My Chance To Live The Suite Life

Why don’t we take more holidays or mini breaks in the cities in which we live?

Think about it. There’s no two-hour check in to negotiate, you know the language, the currency and the cuisine, and it’s an easy trip home at the end of it.

I was pondering this question as I gazed out of the window of our room on the 21st floor of the five-star Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park.

Originally built in 1930, she first opened her doors as a hotel in 1994 but underwent a $40 million refurbishment in 2018. The result is a hotel that retains its classic elegance yet provides guests lucky enough to stay here with all the luxury mod cons.

Looking to provide my better half with a memorable birthday weekend, I decided to take up an extremely generous offer from enigmatic General Manager Janet McNab to “room-test” this famous Sydney property.

Having been to more travel functions at the hotel than you can shake a cocktail stick at, I was delighted to finally get the chance to enjoy the delights of the property.

“It’s in an iconic location and she’s a beautiful old grand dame in the hub of the cultural centre and retail area. My plan is to highlight that but also add a bit of volume to it,” Janet told me in a recent interview for Traveltalk.

Arriving into town on the train, a five-minute walk from Town Hall station saw us checking in with the enigmatic Jack, who sent us on our way with minimal fuss and maximum joie de vivre.

I knew we were in for something a little special when we arrived at the door of our room to discover it had its own little plaque, exclaiming it to be a Terrace Spa Suite.

That was but a prelude to what was to follow…

When you walk into most standard hotel rooms, there’s usually a bathroom by the door, a bed in the middle of the room and a window offering (hopefully) some kind of view.

Walking into room 2017 isn’t anything like that as the door opens to reveal a living room that wouldn’t look out of place in most people’s homes.

Tastefully and beautifully decorated, the room has a large sofa, TV, desk and chair, and a bureau housing the mini-bar and coffee machine. The room is spacious and comfortable, setting the tone for the entire suite.

The welcome note from the GM, the bottle of wine and the birthday cake waiting on the table were especially thoughtful touches.

Moving through to the bedroom there’s no loss of space or light, with the super-comfy king bed facing another TV and multiple windows offering majestic views across the city skyline to the harbour and out to the heads.

From here you can also access the small terrace which in summer would be a fantastic place to enjoy a glass of something bubbly while enjoying the view. The sound of the bells ringing from St Mary’s Cathedral below on Sunday morning was just delightful.

But like the Tardis, this room just keeps on going with the massive bathroom a particular highlight. Pièce de resistance is the huge spa bath which allows those having a soak to watch TV via a set mounted on the wall.

I guess sometimes you can never have too many TV’s…

Of course, with most hotel stays you spend as little time as possible in your room (although this one was hard to leave!). Venture out we did, but only as far as the Sydney Common restaurant that is gaining plaudits from food critics and guests alike.

Hotel restaurants are rarely noted for the quality of their cooking but Sydney Common has already been awarded one hat by the SMH Good Food Guide and further accolades are no doubt on the menu.

After a complementary glass of Taittinger (gotta love a birthday!), we were also treated to the chef’s special appetiser of a doughnut with WA truffle and comté. The standard and texture of this simple little dish set the tone for the whole meal.

I chose the smoked pumpkin agnolotti with lardo and sage for my main course while my wife opted for woodfired grilled king prawns with chili and salted shiso butter, all washed down with a tasty bottle of Mysterious Diggings pinot noir.

While by no means a gourmand, I can report that both dishes were enthusiastically dispatched and hugely appreciated, using some of the excellent sourdough bread to mop up all the lovely juices.

One of the major advantages of being housed in a suite was the access it gave us to the New York-inspired Sheraton Club lounge. Here you can escape the hustle and bustle of the hotel for a relaxing breakfast or for drinks and canapes later in the day.

While here, gaze out the window and you’ll see the two beehives located on the outdoor terrace on level 5 that is home to 120,000 honeybees. The hotel serves guests approximately 400 – 450 kilograms of honey annually and the project is all part of the Sheraton’s sustainability program.

Keen to add to my brownie point collection, I arranged a two-hour treatment in the On The Park Rejuvenation Spa. The Revive Package includes an Ultimate Aromatherapy Massage and a Couture Face Experience.

My wife reported back that Harumi delivered the best treatment she’s ever had and will definitely be returning for more of the same. Chalk up another 50 points to that collection!

Another major advantage of the Sheraton is its location, right around the corner from some of Sydney’s best shopping. While my wife was being pampered, I took the chance to buy some new threads for her final birthday treat – a marvellous performance of Tosca at the Opera House.

A superb room, some pampering, fine dining and excellent service. The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park certainly delivered a five-star birthday celebration.

Now, how on earth am I going to top that next year…?

www.marriott.com