The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, Australia

The Observatory Hotel may not be the biggest or flashiest of Sydney’s five star luxury hotels. But the Observatory Hotel’s positives begin with its excellent location, bang in the middle of Sydney’s historic Rocks area. From here on Kent Street, both the CBD (central business district) and many of the must-visits of central Sydney – Circular Quay and the Opera House, Darling Harbour, Cockle Bay wharf and the new development of restaurants and bars at Kings Wharf – are all within an easy walk.

The facilities

The Globe Bar is all London gentlemans club with its deep lounge chairs and bookcases full of First Editions. Adjacent to the bar is the magnificent Galileo restaurant, which in spite of being named after an Italian astronomer, evokes a high-end Parisian salon.

The 20 metre Observatory Hotel pool is among my favourite luxury hotel pools in the world, let alone Sydney. It might be indoors but with its domed ceiling featuring a fibre-optic representation of the Southern Hemisphere night sky and marble columns lining its sides– the pool has an outdoor feel.

The adjacent spa also offers a real retreat from the cut and thrust of urban life, as well as some rarely-seen treatments like Tibetan Bell Therapy.

The general picture this unusual luxury hotel is completed by some quirky touches such as the availability of goldfish on loan and an “under-the-weather” package, including broths and herbal teas, delivered to your room if you arrive feeling unwell.

The rooms

The Observatory Hotel’s 100 guest rooms and suites are spacious and echo the country house feel of its public areas. Rooms get plenty of light through big windows and the walls are generally painted cream, with fabrics and carpets in light colours including cool lime. Wooden furniture pieces such as writing desks, television cabinets and end-of-bed linen chests, are classic in style and in excellent condition throughout.

The predominant motif in many rooms at the luxury hotel is floral, from the wildflower prints on the wall, through curtains to bedspreads and cushion and couch covers. Some suites feature four poster beds and their own private balconies. But whatever room you are in you will be impressed with the generous size and luxury of the Italian marble bathrooms, with separate large tub and shower.

If the overall feel of the rooms is Old World, at the luxury hotel, though the design is also happily married with some of the more desirable trappings of the modern world. High Speed Broadband internet access, 2 telephone lines, cable TV, DVD, VCR and CD players come as standard in all rooms. And if you are still not feeling quite at home, call Concierge and ask them to send up some of your favourite music from their in-house CD library.