WhereStayGuide
A row of Victorian terraces with iron lace balconies under power lines
Chris Olszewski / CC BY-SA 4.0

Where to stay in Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

Terraces on hills immediately south-east of the centre, and the reason people who live in Sydney raise an eyebrow when a visitor books the CBD. Crown and Bourke Street for eating, Oxford Street behind it, small hotels in converted pubs and warehouses, and a twenty-minute walk into town that is itself pleasant. It is a neighbourhood rather than a destination, which is the whole recommendation.

Price level · Mid-range

Sydney

Area scorecard

Scored 0–10 by Where Stay Guide. No overall total: every traveller weights these differently.

Sightseeing
6.0
Walkability
8.5
Transport
8.0
Food
9.4
Nightlife
8.8
Quietness
5.5
Families
6.0
Value
7.0
Airport / station
8.0
First trip
8.0

Best for

  • A second visit, or a first one that wants dinner more than a view
  • Travellers who would rather walk to a restaurant than to a landmark
  • Longer stays

Choose elsewhere if

  • The harbour is why you came
  • You want a ferry at the door
  • You are travelling with young children

Our picks in Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

Best for the evening

Paramount House Hotel

Our pick for Surry Hills because it is on Commonwealth Street in the middle of the eating: Crown and Bourke are minutes away on foot, and the walk into town is twenty minutes and pleasant.