Need a getaway but don’t have the time to actually get away? Believe it or not, Sydney’s hotels aren’t just filled with tourists and hens parties. Loved up locals are flocking to the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour for a night off. This luxury hotel has upped the ante and we’re not just talking about the bathroom amenities. Here are our five reasons why we’re lining up to check in for a night:

1. A soak to remember

The bright lights of the big city are on show in a couple of hotels around town, if you can get a room high enough, but what you don’t get is the killer sunset. Corner rooms facing out towards the west get the best of both worlds, with the lights of Darling Harbour below and the beauty of a sunset you’ll want to settle in to watch. One of the best spots to do so is the bath tub of a Luxury Corner room – cleverly positioned between the corner floor to ceiling windows, it’s a soak with some serious views.

Now that’s a bath with a view!

2. Sydney’s own Marina Bay Sands

Skip the long haul flight to Singapore and the exorbitant cost of a night at Marina Bay Sands. You can have your own infinity pool selfie in what is one of the coolest rooftop venues around town. We’re sure in Summer the place is cranking because even on a chilly July weekend, there’s a few brave souls slipping into the water for a few laps overlooking the city.

3. Wine and dine 

Foodies are flocking to Atelier, the Sofitel’s sprawling restaurant. Tables are spread out around the breakfast stations (Atelier transforms into a decadent breakfast buffet when the sun comes up), so you won’t be rubbing shoulders with anyone except your dining partner. Forget the white tablecloths, here the chefs want the focus on the food. Beautiful local produce is paired with an international wine list – think confit pork belly and charred carrots with a Central Otago Pinot Noir, or a mighty Black Angus tomahawk steak and a Mendoza Malbec. Dessert cannot be missed, the deconstructed La Framboise tart is big enough to share but you won’t want to leave even just a bite. Date night just went up a notch.

4. Fit and fab

Okay, we’re well aware many weekends away won’t involve a trip to the gym, but if there’s one place you’ll want to hit the treadmill, it’s here. The gym shares the same floor, and the same view as the rooftop pool. The elliptical machines, the treadmills and the rowers are pushed right up against the floor to ceiling windows, so grab one of the many morning papers set aside just for the early risers and start your day the right way. There’s also the fact that you’ll really want to work up an appetite for breakfast. Did we mention Nutella waffles?

5. Location, location

With the views, the bath tub and the fine dining, we won’t judge if you don’t even leave the hotel, but if you do, you don’t have to wander far. Sitting just back from the main promenade, the Sofitel’s neighbours are the buzzing Harbourside and the sprawling International Conference Centre. Pop in to one of the waterfront bars for happy hour, or grab a table at the new Fratelli Fresh for Aperol spritz as the sun goes down.

Whether it’s the waffles or view, you’ll be back for more!

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
12 Darling Drive, Darling Harbour
https://www.sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com.au/