Hotel Review: The Wildlife Retreat At Sydney's Taronga Zoo

Privileged access to the creatures of the bush – and the jungle – comes with luxe inclusions, expansive harbour views and a conscience.

It’s every child’s dream come true, to be locked inside a zoo once the gates have closed and the visitors have all gone home. And I’m living it. There is nothing nefarious about how I have found myself within the grounds of Sydney’s celebrated Taronga Zoo after dark; rather it is all well conceived and purposeful.

The back story

I am a guest at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, a new 62-room eco-retreat owned and operated by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia. It’s a privileged position to be in but a necessary one: as zoos around the world attempt to stay relevant in an age when our senses are heightened to the indignation of keeping majestic animals in enclosures, it is this melding of experience and education – with luxury inclusions and multimillion-dollar views thrown in for good measure – that is designed to ensure the future of places like Taronga, not to mention the vital work it does in conservation (another essential element to any zoo’s trope in the 21st century).

With compelling and necessary stories of conservation and citizen science to tell, it is pleasing that Taronga Conservation Society Australia has put such time and consideration into the Wildlife Retreat. Sitting on Cammeraigal country at the edge of Sydney Harbour, the five low-rise lodges, sustainably designed by leading Australian creatives Cox Architecture, sit surprisingly lightly within the environment. The accommodation ‘pods’ are clad in reconstituted timber and metal, their clean, modern lines softened with ample use of tactile blonde sandstone and native plantings.

In keeping with Taronga’s focus on sustainability, land care and social responsibility, advice was sought throughout the construction phase and will continue now it is up and running; the property is targeting a five-star Green Star rating.

The rooms are luxuriously appointed

First impressions

The convivial hub of the property is the ‘nest’, a vast central lounge that is drenched by afternoon sun, its floor-to-ceiling windows framing uninterrupted city views; when night falls the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and city skyline twinkle and dance in the inky darkness. Cosy indoor/outdoor seating areas abound, and there is a bar in the corner ready to supply sundowners at a whim.
While the design and appointments dazzle upon arrival, it is the Sanctuary that confirms the Wildlife Retreat’s intentions. A purpose-designed and built native habitat created exclusively for guests, the space allows for unique encounters with a menagerie of Australian native animals. With a guide/keeper leading the way, we weave through the space, pausing to watch as one of the two resident echidnas (old man Robbie and the younger Wednesday) laps up its dinner with its long, thin tongue, all the while watched over by a duo of shy Tammar wallabies. Encountering our totally unique animals never fails to give me goosebumps, and getting so close is a lump-in-the-throat honour.

Expansive views from the communal lounge

There are animals here I have never even heard of – the red-necked pademelon for one – and those that are instantly emblematic of our country: we finish by watching one of the resident koalas waddle from one tree to another, almost as if it is looking for a more advantageous position to admire the view.

Throughout the walk we meet various keepers immersed in facts about their furry charges, and hear stories of how we can make a difference to the future of each one: advice as simple as “plant a tree" to ensure the survival of our koala population has me planning which variety of gum I am going to buy at the garden centre.

And that’s the whole point of the Wildlife Retreat: above and beyond offering up a new luxury Sydney stay, this is a brilliantly realised concept in making a real difference to the world through a hearts and mind conversion of its guests.

One of the Sanctuary’s echidnas

The property

Each room they fill by offering up stylish accommodation, delicious food (the Me-Gal restaurant serves up a generous menu stacked with sustainable and local produce) and the opportunity to look into the eyes of a long-nosed potoroo results in another convert to the cause.

After a night spent listening to the whoops and squawks of the zoo’s birds, I rise to take an early morning tour around the grounds before the visitors arrive. While many of the animals are still slumbering, we pass by the gorilla enclosure to find two of the young males searching for their breakfast. I stand in silence and watch as they play, and feel the privilege of my exclusive access, and the responsibility that comes with it.

An en suite bathroom with a nature aspect

Details

Staying there

An overnight stay at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga is priced from $790 for two adults and includes a two-course dinner, buffet breakfast, exclusive immersive animal experiences and complimentary general admission to the zoo. Proceeds from each and every stay support Taronga’s ongoing work caring for animals within its two zoos here in Australia (Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo), as well as through conservation programs around the world.

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 in the new Wildlife Retreat at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo

Privileged access to the creatures of the bush – and the jungle – comes with luxe inclusions, expansive harbour views and a conscience.

The back story

First impressions

The property

Details

Staying there

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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.