Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Sydney

Thanks for stopping by to read about my quick trip to Sydney.  I’m trying to do a better job of wrapping these up more quickly so I’m hoping to bang this one out in between family vacations.  Here’s roughly what I expect to cover:

• Which Lounge At SFO International Terminal?
• Qantas Business Class Review
• Public Transportation In Sydney
• Park Hyatt Sydney
• Bridge Climb!  Bucket List Item
• The Old Clare Hotel, Chippendale, A Member of Design Hotels (SPG Redemption)
• Qantas First And Business Class Lounges at Sydney Airport
• Qantas First Class On the A380 to DFW

The Park Hyatt hotels represent some of the nicest chain properties in the US. In certain markets, they are the best hotels, chain or independent.  The handful of times I’ve been fortunate enough to find myself at a Park Hyatt the hotel has distinguished itself with great service regardless of locale.  The Park Hyatt Paris Place Vendome is a lovely property located in a relatively non-descript area a few blocks from the more popular tourist areas in Paris.

The Park Hyatt Sydney has great service and is a beautiful hotel.  But, it also nails it on location.  Absolutely nails it.  As I departed the Circular Quay train station and walked along the water, I caught my first glimpse of the iconic Sydney Opera House.  It was a quiet 5-minute walk along the water until I rounded a bend to find the Park Hyatt nestled quietly in the shadow of another iconic structure, the Harbor Bridge.

The hotel has an entrance that faces the water as well as a vehicle entrance that requires circling around the building.  I didn’t know about the harborside entrance when I arrived so I took the long way around to the lobby.

I was warmly greeted by the staff.  They informed me that I had been upgraded to an Opera Deluxe Room (oh, boy!) but it wasn’t quite ready.  Uh, it’s only 8:30am.  I can’t say I was expecting a room that early.  They invited me to sit in the lounge behind the front desk and offered me coffee and breakfast while I waited.  I spent a short time catching up on e-mail that had amassed during my 14-hour flight and was informed shortly thereafter that my room was ready.

The hotel only has 5 floors and 155 rooms.  My room was located 1 floor above the lobby with just about the best view of the Sydney Opera House one could hope for.  I was escorted to my room by a member of the guest services team.  Upon entering, the first thing I remarked was, “Wow, this room looks very similar to my room at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.”  It wasn’t my imagination, as the hotel representative confirmed both hotels utilized the same design firm for the guest rooms. I love the spacious, open feel of the layout.  This room isn’t technically considered a suite but it was nicer than plenty of “suites” I’ve stayed in.

Immediately as you enter is a small powder room and toilet, followed by the bathroom and closets.  The bathroom has a huge soaking tub with a full length panel that withdraws to leave it open to the rest of the hotel room.  This is a doubly great plus in that you could lounge in the bathtub while staring at the Opera House, but I love most the natural light that’s allowed to enter the bathroom due to the design.  Most hotels stage the bathrooms near the door which rarely allows for outside light.  There’s also a separate shower with a rain shower head and a double sink.  The bathroom is spacious and inviting.

The living area of the room has a couch with a side chair and a coffee table, as well as a sizable table that doubles as a work area or dining area.  Outside on the balcony were two comfortable chairs and an ottoman.

The sleeping area has a comfortable bed with duvet and pillows.  On each side of the bed is an electrical outlet, and there are also controls bedside for the curtains and lights for the entire room.  No need to remember to find all the light switches when you head to bed.

The hotel fitness center has a variety of modern aerobic and strength training equipment as well as a shower area.  Nobody was using the fitness center when I stopped by, not surprising given how much there is to explore in the city and surrounding areas.  The hotel also has a nice rooftop pool area, though it was closed for renovations since it was winter time.

Breakfast for Diamond members is free in the main restaurant.  I took breakfast there and, as I was informed during check-in, there was no charge.  I was able to choose from the buffet for cold items and select anything from the a la carte menu.

As you can see from the pictures, the buffet offers a wide variety all on its own.  The menu covered all the basics you’d expect, including a handful of fresh squeezed juices.  I’d ordered the fresh-squeezed pineapple juice the previous night from room service when I’d need a late snack.  It was friggin’ awesome.  Hard to believe pineapple juice could be that good, but it was just as good the following morning.

There’s a small bar/lounge area off the lobby (separate from the lounge directly behind the front desk.  While I didn’t grab a meal there, the menu is a nice variety of snacks and lighter fare in a quiet spot tucked aside from the rest of the lobby.

Is The Park Hyatt Sydney Worth It?

Interestingly, when I was on the Bridge Climb (more on that later), I was ridiculed a bit for staying at the “pricey, $1,000 a night hotel where only rich people stay”, as our guide put it.  I’m not in a position to pay $1,000 a night for my leisure stays, but this was an award stay.  The Park Hyatt Sydney is a Category 7 hotel, which means 30,000 points a night.  I think that’s an excellent value.  Strategically, this is THE hotel that should cause you to sign up for the Hyatt Credit Card, albeit at the right time.  When you sign-up for the card and hit the sign-up bonus, you receive 2 free nights at any Hyatt in the world.  What better place to redeem those nights?

This hotel is hands-down the best location in the city for tourists.  The views are unparalleled.  I rarely want to spend time in my room, but I found myself enjoying a leisurely cup of morning coffee on my balcony, something I NEVER do.  In fact, the only hotel I can ever recall doing something similar is the Hotel Danieli in Venice, another real treat.

Amidst an early morning jet-laggy wake-up, the only thing that disturbed me was a cruise ship that docked as the sun crept over the horizon.

I would return to the Park Hyatt Sydney in a heartbeat.  The staff was truly excellent, the rooms beautiful and the views unmatchable.  The only problem was not having my family with me, a problem I intend to rectify in the future.

Stay tuned for a breakdown of the suites at this property, truly amazing.

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