If you have lots of Delta miles, V Australia flies nonstop out of Los Angeles to Sydney, although aw

Sydney and Australia is high on many luxury travelers' wish lists. It doesn't hurt that its southern hemisphere summer coincides with the darkest, coldest months in the northern U.S., or that its people tend to be so friendly car rental kona hawaii and well-traveled themselves. And whether your greatest interest is the beach, surfing, people watching, performing arts, eating great food or all of the above, Sydney has plenty to see and do. We also love that there are some lovely luxury options, many with incredible views of the iconic car rental kona hawaii Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor (or Harbour, as Australians car rental kona hawaii would spell it). The only question is...when are you going?
Coming off of its recent renovation, the Park Hyatt Sydney is getting rave reviews for its spacious, modern rooms with floor to ceiling windows, balconies, and magnificent views of the opera house and harbor. Even entry level City Harbour King Rooms offer 430-480 sq ft of space, an open plan that allows you to keep the bathroom private or make it part of the open plan, and luxuries such as butler service and an in-room Nespresso machine. We especially love the rooftop pool and jacuzzi, with their likewise stunning views of the harbor, although who needs the (very well equipped) fitness center given all the exercise you'll probably be getting outdoors in and around Sydney? The location is perfect, close to all the restaurants and nightlife, but our one complaint would be that rooms aren't fully soundproofed--you may find both outside noise and hallway car rental kona hawaii noise troublesome if you're a light sleeper. The other detractor, of course, is the price--it's double or more the price of most other Sydney luxury hotels, so this would be a great use of your 2 free nights with the Hyatt Visa .
Talk about spacious--it doesn't get more roomy for entry-level rooms than the One Bedroom Suites at the Quay Grand Suites Sydney, car rental kona hawaii at over 800 square feet. It's also super central, located across from the Botanical Gardens and just a five minute walk from the Opera House. Families or anyone staying for awhile in Sydney will appreciate the fully equipped gourmet kitchen, including car rental kona hawaii a Nespresso machine and dishwasher as well as stove, fridge and oven, and a washer and dryer. We also love the jacuzzi bath in the bathroom and the private balcony, especially if you spring for a Harbour View Suite, which we recommend. Note that on weekends it can be a tad noisy, since there can be crowds on Circular car rental kona hawaii Quay, but you won't regret the mesmerizing views. Garden View Suites on top floors have a good view of the treetops car rental kona hawaii of the Botanical Garden, but be aware that a busy road separates you from the Botanical Garden. We're also not keen on the pricey and sometimes weak Internet access, though you will end up paying for Internet at pretty much all the true luxury hotels car rental kona hawaii (unless you have elite status at chain hotels such as the Park Hyatt, or spring for Executive Lounge access at the Four Seasons). The fitness room is on the small side, but there's a heated indoor pool, jacuzzi and sundeck with harbor view that we definitely recommend. Don't bother with room service, which is overpriced, and head out instead to one of Sydney's car rental kona hawaii excellent dining options, car rental kona hawaii or open a bottle car rental kona hawaii of wine and enjoy it while watching the sunset from your balcony.
The main problem with the Four Seasons Sydney is that, if you get one of the rooms or suites with a view of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House, you may be tempted not to leave. Entry-level Deluxe Rooms are on the small side, at 280 square feet, so we'd recommend splurging for the Grand Premier City Harbour our Full Harbour Rooms, a much more generous 570 square feet. Regardless of which you pick, enjoy superb Four Seasons service, ultra-comfortable beds and plush towels, L'Occitane bath amenities, and excellent (if expensive) dining, particularly the buffet breakfast. Insider Tip: If you don't want to splurge on a room with a view, book an entry-level room with TravelSort, then reserve and pay for Executive Club privileges--you can enjoy spectacular views from its location on the 23rd floor, over an extensive buffet breakfast or in the evening, drinks and canapes.
If your style sense is modern and minimalist, Sir Stamford at Circular Quay is not for you. It's for romantics, who will adore its 18th Century Louis XV and Georgian antique furniture, its French marble urns, the Persian rugs, the elegant chandeliers, and the personalized service, legacies from its former life as a Ritz-Carlton. car rental kona hawaii Set in a historic 19th century building, the hotel is just a couple car rental kona hawaii minutes from Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour, with great cafes and restaurants within walking distance. Superior King Rooms are incredibly spacious, at 473 square feet, with Juliet Balconies--this is a great hotel for those that value space, and families (although watch your kids, given those balconies). We'd recommend requesting a room away from the expressway, to ensure a more scenic and peaceful view, although most all rooms are actually car rental kona hawaii quite quiet. car rental kona hawaii While the gym is a bit small for our liking, the heated rooftop pool and sundeck is nice to come back to after a busy day of meetings or sightseeing.
It's rare to find a Sydney luxury hotel that offers free WiFi, so we give the Radisson Blu Plaza Sydney extra points car rental kona hawaii for that alone, even though car rental kona hawaii it's more a 4.5-star hotel. It's also in a great location in the Central Business District, a short walk from the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Atrium, Premier and Deluxe Rooms are all 365 square car rental kona hawaii feet, a good entry level room size in Sydney, and done in soothing neutral tones. We like being able to open the glass doors to the Deluxe Rooms' Juliet balcony to get some fresh air, and the modern marble baths in all rooms feature a soaking tub and separate shower. While you could book a Business Class Room to get access to the Business Lounge, with its complimentary breakfast, evening canapes, drinks and snacks, it's usually a better deal to book an entry-level room with TravelSort and simply pay at the hotel to upgrade to Business Level.
One of the best products is Qantas First Class on its Airbus 380 from Los Angeles to Melbourne; this is extremely difficult to get, however, so make sure you try for it 11 months out and stay up late, calling American every hour or so to book it. First Class roundtrip is 145,000 American AAdvantage Miles; you can earn 100,000 AA miles by applying simultaneously for the Citi AA Visa and AMEX, and another 50,000 AA miles by later applying car rental kona hawaii for the Citi AA Business card. See Best Travel Credit Cards . You could also earn AAdvantage miles for as little as half a cent per mile with BankDirect .
Qantas has recently partnered with Emirates, car rental kona hawaii so another route will be via Dubai. As of 10/1/12 with Japan Airlines' revamped award chart, roundtrip in Emirates First Class NYC - Dubai will be 135,000 Mileage Bank miles = 110,000 Starwood points (see Best SPG Airline Transfer Partners ), and the Alaska Airlines award chart for Emirates redemptions should be released soon.
If you have lots of Delta miles, V Australia flies nonstop out of Los Angeles to Sydney, although award space tends to be better on the LA to Brisbane route. Delta imposes fuel surcharges for V Australia award redemptions, so expect to pay $500-600 for a roundtrip award ticket.
Asiana flies from Seoul to Sydney on a two class 777, and has excellent business class award space on it. You could have a stopover in one direction to break up the journey a bit. For the outbound trip from Los Angeles to Sydney car rental kona hawaii the schedule works out great as there s only a two-hour connection in Seoul, while on the return an overnight is required.