Secret sights of Sydney: VIP tips for those in the know
YOU may think you know everything about Australia’s biggest city. Well, you don’t. Hiding in plain sight are a bunch of exclusive experiences waiting to be uncovered.
YOU may think you know everything there is to know about Australia’s biggest city.
But Sydney is home to the nation’s best exclusive and VIP experiences, providing something extra-special beyond the usual tourist haunts of Bondi and the Opera House.
It’s time to test yourself with our selection of favourites. How many of these hidden secrets are old news to you?
TASTE OF EXCITEMENT
If your trips are all about culinary adventures, try Secret Foodies’ themed nights at a surprise venue, which will be texted to you just hours beforehand. Previous cloak-and-dagger events have been held in warehouses, parks and at a heritage-listed barn. The next event, A Night With Capone, will take you back to the Great Gatsby era for dinner, canapés and cocktails. The team also puts on private events for birthdays, office parties and hen nights.
GO UNDERGROUND
Underground Cinema holds immersive film screenings at secret locations around Sydney, from abandoned ballrooms to giant carparks. Details of the event location are sent to attendees on the day, and arriving is like stepping onto a movie set. The next unique film night takes place on March 29. The dress code for the mystery experience is 1950s city sleek, with attendees required to bring an A4 envelope, notepad and pen. Expect a four-hour experience, hot food and a bar.
SKY’S THE LIMIT
Aim for the stars if you’re looking to escape to somewhere special. The Rook is a rooftop bar and restaurant accessed through an unmarked door and lift beside a bakery. The menu is stylish and simple, focused on top-quality lobster and burger mains with decadent starters, including arancini balls and crispy lobster and chorizo croquettes. Keep your drinks magical with Down the Rabbit Hole, a bottle of clear liquid that reads “pour me” and transforms into a purple gin-based cocktail.
VERY IMPORTANT PUB-GOER
They may be familiar favourites, but plenty of ordinary looking locals have special members’ offers. For example, a party of 10 or more receives a complimentary $50 bar tab at Newtown Hotel, you can get 20 per cent off at Cargo Monday to Friday, become a member by invite only at Kit and Kaboodle or visit the Winery on your birthday for a dessert or cocktail on the house.
MEMBERS ONLY
Private clubs may sound like a London or New York thing, but Sydney has them too. Magazin is hidden behind a plain door at 113 William St, Darlinghurst, where it offers members seclusion and a cocktail list of obscure classics. It has played host to Oscar- and Tony-award winners, media moguls and tech execs. Members can book the intimate space for private parties and attend special events, including Tanqueray gin and Argyle diamond showings. In a similar vein, Level Six at the Ivy offers a sunken lounge behind a nondescript door, an oasis for famous faces including Mel B, Kyle Sandilands and Natalie Imbruglia. The Stablesat Royal Randwick Racecourse is home to a full-service member’s club providing “premium lifestyle experiences”, including benefits from partners. Just keep your eyes down if you spot a celebrity.
HIDDEN HOTELS
The Langham Sydney is a secluded harbourside hotel that regularly plays host to A-listers, with many staying discreetly for months on end. Secret stays come with private entry and departure, in-room massage treatments and a personal chef to create a bespoke menu. The hotel’s Palm Court is home to the 1865 program, where a cocktail and snack is served to all guests at 7.05pm. If you’re more of an active traveller, book in to QT Sydney, which offers guests complimentary use of the local Virgin Active Gym and has a loyalty program called PGR, which offers a minimum of 10 per cent off shows, spa packages and other secret experiences.
BEST IN SHOW
Check what’s on and find your way into one of the city’s endless glamorous events. The Star will host the glamorous ASTRA Awards, celebrating 20 years of Australian subscription TV, on March 12, with E! presenter Giuliana Rancic hosting major music acts and Aussie television stars. Failing that, indulge yourself at one of the city’s fine food, wine, cheese, cider or beer shows.
LOST EVENTS
If none of these experiences appeal, Lost Events may have the boutique party for you. It has hosted intimate lunches at country estates, chartered private trains, styled weddings and curated fashion shows. It has commandeered clifftop hotels, harbour islands, army bases and polo clubs, held twisted masquerade balls in film studios, frat parties in old hospitals, turned a skate park into a beach and turned Australia’s oldest farm into a Swiss chalet.
For more exciting experiences in and around Sydney for both tourists and locals, visit www.sydney.com.