Sydney: Australian Hotel (2 Star Hotel)

The Australian Hotel is easily one of the best pubs in The Rocks, with a fun, friendly and bustling atmosphere and the chance to drink both cold beer and fine wine and enjoy a great gourmet pizza. It also offers some of Sydney's best pub accommodation, with old-fashioned flourishes abounding.
Speaking of bounding, the neck-breaker stairs up to the rooms will test anyone with mobility issues, but it's certainly worth the climb and good preparation for the nearby BridgeClimb experience. There's a feeling reminiscent of the Bloomsbury aesthetic in some of the corners of this well-run boutique bolthole, which has 10 rooms and four share bathrooms (with original 1930s tilework). Bedrooms feature sleigh beds, cosy decor and minimal noise. In the light-filled breakfast/lounge room you'll find cushy sofas and the odd glimpse of the Harbour Bridge, but if you head upstairs you'll get even better views from the small but perfect rooftop terrace that almost lets you inhale the harbour and the neighbourhood's strong sense of history.