Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Well, g’day, fabulous friends! Pack your sequins, your sass, and your sunscreen because we’re heading Down Under to the dazzling city of Sydney! Now, I’m sure you’ve heard whispers of its legendary Mardi Gras and it’s as vibrant as a Kylie Minogue comeback tour.
But let me tell you, nothing says “I Will Survive” quite like a stay in one of Sydney’s best gay hotels. Darling, they’re as fabulous as the towering headdresses in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (minus the pesky sand, of course).
These gay hotels are the perfect backdrop for our flamboyant escapades. Like a well-choreographed disco number, they’re designed to keep us twirling, laughing, and living our best life in this queer-friendly paradise.
Sydney isn’t just a city; it’s a world stage waiting for your grand entrance. So, whether you’re parading in the Mardi Gras, sipping cocktails at the Opera Bar, or simply basking on Bondi Beach, these gay hotels will ensure you’re always the star of the show. And remember, in Sydney, it’s not just about seeing the city, it’s about lighting up the city with your fabulous, glittering presence.
So, buckle up, queens and kings! It’s time to toss aside the mundane and embrace the fabulous. After all, life is a cabaret and Sydney’s gay hotels are your dressing room. Curtain’s up! It’s showtime!
Now for the usual disclaimer -in most cases, there aren’t going to be gay hotels in Sydney out there marketed exclusively towards gay people or queer people in general. We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic. Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated in general.
So, with that said, get ready to sound your didgeridoo and sling your boomerang – it’s time to brave the challenges of visiting the Land Down Under!
In this article we will cover...
Medusa Hotel Sydney
Advertised as a laid-back getaway location with all needs catered and excellent access to the city, the Medusa’s rooms are big, private, and clean, and the ratings and reviews show that the Medusa’s staff are attentive when they need to be, which is a wonderful start for this hotel.
The hotel also has an inbuilt restaurant, laundry service and is regularly praised for its room service and comfort. It’s no-frills, sure, but more than worth the price tag.
Although Medusa hasn’t explicitly come out and stated that they are LGBTQ+ supportive, that is also true for most of the hotels in Sydney, and reviews show their commitment to queer acceptance nevertheless. That’s not to mention that the neighborhood that the Medusa finds itself in is perfect for queer travel shenanigans of any kind.
Darlinghurst is well known for being one of the city’s most affluent and cultured neighborhoods, and this reputation turns over well when it comes to queer acceptance and the nurturing of the famous Oxford Street’s gay scene. Even if you’re not interested in bars and clubs, there’s a great shopping atmosphere and more than enough other tourist and cultural sites to visit.
But is Medusa in a position that allows those who stay there to reach those interesting points of interest? Well, of course!
As we mentioned earlier, the core public transportation of Sydney easily allows for new arrivals to explore the entire city without too much trouble no matter where you find yourself staying, and thus the location isn’t too much of a focus when it comes to the hotels in this list. Nevertheless, the fact that the Medusa Hotel is only 3km from the Opera House and Central means that you’re at an advantage here.
Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central
Another wonderful selection for a gay hotel in Sydney, another suburb, and another neighborhood to discover.
Although it’s not far at all from all the important cities in the city, both when it comes to tourism and what you’re going to want to check out while you’re in the city, the Metro Hotel Marlow is in a suburb called Haymarket, and it’s there that one has access to Sydney Chinatown – one of the few multicultural hotspots that the largely homogenous city center – and country – has to offer.
The Metro Hotel Marlow is also one of the most, if not the most, affordable hotels on this list, and that low price tag doesn’t come at the expense of quality. The rooms are amazing and in impressive condition, considering their availability and the ease of check-in, and each visitor is paid the same amount of attention as the last.
So, with all that said, you needn’t worry about troubles and hitches while checking in to this hotel.
However, travelers are welcomed to an entirely different world outside the hotel.
As we mentioned earlier, the Haymarket district is well known for being a shopping and urban exploration heaven, and you’ll soon be losing the better part of your days just browsing and interacting with the colorful local scene. There’s even the massive market complex Paddy’s Markets just a few blocks away, the country’s most famous street-style shopping complex.
Everything retail and the hustle and bustle about Sydney’s landscape is in your hands when you stay at the Metro Motel. If you’re not into that kind of scene, however, there’s also the Capitol Theatre, to which the Metro Motel is the closest hotel.
ADGE Apartments
Although the ADGE Apartments are the first and only apartment-style hotel on this list, it must be said that this comes as anything but a negative factor and does not make the location any less convenient.
As is also true with many other establishments that offer this kind of accommodation, one can expect that the ADGE’s rooms and services are much more comprehensive and larger in scale than that of hotels, but also that it is closer to staying at an Air BnB.
This is a benefit for those looking for a little more room to enjoy themselves and gives the feel of staying at a much more luxurious location without having to pay more.
But where are the ADGE Apartments located, and what are their particular neighborhood’s advantages? This time, the answer is Surry Hills – an area famous for its strong dining, art, and café culture.
Surry Hills is known for being a much more relaxed and calmer part of Sydney, and visitors can expect that feeling to stay in the ADGE as a whole. Outside the hotel’s walls, you can expect to find more than enough restaurants and wandering locations to fill up your days spent in Sydney without what you can see with nearby public transport.
The ADGE Apartments are also the only hotel on this list to have marked itself as LGBTQ+ Friendly through Google, which is a wonderful sign for good. After all, it’s always good to have a definite sign of safety and support, rather than just having to assume that things will be okay because the staff is attentive and eager to please in other avenues of service.
Crystalbrook Albion
It’s a true shame that barely any hotels in Sydney have taken the initiative to add LGBTQ+ friendly to their advertisement – as much of a paper dedication that may be – but this doesn’t mean that we can’t use the reviews and opinions of other gay travelers to determine the queer-friendliness of a hotel, and here is where the Crystalbrook shines.
Previous guests of the hotel agree that the Crystalbrook Albion is one of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive and easy-to-book gay hotels they have ever stayed at. This attitude is greatly influenced by the location’s contemporary yet eclectic vibe and appearance.
Ironically enough, the Crystalbrook Albion’s building used to be a convent, but the structure has since been greatly renovated and now houses a wide range of eager travelers year-round. The feel of history and sophistication remains, however, a unique pleasure.
The Crystalbrook Albion is also the only hotel on this list that is pet-friendly, meaning that if you’re taking a four-legged companion along with you on your way to Sydney, this hotel is going to be the best option for you to balance your comfort as a queer traveler and the comfort of your furry friend.
But what benefits work purely for visitors, outside of being LGBTQ+ accepting? Well – the Crystalbrook Albion is also well praised for the quality of its room service, laundry, and room keeping, as well as the state that each room is found in upon arrival.
You won’t have to clean up before or after yourself when staying here, and if you don’t feel like staying up in your room, there’s always the hotel’s in-house bar and lounge, which are both perfect for hanging about and chatting with friendly strangers or your fellow travelers.
Park Hyatt
For those of you who have traveled to Sydney in the past, including the Park Hyatt on this list may come as somewhat of a surprise. The Park Hyatt is positively notorious amongst those familiar with the city, and not for the reasons you might think.
The hotel itself is beyond wonderful – the thing that causes many to take a step back is the impressive price tag. This is a luxury hotel; by that, we mean five-star, all-needs, catered rockstar-level accommodation.
Even though this quite rightfully puts it out of the wallet range of many travelers, the hotel is worth mentioning, and thus it simply had to be here. But what does it have exactly that makes it so luxurious, outside of the size of its room and the over-the-top dedication of its staff?
Well, let’s get started on the list, shall we? A fully outfitted spa facility with massage tables, attendants, and relaxation therapy. The pool is on a rooftop terrace with ample chairs and an exquisite view. An every-need met delivered breakfast every morning, along with an exclusive cooking service of nights that can make meals to request at almost every end.
The hotel even has an array of free electric vehicle charging stations for people with a room, meaning that you can be ready to go in the morning without worrying about your battery for a second.
Even if you’re only planning on using it for a special occasion or to hold an event, visiting the Park Hyatt is an absolute pleasure, albeit one that most people – us included – are either going to be unable to afford or too squeamish about the sheer cost to take time out to experience.
Hyde Park Inn
Though it’s a bit polarizing to go from the luxury of the Park Hyatt to a place of accommodation intended for the average traveler just looking to find a safe place for the night, the comfort and the ease of convenience that the Hyde Park Inn offers makes it stand out even so.
All of this hotel’s foundations are sound, and it doesn’t look at all shabby either. That’s not to mention the wonderful view that front-facing apartments have over that actual Hyde Park itself, which is a wonderful location for walks and picnics in the city’s center.
The Hyde Park Inn is perfect for those simply looking for a nice place to help them explore the city, and this applies not just to the touristic hotspots but also to the more obscure and removed places that are just as worth seeing.
The rooms are in immaculate condition, the management is eager to help, and altogether the hotel comes out swinging strong on all fronts that matter for a good, stable stay in a new city. Kid friendly with access to food, laundry, and just about everything you could need for a short stay, the Hyde Park Inn provides the lot – even a free breakfast provided to your room after even one night’s stay!
The Hyde Park Inn is also the only hotel on this list that is explicitly considered part of the Sydney CBD or Central Business District. Although this doesn’t mean much, given the fact that the Sydney CBD is only truly a few blocks wide before ‘suburbs’ give way and new names come in, it’s still reassuring to know that you’re very much in the middle of the city and all of the opportunities that are have to offer.
Pullman Sydney Hyde Park
The second hotel in this list, located in Hyde Park, the Pullman, benefits from all the same factors that the Hyde Park Inn does, with the main difference being that the Pullman has a full five stars, and as such, its services are next-level. This hotel has a lot – a pool, a fitness center, and business spaces – and all for an amazingly affordable price, too, considering that it has five stars.
Although it technically borders onto Hyde Park like the Hyde Park Inn, the Pullman shares its Darlinghurst neighborhood identity with the Medusa Hotel, meaning that it’s yet another step closer to the Oxford Street gay scene and the colorful good times that that avenue has to offer. Suppose you’re interested in heading off to another part of the city instead.
In that case, however, public transport is just as close by as it is for the rest of the central hotels on this list, meaning that you can be on a train and headed toward your destination – no matter where it is or in which direction – within five minutes drive, or a twenty-minute walk.
Convenience and not having to search far for a way to get yourself on four cheap wheels is always a benefit when looking for a gay hotel in cities where hiring a car is quite expensive!
Reviews for the Pullman are equally surprised by the quality of the hotel’s service, especially when one considers how much one gets for such a respectable price. Some customers have even gone so far as to say that the Pullman has some of the best amenities they have ever seen, which sounds like a flaming recommendation to us! Worth trying out as your next gay hotel in Sydney!
Vibe Hotel Sydney
A lot of Sydney’s coverage in movies and television shows seems to focus very intensely on Darling Harbor. The Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Opera House – we’ve all seen it a million times, regardless of whether we’ve set foot in Sydney itself or just ogled the city on TV.
You’d think that to be an exaggeration to focus upon one part of a city so much, as is often the case with cities such as Paris, London, and New York, but – as we mentioned earlier – most of the comings and goings in the state of New South Wales do begin and end in this quarter of the city.
This is thanks to the fact that it contains both Circular Quay – the city’s main public dock – and the Central Station, which leads through the Blue Mountains.
The Vibe Hotel Sydney is the perfect middle ground to staying in the City – incredibly useful both to take advantage of that centralized aspect that the city has and to enhance the experience of those who choose to stay with it.
It may not have the overview of Darling Harbor that the Park Hyatt has, but it also doesn’t come with a potentially crippling price tag, and the location benefits are all the same. You have direct access to the city’s most popular and busy eating and shopping areas, and you can jump on public transport whenever you’d like to go to just about wherever you’d like to, and that’s just the start.
The actual Vibe Hotel itself is well polished and attentive, just like the other hotels on this list, and lives up well to the honestly quite high accommodation standard that the city has for newcomers.
Gay Hotel Map Of Sydney
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Sydney? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Sydney! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Sydney.
