The Russell Hotel

With a great location in the middle of the Rocks, just a stroll away from the hustle and bustle of Circular Quay, the Russell still somehow manages to feel more like a cosy country B&B than a city-centre hotel. Housed in a turreted 1887 building, rooms feature such period flourishes as ornate fireplaces, antique brass beds, marble washbasins, pine dressers and floral bedspreads and wallpapers. Some rooms are en suite, and some have portable air-conditioners and TVs. There’s also the pleasant Acacia breakfast room on the ground floor, the historic Fortune of War pub and a tiny rooftop garden. Bar. Internet (shared terminal). No smoking. Parking ($30). Restaurant. TV. CityRail/ferry Circular Quay. Rates $150-$290 double. Rooms 29. Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.