Australia's First Capella Hotel Has Opened in Sydney After a Seven-Year Restoration of Its Historic CBD Building
The 192-room Capella Sydney is now open within a nearly century-old sandstone Sydney building — with Italian Frette linen, a heated pool, spa and an ultra-luxe restaurant.
Sydney has just joined the likes of Bangkok, Hainan, Hanoi, Shanghai and Singapore as a home to the luxury hotel group Capella. The award-winning accommodation provider officially opened Capella Sydney today, Wednesday, March 15, bringing 192 luxury rooms to a historic inner-city building.
Housed within the sandstone Department of Education Building on the corner of Bridge Street and Loftus Street just across from Macquarie Place Park, the expansive hotel adds another dose of lavish luxury to Sydney's hotel scene. The restoration and reimagination of the century-old building took seven years in the hands of the Pontiac Land Group.
The nine-storey building has been transformed with a glamourous interior brought together by muted tones of white and brown giving the hotel both a vintage and timeless quality.
"Pontiac Land has always been passionate about creating meaningful developments that contribute and help shape their communities. Capella Sydney was an ideal opportunity for us to sensitively repurpose this culturally significant landmark in the heart of downtown Sydney and transform it into a more public offering as a leading luxury hotel for everyone to be able to experience," says Pontiac Land Group Chief Executive Officer David Tsang.
Guests are greeted with a flurry of acquired and commissioned art within the lobby including works from the likes of Judy Watson and Otis Hope Carey, as well as a robotic light installation titled Meadow from Dutch art duo DRIFT.
Once you've navigated the lobby, you'll find elegant guestrooms fitted with Italian Frette linen, a standalone bathtub and sustainable vegan amenities created in partnership with Haeckels.
And, there's plenty to love outside your room as well. There are two shared spaces for guests to unwind in, a spa offering relaxing rejuvenation treatments, a fitness centre, a heated 20-metre indoor pool and two dining areas.
The first is the more laidback McRae Bar. While this hotel bar is still overflowing with luxury, boasting gold trimmings and a hefty cocktail menu, it's hard to compete with the sheer exuberance of Brasserie 1930. This European-influenced dining room comes from the acclaimed hospitality crew behind Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Monopole, Yellow and Cirrus, offering the likes of oysters, brown-butter scallops, beef tartare, Eastern rock lobster, whole roasted duck and three different steak options ramping up to the $110 Coppertree Farm rib eye.
To mark the opening, Capella is kicking things off with a special Capella History Journey package. The $1500 experience for two includes a night's stay in a deluxe guestroom, breakfast at Brasserie 1920, a bespoke welcome amenity, a Capella Culturist experience that will take you on a curated journey through the history of the building and Sydney's Sandstone Precinct, 24-hour access to the fitness centre and valet parking. The package is bookable until Friday, June 30.
Capella Sydney is now open at 35–29 Bridge Street, Sydney.
Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
- Twenty-Five Movies That You Can Stream This Christmas No Matter How You Feel About the Festive Season
- The Most Beautiful Coastal Stays You Can Book in Noosa
- Ten Treehouses Around Australia You Can Book for an Immersive Nature Getaway
- Five Unexpected (and Undoubtedly Australian) Swimming Spots to Discover Around the Country
- Ten of the Most-Secluded Waterfront Getaways You Can Book on the Northern Beaches
- Twenty of the Best Airbnb Stays You Can Book in Tasmania