This was published 7 years ago
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney review: New York style in the heart of Sydney
By Craig Platt
A redesigned premier room.
The place
The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney
The location
Sydney's own Flatiron: The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney.
Just outside the centre of the CBD, the Radisson Blu is a short walk from the heart of Sydney, with the Pitt Street Mall, Martin Place, the Museum of Sydney and the State Library. Despite the controversy over New South Wales' lockout laws, there are plenty of places to get a drink or a fine meal in the city these days, provided you're not planning to stay out all night.
The space
Photos of the Radisson Blu's building adorn the corridors of the hotel and initially I do a double-take of the exterior of the building, which I'd not paid much attention to on the way in. Due to its location at the convergence of O'Connell, Hunter and Pitt streets, the triangular sandstone building looks like Sydney's own version of New York's famous Flatiron building. And its history is equally impressive. The original 1856 building was home to John Fairfax and Sons, publishers of the Sydney Morning Herald. Extended in the 1920s, the building was later home to the Bank of NSW, eventually turned into a Radisson in 2000. Late last year the first phase of a $12 million renovation was unveiled, with a revamp of the public spaces by local architects Bates Smart. Phase two will see all 336 guestrooms and 28 suites undergo their own transformation.
The Lady Fairfax Room.
The room
In keeping with the history of the building, the room (mine is one of those already renovated) features a look that straddles vintage and modern with reasonable success. It's a spacious, bright space with a revamped colour scheme of blues and chrome. There's the obligatory pillow menu for the king-sized bed one expects from a five-star hotel. The bathroom is grand, with a deep, separate bathtub set in marble. The hotel offers a concierge app that lets you make most of your typical hotel requests via your smartphone (eg, ordering room service, contacting housekeeping or checking out).
The food
Bentley Restaurant and Bar. Credit: Christopher Pearce
The building is home to the Bentley Restaurant and Bar – considered one of the best restaurants in Sydney and recipient of two hats in the 2016 Good Food Guide along with the award for best wine list (Read Good Food's review here). The restaurant is a stylish, split-level space with fine dining upstairs and more casual options at the street level bar. Reviewer Terry Durack describes some dishes as works of art and it's true, though there are prices to match. For casual diners a Reuben sandwich with hand cut chips is one of the best bar options. The Lady Fairfax room offers high tea and also hosts the hotel's extensive buffet breakfast.
Stepping out
Despite visiting Sydney on many occasions, this is the first time I've visited the city's gorgeous Royal Botanic Gardens. Less than 10 minutes' walk from the hotel, the gardens are a beautiful place to spend a sunny morning or afternoon in Sydney. Besides the gardens themselves, the location is also regularly home to various events and, to top it off, the walk around Farm Cove leads to Mrs Macquarie's Chair, the sandstone rock hand-carved by convicts for the wife of the governor of New South Wales in 1810. From here, picture postcard views of the harbour, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, can be enjoyed.
The verdict
The revamped Radisson Blu may be part of a large chain, but the hotel has made good use of the distinctive history of the building to ensure it's no cookie-cutter experience for guests.
Highlight
The staff are friendly and helpful to a fault. Even upon checkout, on a hot day, the bellman gets me a complimentary bottle of water for my trip to the airport.
Lowlight
The bathroom toiletries are not as impressive as the bathroom itself.
Essentials
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney, 27 O'Connell St, Sydney. Phone:(02) 8214 0000
Rooms start from $298. See https://www.radissonblu.com/en/plazahotel-sydney
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