Shangri-La Hotel Sydney

Best view from high level bar. The hotel staff all lovely and very accommodating, however the hotel itself is very much in need of a refurbishment. Decor dated in main areas and rooms. Beds very comfortable, room furniture very dated and damage repaired. We had a large corner room on the 12th floor we requested a high floor with opera house view …view was very limited from an angle at one side of a window 😬 that was disappointing. Bathroom again dated , shower extremely poor and no toiletries at bath 😳 as there are only fixed bottles at washbasin & shower again not 5* expectation. One other point to note it is quite a climb to the hotel if you struggle with that, not a problem for us but could imagine difficult for some.

My partner and I decided to stay at the Shangri La Sydney to celebrate our anniversary. We booked high tea and dinner at Altitude - the restaurant in the hotel. When our high tea came out, no one explained what was on the plate. We repeatedly had to ask for water and also asked twice for a clean tea cup as the one on the table was dirty. When we came back for dinner we were informed our table was not ready and we had to wait. This seemed odd as we arrived perfectly on time for our reservation. While we waited for our table I couldn't help but notice other couples and groups of people were seated before us. We are a same sex couple and hopefully this is not the reason for the poor service, although it seems to make sense that this was the case. Back in our room at the hotel, I was disappointed to see mould on the bottom of the shower glass. The room was also very dusty. This was very concerning as my partner is asthmatic. Considering that I paid over $900 for the one night of accommodation, you would expect better. We are beyond let down by our experience and have to say we will not be staying there again and will certainly not recommend the Shangri La to anyone else.

Although we had booked a room with a view of the opera House we upgraded to an Horizons Executive room which gave us access to a separate lounge ,afternoon tea and pre--dinner eats .Well worth the extra. The staff were very friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble for them.After leaving the hotel and moving on we discovered that we had left an item of clothing behind.We rang the hotel and they were kind enough to send it on to our next destination, We can recommend this hotel for a city stay in a good location albeit a little high on the hill

We loved every minute! My best friend and I travel often, but always with our husbands, so we decided to visit Sydney for a relaxing girls-only few days. Booked the Horizon Club room and it was exactly what we wanted. We were warmly greeted by Saskia and Annie for our check-in and since our room wasn’t quite ready, spent a little while in the lounge with complimentary drinks. Loved the relaxing banter, and it was lovely that we were recognised when we came down for canapés a few hours later. Mayuko and Saskia were delightful hosts. Our room was spacious, clean and inviting and the view exceptional! We especially loved the bay window type alcoves where we could lounge and appreciate the view. Beds were comfy with a selection of pillows and the bathroom clean and well-stocked. Breakfasts had a nice variety - not large, but plentiful, fresh and well-presented. Breakfast hosts Jerry and Ellie was the cherry on the top! One morning after breakfast, we emerged from the lift giggling about the 2 empty glass yogurt jars we took, only to see what looked like the exec in front of us 🤣😲. It was Robert and Catherine who were waiting for other staff to join them, so we started chatting and they made us feel so welcome. So nice to see exec/admin staff interacting with guests. We talked it up so much that our husbands are coming with us for our stay next month!

An exquisite hotel with some rooms having dramatic views of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The hotel is perched over The Rocks neighborhood and is superior to the Four Seasons next door in my opinion, I spent 3 nights here after a month-long cruise. The hospitality was, for the most part, peerless. Alicia checked me in early, and took the time to find a room that would be available soonest. It was an appreciated and unnecessary gesture (and I loved the room). Lucy was also very helpful. The room was traditionally-furnished and no detail was overlooked. The bath amenities, the tea kettle, Nespresso, the mini-bar were all welcome perks. The bed and the pillows were fantastic. There were two benches at the window to take advantage of the view (Deluxe Harbour Bridge Room) which was mesmerizing day or night. Be aware that to explore most of the local area, there will be quite a few steps involved. It’s probably 5 flights up from street level in The Rocks area to the hotel itself, which is on the other side of the expressway, which you walk under also. If you need any incidental “convenience store” items, there is nowhere in the hotel to buy them, but there is a store at the bottom of the steps on Harrison Street (again, a bit of a vertical trek). Also, while cruise ships dock near the Shangri-La, I don’t recommend you trying to drag your bags over and up the hotel; I took a (very!) short taxi ride from my ship to the hotel. The one area of the hotel that I couldn’t quite figure out was the Lobby Bar. This is the first space you see at the hotel and it should be a buzzing environment. I waited here for my room at check-in, and visited several times during my stay to have a drink or some light appetizers. Firstly, it’s a mystery as to whether you get waited on, or are supposed to go to the bar to get a drink or coffee, etc. While there were two people working there, and a handful of customers, it took a good 15 minutes or more before I finally got up and asked at the bar about service. Then waited another 10 minutes before someone came over. Then another 10 minutes to get my drink order. The whole setup was weird and the other guests looked equally confused. One of the staff basically ignored me on multiple occasions unless I actively flagged them down, once again walking right past me in an empty bar while I looked right at them. I was actually kind of shocked at the service here, it was so out of character with the rest of the hotel. I am not a picky or demanding person; perhaps it was my imagination but I don’t think so. At any rate, this is a lovely space that could be so much more vibrant and friendly. Based on my experience here I didn’t bother trying the restaurant or bar on 36 and instead went off-property (including to the Four Seaons) to dine. The entrance of the hotel is against an expressway ramp so it isn’t as impressive as some, but the valets and doormen went out of their way to be attentive and helpful. I was excited about staying at the Shangri-La Sydney and it exceeded my expectations except as noted above. Overall the staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. Planning on returning next year and also planning on trying Shangri-La hotels in Hong Kong and Singapore.