Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, review: Weekend away

The location

Watsons Bay is only half an hour's drive from central Sydney, but it feels surprisingly windswept and remote, thanks to the enormous sandstone cliffs of the Sydney Harbour National Park and the dramatic expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

The place

This hotel is part of the historic Watsons Bay pub. Some rooms have harbour views; all have marble bathrooms, fluffy robes and room service. Recent renovations (not quite complete) have created a surprisingly serene space, with its own entry and car-park. Massages and beauty treatments can be booked ahead, and there's free bike and fishing-rod hire.

The experience

The hotel's greatest attraction, and its greatest peril, is its outdoor hospitality. There are few more photogenic spots to sink a Saturday pint or a mid-week pinot but, as a guest, the noise might prove frustrating if you want an early night: the soundproofing in the rooms is surprisingly good, but not perfect.

Don't miss

The beach in front of the hotel is ideal for children. Doyle's seafood restaurant is there, as is the wharf, servicing ferries to the city, Manly and the zoo. Paddle-board hire, sailing and seaplane flights are all available through the hotel, and there are several scenic walks nearby: check out Macquarie Lighthouse (Australia's oldest), Signal Hill or the views from The Gap and South Head. The Federation Cliff Walk winds all the way to Bondi.

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