A Night At Crown Towers Sydney - Australian Traveller

Crown Towers Sydney stands as a sky-scraping jewel on the waterfront of the Harbour City, steadfastly reflecting her beauty from every angle. Here, we share what to expect from a stay at the luxury hotel.

As the tallest hotel in Sydney (standing proud at 275 metres) and sporting a distinctive and sleek, reflective design, Crown Towers Sydney not only stands out visually as the defining landmark of the Barangaroo precinct, but as we discovered, the views, service and dining options to be found inside its walls also sets it apart from the rest of Sydney’s accommodation offerings.

The back story

Since opening in late December 2020 after four years of construction, this $2.2 billion hotel has lived up to its six-star hotel rating. While this rating doesn’t officially exist, we’ve discovered that it’s the only way to really describe the above-and-beyond experience to be had here.

From the eye-catching reflective exterior (thanks to over 8000 floor-to-ceiling glass panels) on the harbour’s edge to the curved geometric hotel design by award-winning British architecture firm Wilkinson Eyre to the 349 spacious, bespoke rooms designed by renowned New York-based firm Meyer Davis – the decor exudes elegance. And that’s before we even mention the water views, which include both Darling Harbour and Circular Quay (sometimes even from the same room).

The hotel has a range of deals on offer, and those who join Crown Direct unlock even further deals, like the Sneaky Sunday deal with an exclusive Sunday night rate of $550, including buffet breakfast for two.

British architecture firm Wilkinson Eyre is responsible for the design of Crown Towers Sydney

The award-winning British architecture firm Wilkinson Eyre is responsible for the design of the hotel. (Image: Katie Carlin)

First impressions

From the moment I drive up to the large glass doors of Crown Sydney, I’m shown warm and attentive service by the valet. That continues as I check in, and much later when I continue to get lost on my way to Crown Spa and afterwards, to dinner (the fault of my terrible sense of direction, it’s actually very well signposted).

They’re also very happy to help point you in the direction of the best restaurants for your tastes (an almost essential service, as choosing from the 11 restaurants here is a difficult decision) or local highlights in the Barangaroo area.

The six-storey Crown Towers Sydney chandelier

The six-storey chandelier features 396 pole-length crystals that light up of an evening with mesmerising results. (Image: Katie Carlin)

The room

I am rarely floored by a hotel room, but walking into the Premier Harbour Bridge Suite absolutely achieved it. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows boast the true highlight of this corner room: a view of Darling Harbour from the loungeroom, and the Harbour Bridge from the bedroom.

Speaking of which, both are luxuriously spacious. The living room is technically also a dining room, with a well-stocked mini bar and kitchen essentials (coffee machine, kettle, sink, cups and plates). A few paces away, long white sofas and dark blue armchairs that could comfortably sit a whole family plus a few of their friends, face each other in front of a giant TV screen.

Crown Towers Sydney Premier Harbour Bridge Suite Living Room

Luxuriate on the lounges to watch TV or the view.

A door separates the bedroom, complete with a king bed, plenty of space, and an absolute dream bathroom complete with double sink, large bathtub, spacious shower and a toilet with many gadgets including a self-opening lid and warmed seat. The Dyson hair dryer is also a highlight. There’s another half bathroom in the entry hall as well.

I especially appreciate the light setting that allows you to pick full brightness, mood lighting or off with the touch of a button. Blackout blinds ensure the many walls of windows don’t interfere with your REM sleep, and all blinds are operated with the press of a button.

Crown Towers Sydney Premier Suite Bathroom

Spend all day in your bathtub.

The facilities

The pool

The heated multi-level infinity pool on the fifth floor of the Crown Towers with its harbour views and anchored in-pool day beds (in addition to the ones that line the outskirts of the pool under white sail sun umbrellas) is as bougie as they come. Poolside attendants are on hand to take our food and beverage order – all from the comfort of one’s floating day bed of course.

Private cabanas line the back wall overlooking the pool, they’re available to book in five-hour blocks for $250 to $450 (depending on the time of week) and guarantee you’ll be reserved twin day beds in addition to the cabana’s lounge, fridge stocked with complimentary non-alcoholic drinks, a platter, television and an exclusive cabana-only dine-in menu. There is also a large heated jet spa for use.

The infinity pool at Crown Towers Sydney boasts breathtaking views of the harbour.

The spa

We included Crown Spa Sydney on our ‘best in Sydney’ list for good reason. This is the type of luxurious spa you could easily spend the full day in, from warming up in the sauna to indulging in massage performed by absolutely expert hands to sipping tea in the recovery room before relaxing your muscles further the Aqua Retreat. Even walking into the marble-covered lobby is an experience. It earned its place in the prestigious Forbes five-star hotel club.

The dreamy, light-filled space was designed by Blainey North. A soft colour palette soothes visitors from the moment they walk in, while pops of gold and brighter colours keep the Aqua Retreat area a pretty and inviting place to be.

Even the Crown Spa lobby is beautiful to behold.

I personally opted for a much-needed relaxing massage. After heading into the women-only changerooms on the hotel’s sixth floor, I jump into my robe and leave my belongings in a secured locker.

When I’m ready, I leave via another door to enter the massage area. I’m shown right through to my room – it’s a maze in here, and I’m glad I have help navigating the soft-hued hallways and many white leather doors leading to various treatment rooms – where my extremely friendly masseuse asked questions to make sure I get a personalised experience.

She leaves so I can de-robe and jump onto the table – which I realise with delight is actually long enough to fit my 6-foot-tall body (an unusual occurrence, trust me). After the massage, the masseuse showed me back into the recovery room and brought me tea and a small chocolate to enjoy for as long as I wished. I’ll be honest though, the famed Aqua Retreat was calling my name. The retreat features a 37-degree Vitality Pool alongside lilac-tiled heated day beds and an Infrared Sauna made of cedar wood.

Relax your muscles further in the Aqua Retreat.

Tennis court and gym

Never has there been a more picturesque place to workout than the hotel’s fitness studio; its harbour-facing views are enough to turn exercise avoiders into gym junkies faster than you can say, “it’s time to checkout". The gym is fitted with TechnoGym’s exclusive Artis equipment and guests can book a private training program or opt for a game of tennis on the open-air court. The striking cobalt blue surface of the court is decorated with bright pink iconography by Indigenous artist Reko Rennie. Find both on the sixth floor next to the spa.

The striking open-air tennis court on level six of Crown Towers Sydney. (Image: Katie Carlin)

The food and drink

The real crown on this stay (pardon the pun), is the bar and restaurant lineup. Italian fine dining at a’Mare (AKA the best Italian you’ll ever eat outside of Italy); famed contemporary Japanese fusion at Nobu; an intimate sushi affair at Yoshii’s Omakase; authentic Cantonese fine dining at Silks; the best of Australian produce cooked with wood, charcoal and steam at Woodcut; a culinary journey around the world at the buffet-style Epicurean restaurant, a traditional Chinese teahouse experience with a twist at the Teahouse; waterfront views, live music and a tantalising cocktail list at TWR (The Waiting Room) in the hotel’s lobby; and the highly anticipated 26th-floor terrace bar, Cirq.

Inside the lavish hotel lobby bar at Crown Towers, TWR. (Image: James D Morgan)

I start at a traditional Chinese teahouse mixed with luxe lounge bar, Teahouse, to try out their creative cocktail selection, seated in one of their whimsical ‘birdcages’ with a striking bird-filled wall-paper that contrasts rather brilliantly with the vibrant red carpet. As a sucker for anything matcha, my standout was Teahouse favourite, the Jade sour: gin, jasmine tea, orgeat, lemon, egg white and matcha powder. It’s a fun and subtle twist on exactly what you expect from a sour, just a minimal hint of matcha.

Teahouse’s Jade sour cocktail is a must-try. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

Next, I head to Woodcut for dinner. Luckily I bring a plus one, as the menu is famous around Sydney for its delectable meat cuts and fresh seafood. My plus one (a seafood fanatic) could not stop raving about his half-Southern rock lobster with kombu butter main. As a vegetarian, however, I discovered a whole vegetarian menu, but the best thing anyone will eat here is the Woodcut Truffle Toastie with whipped gruyere (in my humble and completely satisfied opinion). The sommelier is also a delight, and I ask him to help me choose a wine from the extensive list for each course – something that he nails every time.

There is nothing like completely including your tastebuds before waddling the short distance back to your room and flopping into a large, soft bed.

Enjoy the best of Australian produce in moody surroundings at Woodcut.

I thought it couldn’t get better than my dinner experience until I walked into the buffet breakfast the following morning. My version of heaven is a good buffet breakfast and this one takes the cake. With food stations covering everything from freshly made crepes to classic hot breakfast foods to Asian-inspired options. Wash it all down with the best range of fruit juices I’ve ever seen at a hotel buffet, all served in an adorable class bottle. I won’t admit to how many times I refilled my plate, but I will recommend arriving on an empty stomach.

Those deals I mentioned can also include dining vouchers – like the mid-week escape Crown Towers hotel deal at $800, inclusive of a $350 dining credit.

Be sure to order the Woodcut Truffle Toastie.

The location

The hotel’s opening ushers in the next stage of transformation for the Barangaroo precinct, which has evolved from a former 22-hectare disused shipping container site into a hub of dining, shopping, entertainment and cultural offerings.

Details

Address: 1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000

Website: Crown Towers Sydney

Staying there:

There are 349 total guest rooms, including various high-rise villas and two premium villas. The top villa will sit across two levels and will be the tallest habitable space in any hotel in Sydney. The Premier Harbour Bridge Suite is one of over 10 room and six villa types currently available to book at Crown Towers Sydney, including the Deluxe King Room, Harbour Bridge King Room, Opera King Room and Executive Harbour Bridge Room.

Dining there:

There are currently 11 bar and dining options open for business, and you don’t need to be a guest to dine here.

This article was originally written by Katie Carlin, with updates by Kassia Byrnes.

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

A night at the luxe Crown Towers Sydney