Shangri-La Hotel Review, Sydney

The Shangri-La Hotel Sydney offers a fabulously indulgent stay overlooking one of the world’s most beautiful harbours in Sydney.

It’s the ultimate pandemic indulgence, a weekend away in a five star hotel in your own city.

And if it is dress circle harbour and skyscraper views you are after, a fabulous gym, luxe spa and great cocktails, The Shangri-La tops the list.

The bar and restaurant, Altitude on level 36 are proposal-worthy. With floor to ceiling windows and a virtual 360 degree view of Sydney’s glistening harbour.

Overall Rating: 8/10

The Location 9/10

The city of Sydney is a fab place to stay right now, as it is unseasonally quiet, due to the pandemic, which means a stroll at any time of day down to the water (less than 15 minutes), is calm and pleasant.

The Museum Of Contemporary Art is a gorgeous place to wander, and a stroll through The bohemian Rocks area is easy, interesting and fun.

There are numerous five star hotels near by, as well as pubs and bars if you fancy a pick-me-up off site. But in reality, why would you? As the Shangri-La is simply stunning.

Service & Facilities: 9/10

Blu bar and Altitude Restaurant on the 36th Floor are a knockout in every sense. You will want to pack a fabulous dress and heels to take in the glittering views.

The Horizon Club Guest Lounge on Level 30 offers an exclusive and intimate haven for guests wanting the least exposure to other people as possible. There are 13 metre high windows, spanning four floors.

The lounge offers breakfast, high tea and an all day menu so you can actually eat and drink there all day long. It is also well designed to capture the stunning city and harbour views.

The crowd differs each night of the week. Some nights there are more dinner patrons, others it’s all about the bar. But it is always popular, which is no wonder given how spectacular the cocktails are, and how skilled the barman are at mixing up delight after delight.

The heated pool, sauna and Chi spa as well as the gym is modern with excellent gym equipment. This is also more important than usual in these times, as it means you can fully enjoy a stay in the hotel without leaving, and have plenty to do.

The Rooms: 8/10

You simply must stay in one of the 564 rooms with a view. There are 5 room categories. The one bedroom Royal Suite has a grand piano, a kitchenette, dining room and study.

Our room was intimately designed with rich, leather upholstered bench seats and huge bay windows, so we could sit and stare at the view for hours – and we did. (There are side rooms with a view of Darling Harbour, but the sunsets are gorgeous, which can also be seen at Altitude Bar).

Rooms are generous in size – I would love to see a proper working desk with power sockets to WFH during the pandemic, but that is being demanding.

Beds are king sized with plush pillow tops. L’Occitane products are a welcome indulgence, as is the huge bath tub. Each bathroom has a marble bath and separate shower, and vanities with illuminated mirrors.

Premium rooms have an espresso machine, iHome dock, Bluetooth media hub, and all rooms have Wi-Fi Internet for easy digital access.

The mini bar is packed with local delicacies, and wine.

Food & Drink: 8/10

Altitude Restaurant sits 36 levels above Sydney, and has a private fully glassed dining room with floor to ceiling windows where you can enjoy one of the most glitzy private dinner or lunch settings in town.

The wine list is world class, with many spectacularly unique and creative offerings available, even by the glass. The theme of the restaurant is Australian, but the sommelier has searched far and wide for rare Aussie wines, and both Ruinart and Veuve Champagne are offered by the glass.

The menu at Altitude is either a two course offering ($125 for two courses, $85 iconic wine pairing) (available Sunday – Thursday only) or three courses ($165 and $120 for iconic wine pairing).

There is a diverse vegetarian men complete with four choices for entreee, main and desert.

The regular menu includes an Aylesbry Duck for two, pork tenderloin, red emperor fillet, high quality steaks and a generous selection of dishes.

Who Is Behind It: French-Australian Philippe Kronberg is the General Manager of The Shangri-La Hotel Sydney. He has been at the helm of the hotel since 2018, and was previously General Manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Istanbul. 

Insider Knowledge: The hotel manufacture their own wine and cocktail glasses which are superb.

Renae says:

Who should Stay here: Anyone who wants a five star Sydney indulgence.

Who shouldn’t Stay here: Anyone who doesn’t like views.(So no-one).

Location: In the Rocks area of Sydney overlooking the glistening harbour.

Best culinary delight: Five course tapas menu called Trust The Chef, (You should).

The Highlight: Views, views, views.

The Lowlight: Rooms are a touch dated.

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