The brand-new - and pocket-friendly - Sydney hotel that's turning heads right now

Plus, three other things Explore is loving this week.

Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney.

By Akash Arora

Updated November 4, 2025, first published November 3, 2025

Striking wallpapers by Australian artists Chris Yee and Samy Baby are among the features that make Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney one of the Harbour City's hottest hotel openings this summer. At the centre of the property is Talk Shop, an all-day hub that's part cafe, part bar, where both travellers and locals can enjoy excellent coffees, world-class cocktails and bold food flavours. The 174 rooms are compact (ranging from 20-28 square metres) but many feature city views, with rates starting from a pocket-friendly $269 per night. A 24-hour fitness studio, contactless mobile check-in, and flexible co-working and lounge spaces further add to the hotel's appeal. hyatt.com

Lonely Planet's 2026 travel picks

Lonely Planet has released its 25 best destinations for 2026, featuring the likes of the US state of Maine and Jaffna city in Sri Lanka. In Australia, the Ikara-Flinders Ranges in SA has made the cut for its "otherworldly beauty". The publication has also nominated its 25 best travel experiences - among them tracking desert elephants in Namibia, becoming a citizen scientist in the Peruvian Amazon and, in Australia, the new 885-kilometre Great Bathing Trail in Victoria and Melbourne's food scene ("the envy of the world"). lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel

The revival of a New York icon

It is one of the most famous buildings in NYC that no one ever visits. One Times Square - where the iconic New Year's Eve ball drops - used to be The New York Times HQ until 1904, after which it lay derelict for decades. But that's about to change, when the building reopens as a tourist destination after a $US500 million makeover. A number of new experiences await, including a glass elevator that'll whizz visitors through different eras of Times Square as well as a 360-degree open-air deck on the building's 19th floor. onetimessquare.com

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It's Waldorf - but with a twist

Still in New York ... one of the city's most historic hotels, Waldorf Astoria - yes, the place where the eponymous salad was invented - has reopened after an eight-year closure and $US2 billion renovation. The room rates are north of $US1000 ($1522) a night, but there's another - wallet-friendly - way to get a taste of one of NYC's most luxe properties. Head to the hotel's Lex Yard, where you can enjoy the legendary dish - now called the New Waldorf Salad - for $US26. waldorfastorianewyork.com

Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.