6 luxe Sydney stays to book for your harbour city stint

Although known as the harbour city, there's much more to the physical character of Sydney than the bridge or opera house. Bush and beach abound in the New South Wales capital with hidden architectural gems speckled within the natural world's grandeur.

You'll need somewhere to retreat to throughout your days of hiking through Royal National Park, luxuriating on the sands of Avalon, meandering through the AGNSW halls and exploring the haunts of inner west expression.

Be it a metropolitan stint or a crossing of the bridge to the Northern Beaches to break the rhythm of inner city living, there's a luxe Sydney getaway for every discerning traveller.

Read on for some of Sydney's best Airbnbs to book – from a Palm Beach penthouse to an architecturally-designed Newtown apartment.

In front of the beloved AP Bakery, right off Newtown's lively King Street is The Bercin 001 – an architecturally-designed apartment primed for exploring the thriving culinary and arts scene of Sydney's inner west. Featuring timber accents and contemporary furnishings, this space is one for the modern aesthete.

Between Manly and Shelly Beach, this oceanfront apartment has one of Manly's most enviable addresses right on Fairy Bower. Have a morning dip in the big blue, spend the arvo reading on the rooftop terrace or bay window, and stroll seven minutes along the coastal walk into Manly village for a seafood dinner.

Bordering Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and only accessible via the water, Soul Home is an escape in every sense of the word. With an extended lawn terrace to the water's edge, vistas from every room, and swimming spots, walking tracks and waterfalls within minutes, this unique Airbnb is a true Romanticist's retreat.

Less than a 10-minute stroll from Bondi Beach lies The Arc, a newly completed, architect-designed home teeming with contemporary glamour. The lush garden atrium through both levels of the house blur the line between indoors and out, marrying of polished concrete floors, exposed brickwork and marble give an industrial texture while the eclectic furnishings create warmth within the space. Featuring a entertainer's kitchen, travertine terrace and plunge pool, you're all set for a staycation of epicurean proportions.

Beyond the winding road of the Bilgola Bends, in the most northerly suburb in Sydney is this breezy Palm Beach penthouse. Sip your morning cuppa on the balcony overlooking Whale Beach, before making your way to the shore for the afternoon or strolling five minutes to Jonah's for dinner. An ideal stay for couples or a small group.

Heatherbrae is a stone's throw away from the CBD, just north of the Harbour Bridge in Kirribilli. With unrivalled bridge views from almost every room and cosy bars and restaurants in the nearby village, it's a memorable harbour city stay.