Sydney Hotels

Sydney is the largest city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million (2008 estimate). It is the state capital of New South Wales, and was the site of the first British colony in Australia. Situated on an inlet of the Tasman Sea, Sydney is built on low hills surrounding Port Jackson. It was established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, commodore of the First Fleet from Britain. A resident of the city is referred to colloquially as a Sydneysider. Sydney is situated on Australia's south-east coast. The city is built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour, leading to the city's nickname, "the Harbour City". The city is home to the iconic Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and its beaches. The metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and contains many bays, rivers and inlets. Sydney is considered an alpha+ world city, listed by the Loughborough University group's 2008 inventory and ranked 16th among global cities by Foreign Policy's 2008 Global Cities Index. The city has hosted international sporting events, including the 1938 British Empire Games, 2000 Summer Olympics and the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The main airport serving Sydney is Kingsford Smith International Airport, commonly referred to as Sydney Airport. Sydney is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, which reflects its role as a major destination for immigrants to Australia. According to the Mercer cost of living survey, Sydney is Australia's most expensive city, and the 15th most expensive in the world. Sydney also consistently ranks among the top 10 most livable cities in the world according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting and The Economist.