If you want to be smack-bang in the middle of the city, The Hilton Sydney is where it’s at. It’s located on George Street, diagonally across from Town Hall Station, opposite the historic Queen Victoria Building (QVB), with easy access to the light rail down to Circular Quay and The Rocks or up the other way to Chinatown. And the other side of the hotel backs onto Sydney’s shopping heart, Pitt Street.
Of course it’s gone through classy refurbishments since it was first built in 1974, but refurbs have kept the rooms’ original structures, so you won’t find big, glass walls overlooking the city like you often do in modern hotels – instead, you’ll feel like you’re up in your own private abode, with smaller windows that look out across Sydney. From right up high on the 39th floor where we stay, we look down at all of the tops of the surrounding buildings, including the green copper domes of the QVB.
Rooms have all the comfy trimmings and mod-cons you'd expect from a luxury stay, including Nespresso machines, 24-hour room service and access to mini-bar refreshments by phone (less tempting than the drinks and snacks that are right there in your room). They also have very comfy big beds: their signature Hilton Serenity Beds. But there’s so much action around you that you might not end up spending much time in your room. As well as being in the centre of the city, the hotel’s multiple venues are well worth checking out.
We started with sunset drinks at Zeta Bar, which has a classy indoor bar as well as an outdoor terrace that has a stunning view of the QVB that you won’t get from anywhere else in the city. We took advantage of happy hour (from 5-7pm), and got a $14 Negroni. You can also get a L’Americano, Pina Mongibello or Vermuttino for the same price. They’re open Thursdays from 5-11pm or Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm-2am.
For dinner, we ate at Glass Brasserie, headed up by renowned chef Luke Mangan. The menu has a modern Australian feel – combining beautiful Australian seafood and meats (produce such as Humpty Doo barramundi, Wollemi duck and Rangers Valley wagyu) with Asian flavours, and additional influences from France, Italy and South America. As the name suggests, the dining room is surrounded by glass so that, again, you get a great view of the elaborate Romanesque architecture of the QVB, with its exquisite stone work and stained-glass windows. The glass in the name must also be a nod to the collection of more than 440 wines, which feature as decorations.
Glass Brasserie is also where you’ll sit down for breakfast. If you go for the buffet, you’ll find all the usual offerings like fruits, pastries, cheeses, hot breakfast foods, and an omelette station.
After dinner, we head underground to the 130-year-old Marble Bar. This speakeasy-style bar, built in 1893, is indeed coated in marble, and the design is really quite exquisite. They champion live bands, usually something you can dance to. On the night we were there, they had an R&B band playing classic ’90s bangers like Always On Time (Ja Rule) and Love Like This (Faith Evans) that had the whole place pumping.
If you get in the groove and stay out late enough, you might need a bit of pampering in the morning, so it’s handy that the hotel is home to Alysium Day Spa and salon services. The more virtuous can head down to the gym – all guests get access to Fitness First Pitt St Platinum (including their 25-metre lap pool).
Time Out’s stay was hosted by The Hilton Sydney.
