Observatory Sydney voted best hotel in Australia

The Observatory Hotel in Sydney has been voted the number one place to stay in Australia by readers of US travel magazine, Travel + Leisure.

The luxury hotel is in the heart of Sydney, near the landmark Sydney Harbour Bridge, and is owned by Orient-Express Hotels. The Observatory received a score of 87.4% in Travel + Leisure's 'Top 500 Hotels' in its January issue. Two other hotels in Sydney - the Four Seasons and the Intercontinental - were in second and third place.

The Observatory Hotel in Sydney has also been named in the annual Gold List by another US travel magazine, Conde Nast Traveler. Readers of the magazine gave the hotel a score of 100% for its rooms and 93.5% for service, and an overall score of 84.5%.

"I am delighted to hear The Observatory Hotel has been included in both of these compendiums of the greatest hotels around the globe. And to achieve number one position on T + L magazine's list certainly helps cement our reputation as Australia's leading, luxurious five-star hotel," says Orient-Express Hotels Australia regional MD, Patrick Griffin.

To celebrate its achievement, The Observatory Hotel is offering a free upgrade to a Deluxe Water View Room for all bookings made before the end of January 2008.

Australia has recently been recognised as the country Brits would most like to visit, and Sydney is one of the most popular cities in the world. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas Airways all offer direct flights from Heathrow to Sydney. Thomsonfly Charter also offers flights from Gatwick to Sydney.