Naturally textured materials like carved sandstone, oxidized metal, and timber now mingle with local artwork in the neutral-hued spaces.

Those heady Opera House views glimpsed from the Park Hyatt Sydney are reason enough to ensconce oneself here. But the 155-room hotel itself, inspired by a posh waterfront residence, is just as easy on the eyes. The original 1989 Ancher Mortlock Woolley building received a contemporary jolt with the addition of a new floor. Dreamed up by local architecture firm Hassell, the rooftop hideaway on the fourth floor contains a lounger-lined pool and three open-plan suites swathed in custom-made cotton linens. In tandem with this expansion, a complete overhaul of all the guestrooms by Melbourne-based BARstudio now emphasizes views of such Sydney icons as the Circular Quay and Harbour Bridge through full-height windows. Naturally textured materials like carved sandstone, oxidized metal, and timber now mingle with local artwork in the neutral-hued spaces. The Zen feeling carries through to both the sundeck of the holistic Spa and the Dining Room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows letting in mighty Sydney Harbour views.