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Blue Sydney

COST:

<p>Set on a former shipping wharf in the eastern part of Sydney Harbour, this hip, industrial-chic hotel (the Taj Group's first Australian property) manages to feel both removed from the bustle of downtown and in the middle of the action. The hotel's 100 rooms are streamlined and modern, many with soaring girder-supported ceilings and soft neutral-colored fabrics that don't compete with views of the passing boats outside (36 are open-plan loft suites, with king-size beds set upstairs and spacious living rooms below). The hotel is part of a larger wharf complex that includes the decadent Spa Chakra, a 17-meter indoor pool with sundeck, tons of dining options, and the cavernous atrium-esque Water Bar.</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> A short but steep walk takes you up to Potts Point and some of the city's best cafés, including the wonderful Italian eatery Fratelli Paradiso on Challis Avenue. </p> <p><strong>Room to Book:</strong> No. 515, a large loft with views of both the marina and the city skyline.</p>