The Sir Stamford At Circular Quay, Sydney

Located right in the heart of Sydney on historic Macquarie Street, the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay is something of an institution on the Sydney hotel scene. The hotel itself is not just somewhere nice to stay - it’s also part-museum and part-art gallery and is in a building that dates to the late 1800’s and is on the National Heritage Register. Inside the classically styled interior is 18th century Louis XV and Georgian antiques and one of Australia’s largest private collections of fine art.

The Rooms:

The hotel offers just 105 rooms, 15 of which are suites, and most of them have French doors opening onto balconies with views of Sydney Harbour, Circular Quay or the Royal Botanic Gardens, depending on which side of the hotel you’re on. They’re all luxuriously appointed and the smallest Superior King Rooms are a generous 44 square metres. It’s classic styling all the way and all rooms have a marble bathroom with double vanity and a large mahogany writing desk as a standard feature. The Deluxe Harbour View Rooms are the next level up and are a little more spacious than the Superior Kings while the Executive Suites feature a separate sitting room from the bedroom with a large lounge suite and these have views of the harbour or the city. The pride and joy of the Sir Stamford though is the famous Presidential Suite which has hosted some of the world’s most famous politicians and celebrities including the likes of Prince Charles, Margaret Thatcher, Kevin Rudd, Michael Douglas, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall,  Mel Gibson and Paul Hogan. Its high ceilings and Italian silk wall coverings provide a feeling of opulence throughout the massive 153 square metre suite which is more like an oversized apartment than a hotel suite. A Steinway grand piano takes pride of place in the spacious lounge room and antique paintings and a Louis XV marble fireplace add to the sense of grandeur.

Dining:

The main restaurant is simply called The Dining Room and its decor complements the traditional elegance of the Sir Stamford. The menu in the evenings features a good selection of modern Australian cuisine with the best of local products and on a typical evening there’s entrees such as king crab with avocado, coriander and crisp sour dough salsa and crisp Hawkesbury squid with a salt and pepper coating and lime emulsion. Mains feature dishes include Mandagery Creek Venison cutlet and Gippsland grain fed beef porterhouse steak and the attentive staff keep reminding guests to leave room for the famous Sir Stamford Signature Chocolate Implosion for Two, which is as deadly and delicious as it sounds. They also do continental breakfast for $23 and buffet breakfast for $35. Lunch is served in The Bar which is also the venue for traditional High Tea every day from 1pm to 5pm.

Other Facilities:

The outdoor heated pool is the highlight of the Sir Stamford’s facilities and there’s also a good fitness centre along with a sun deck and sauna. But really you come here to stay in a  fabulous traditional hotel and take in the collections of fine art.

The Verdict:

If you love the idea of stepping back in time to a golden era of great hotels, then this is the place. From the moment you walk through the front door into the elegant lobby, you’re met with some old school service, antique furniture and classic pieces of art and an air of calmness and serenity. It could be 1930’s London and it’s all part of the fun. If you really want to splash out, try the Presidential Suite and you can say you’ve slept in the same bed as Mel Gibson, Kylie Minogue, Margaret Thatcher or whichever of the famous past guests have laid their heads in this suite.