Location:

The Four Seasons Sydney is situated in the heart of the vibrant waterfront harbour of Circular Quay which, in our opinion, is the best location for a tourist to this city to spend a few days. The hotel is angled in such a way that two sides of it have magnificent views of both the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Sitting on the west side of circular quay, the hotel is located within the historic Rock area of the city, giving easy access to not only the quayside harbour but also the Rocks peninsula and Darling harbour. With the ferry terminals on the doorstep of the hotel, guests have access to all of the city destinations serviced by the ferries, as well as the tram line into the city centre and circular quay train station. With an abundance of high end hotels to choose from in this area the thing that makes the Four Seasons stand out is the ease of access to so many famous sites, along with the fabulous views that the hotel offers, as well as access to so many types of transport allowing easy travel to wider Sydney. 

Accommodation:

We booked a deluxe full harbour view for just over 600AUD a night which given the location and luxuriousness of the hotel we didn’t think was too bad (but we do come from London where you would get a tiny room with no view for that price). With a variety of rooms and suites on offer we found this room to be the perfect compromise between cost, space and position. Walking into the room on floor 14 we were blown away by the view from the wonderful, large, angled window framing the Harbour bridge on one side and the Opera house on the other. Thoughtfully furnished with a lovely window seat to just sit and soak in the view, there was also a useful round table and comfortable chair in front of the window, perfect for enjoying the comprehensive and delicious looking 24 hour room service menu. Although the room overall is not huge it is obviously beautifully appointed with a sumptuous king size bed looking toward the large flat screen TV. In a cupboard beside the TV is a coffee machine, kettle and array of glasses, cups and mugs as per any other Four Seasons hotel. As with most Four Seasons hotel the bathroom is divine with luxurious toiletries, a marble sink, large separate shower and bathtub.

Public areas: 

Walking into the Four Seasons in Sydney is a delight, with the wonderful porters meeting you as soon as you step out of your car or taxi, taking care of your luggage and whisking you into the luxurious lobby with the signature floral display on the table in the middle of the reception. The reception staff are wonderfully welcoming and go out of their way to make you feel at home. We arrived very early for our room having flown over 24 hours direct from the UK and though we had to wait a few hours for our room they made sure that as soon as the room was ready we had early access to it and they gave us access to the gym, pool area and changing rooms while we waited. 

The hotel has a lovely lower rooftop outdoor pool, complete with a Cabana bar to grab a cocktail or poolside snack. The pool is lined with padded sun loungers and nice green walls and planters to give it a less central city vibe than in reality it is. The pool is a nice size with a hot tub area at one end, perfect for cooling off after a long day exploring the city, with the skyscrapers towering above. The gym is well equipped and open from early to late for guests to use and located next to the Spa. 

The lobby itself is a three story atrium with the large reception desk at the rear and a concierge desk off to the left. Located on the first floor up is a range of conference and meeting rooms with the gym, spa and pool on the next level up. Located in the middle of the lobby is a nice relaxed seating area with extra seating on the mezanine levels. 

Just off to the left of the lobby as you walk into the hotel is a lovely little cafe to grab a coffee and a light bite on your way out. There isn’t much seating here so its mostly for take out, although there are a couple of cafe style tables for seating about a dozen people. The coffee here is lovely and the sweet treats very tempting indeed. 

Situated behind the coffee bar divided from the main lobby with a obscured glass wall is Mode kitchen and bar restaurant. This is the location for guest who purchase a hotel breakfast, with a buffet breakfast served from 6.30 to 10.30 am every day - although with so many lovely cafes and brunch venues within a couple of minutes walk we would recommend booing on a room only bars and making the most of having breakfast in a different cafe each morning you are in Sydney. It is also open for lunch fro noon to 3pm with snack served from noon to 5pm and afternoon tea from 2pm to 5pm. It also offers a refined evening meal, with either a degustation or a la carte menu, which is served from 5.30 to 10pm every day. Although we didn’t eat here ourselves the venue was always packed out and was seemingly popular with locals as well as hotel residents.

With its own off street entrance to the right of the hotels main entrance, the Grain Cocktail bar is open for hotel residents and non-residents alike. The off street entrance and its central location make it an easy option for passers by and the regular live music is a popular event. The bar itself exudes refinement and although the focus is on whiskey there are a range of drinks and cocktails on offer.

Overall, in our opinion, the Four Seasons Sydney has the best view of any hotel in the city which, along with the usual refinement and luxury afforded by staying in any Four Seasons hotel around the world, make this our number one hotel in Sydney. The only criticism we have with the hotel is the lack of rooftop bar, however there is a lounge with views, snacks and a bar on floor 32 if you book a room with lounge access - maybe next time.

We booked a deluxe full Harbour view room at the Four Seasons hotel directly with the hotel, paying 1,967 AUD for a 3 night stay.

If you enjoyed this blog why not read our review of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Santiago or the Intercontinental hotel and Spa in Papeete, Tahiti.

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