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Visiting heads of state and pop stars make this their residence of choice in Canberra, and it's not hard to see why. It has a great location, only a 2-minute drive from the city center, in the shadow of Parliament House, and between Lake Burley Griffin and the Parliamentary Triangle. Originally the Hotel Canberra, it opened in 1924 and was based on the low-slung "prairie" design of the now-destroyed Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. For many years the Hyatt was an important part of Canberra's social and political life, with key decisions affecting all Australians being made over drinks in the bar. All staff members wear 1920s costumes to add to the atmosphere.

Some 39 rooms are in the original two-story section. The rooms have more historic appeal, but they are darker than their modern counterparts, which were added in the 1980s. Standard rooms have a king-size bed and marble bathrooms. They all come with the little luxuries you'd expect from a hotel of this class.

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