both the bar and restaurant are great, and the buffet breakfast is extremely varied and fresh. There’s a bright, well-equipped gym upstairs.
♥ Excellent location for gay nightlife and sightseeing
♥ Stylish and spacious serviced apartments
♥ Perfect for groups
♥ Fantastic fitness facilities
Fraser Suites Sydney offers modern, luxurious apartments in a central and convenient Sydney location. Every apartment is gorgeous and impeccably designed, with large windows overlooking the city and an elegant palette of grey hues. Smaller studios have a compact kitchenette, while larger apartments have a fully-equipped kitchen. The two-bedroom apartment, which sleeps up to five, is awesome for a group of friends. There is a large indoor pool and an exceptionally well-equipped, modern gym. The Oxford Street gayborhood is just a 15-minute walk away, and the main sights around the Harbor are easily reached by public transport.
♥ Great options for solo travelers
♥ 450 yards on foot from Central Station
♥ Ideal Surry Hills location
♥ Good value for money
57 Hotel Sydney is a newly-renovated boutique hotel offering good value for money in the heart of stylish Surry Hills. Rooms are compact but comfortable – the Single and Shoebox rooms are ideal for solo travelers and for short stays. The bathrooms are separated from the rooms with a glass sliding door, which is worth bearing in mind when booking. The hotel is just a 3-minute walk from Central Station, which makes Airport transfers easy (as well as rail connections throughout the country). The Oxford Street gayborhood is just a 15-minute walk away.
♥ Ideal gay location
♥ Large, well-designed rooms
♥ Excellent options for groups
♥ Outdoor pool
With a fantastic location a stone’s throw away from Oxford Street and Hyde Park and a great range of facilities, Vibe Hotel offers particularly good value for money in the city. Rooms are bright and spacious, with soothing, simple minimalist decor and floor-to-ceiling windows. There are several options for groups, including an uber-comfortable Executive room and a suite with a roomy living space. There’s a lovely outdoor pool, a gym, and a cool cafe serving tasty food and good coffee. Sydney Sauna is just over a five-minute walk away.
♥ Located in Darlinghurst, Sydney’s main gayborhood
♥ Sleek and stylish rooms
♥ Range of room sizes to suit different budgets
♥ Fantastic restaurant and bar
This award-winning boutique hotel was build in the 1930s, but has been renovated to a modern standard. Rooms are sleek and elegant, with a simple dark palette, and come in a range of sizes – the Superior rooms are the most spacious and comfortable. There’s a cool vintage-themed cocktail bar tucked away at the back of the hotel, and the food at the on-site restaurant is top-notch (especially breakfast!). The location in the heart of trendy Darlinghurst is excellent, just a 15-minute walk to the gay venues on Oxford Street. The Kirketon Hotel is one of the most booked gay hotels in Sydney.
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2024.