Where to Stay with Kids

Inner city

The Novotel Sydney in Darling Harbour makes a great base for families. Nearby attractions include the sharks, penguins and dugongs at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, the koalas at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and the Australian National Maritime Museum, where you can climb aboard a submarine.

Novotel Sydney Darling Square, Darling Harbour

Capella Sydney is a grand luxury hotel just five minutes' walk from Circular Quay in a heritage-listed sandstone building. Enjoy an in-room dining credit, hot chocolate and native shortbread for the kids, and a bottle of champagne for the adults, plus an in-room teepee (for kids up to 12) and access to the Little Stars program – a roster of activities created with local experts.

Capella Sydney, Sydney CBD - Credit: Capella Sydney

The Family Fun package at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney includes a welcome pack for kids (with cuddly koalas and an activity book), a kids' movie with snacks, themed bed linen and a tent experience for suite stays. 

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, The Rocks

Vibe Hotels has outposts in the city centre, Darling Harbour and North Sydney. The locations make for easy access in and around the CBD, harbour and beaches and the family rooms come with the extra room that kids need – plus children under 12 stay free when they use the existing bedding configuration.   

Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour, Darling Harbour - Credit: Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour

By the beach

You’ll find great family hotels just steps from the sand at all of Sydney’s most popular beaches. In Manly, the Manly Pacific has two-bedroom suites and an outdoor pool overlooking the ocean, plus dog-friendly rooms if you are travelling with your pooch. Manly Paradise offers spacious two- and three-bedroom apartments and The Sebel has stylish one-bedroom suites (with a free cot available). Down south, Rydges Cronulla Beachside has one- and two-bedroom suites with plenty of space for the kids and ocean-view balconies. 

Check in to the Adina Apartments Bondi Beach for modern multi-bedroom suites directly across the road from the famous strip of sand (and with a pool, too). In Coogee, the Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach is so kid-friendly it runs special programs of workshops and activities during the NSW school holidays and has a dedicated Kids Zone with games, crafts and movies over the summer. 

Crowne Plaza Sydney, Coogee Beach

Glamping

For something extra special, Cockatoo Island Camping is a campsite right on Sydney Harbour. You’ll have the best view in town plus picnic spots, barbecue facilities and a licenced cafe. You can also opt for a deluxe package with a pre-furnished tent. The island is a short ferry ride from Circular Quay. 

Cockatoo Island waterfront campsite, Sydney Harbour

Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo is Sydney's wildest slumber party. Families will enjoy a buffet dinner and full breakfast and be treated to a night zoo safari, spectacular harbour views and a luxury tent right on the water for a truly memorable experience.   

Taronga Zoo Roar and Snore, Mosman

Holiday parks

These little-known affordable gems not far from the city centre have self-catering cabins and powered sites for caravans, so you have all the convenience without the cost. Head north to find Ingenia Holidays Avina and Discovery Parks – Lane Cove; the latter once doubled as the fictional Summer Bay Caravan Park in TV show Home and Away. 

 Lane Cove Holiday Park, North Ryde - Credit: Lane Cove Holiday Park

Farm stays 

Experience the best of both worlds – the relaxation and fresh air of the countryside, while being close to the thrills of the city. Mowbray Park Farmstay, near Picton in the south-west of the Greater Sydney region, has been family-operated since the 1970s. Visit the nursery to see cattle, sheep, horses and alpacas and wander the unspoilt farmland. 

Mowbray Park Farm Stay, Picton