Hotel review: InterContinental Sydney
The landmark hotel has emerged from a comprehensive $120m makeover with a fresh interiors and a stunning top-floor bar.
It has long been suggested that blue and green should never be seen side-by-side. But in the latest incarnation of InterContinental Sydney, housed in the heritage-listed NSW Treasury building on Macquarie St, that rule is flagrantly flouted. The two hues are on show in glorious abundance: in smoky sage velvet armchairs on plush cobalt carpet; in emerald banquettes and blue-grey ceramics; in the 270-degree views over Sydney Harbour and the adjacent Royal Botanic Garden, which are positively glowing after a damp spring.
And that is precisely the point. The hotel has emerged from a comprehensive $120m makeover by leading design studio Woods Bagot with a palette that mirrors its subtropical surrounds.
It has been quite a journey for the three-storey Treasury building, designed by colonial architect Mortimer William Lewis and completed in 1851 on the site of the settlement’s first vineyard. In 1919, a west wing was added, along with a high domed roof over the inner courtyard, or cortile, and a caged lift. That impressive piece of equipment remains today, clinking and clanking as the oldest working lift in the southern hemisphere.
For a while the police and transport departments called the building HQ, but it slowly fell into disrepair. Then in 1985, with the addition of a 32-level tower offering views over the Opera House – only 12 years old at the time – InterContinental Sydney was born.
The latest revamp sees the hotel, with its 509 guestrooms and suites, embrace the 21st century while celebrating its heritage roots. At its heart is the Treasury Bar, a gorgeous ground-floor space in the atrium where black and white chevron tiles, a marble-topped bar with art deco curves, olive and grey furnishings, and a veritable greenhouse of areca palms and monstera (many rescued from a demolition job) are juxtaposed with the original arched brick and sandstone walls. This buzzy hub seems to be the spot for business coffee catch-ups and, later, glasses of wine.
Dinner is served at tables in the alcoves around the perimeter. I’m impressed by the setting and the innovative modern Australian menu that features ingredients such as fennel pollen, barbecued tempeh, Davidson plum and saltbush dukkah, yet somehow it doesn’t produce flavours that truly zing. It’s a little disappointing but the staff are attentive and utterly professional.
Adjacent to the Treasury Bar is the lobby, where spotted-gum reception desks are said to reference the city’s coastline; they look more like canoes to me but are a pleasing departure from the conventional blocky box manned by staff. Behind them is an impressive wall of limestone and beautiful green-grey marble used throughout the redesign. The coloured stone has been pleated like the bellows of a piano accordion and book-matched like one of those paintings children create by folding a piece of paper in half to create a mirror image. Works by Indigenous artist Jorna Newberry, landscape photographer Christian Fletcher, sculptor Jamie Adamson and painter Joanna Kitas adorn public areas, while striking inky prints of native flora feature across the accommodation.
I’m directed to the 20th floor, where a Signature Harbour Suite looks straight towards the Opera House; swivel 45 degrees to the left and there’s the bridge. A grey chaise longue that runs the length of a corner picture window in the living area is the perfect perch for watching ferries come and go. All the windows in the hotel were replaced as part of the refurbishment, modernising the decor while making the most of the hotel’s position at the top end of town.
If you tire of the view, blackout curtains can be summoned with the touch of a button and a smart TV (one of two with Chromecast functions) is at hand. A circular dining table seats four in easy reach of the minibar, where the usual snacks and drinks are available plus some ready-mix concoctions by Cocktail Porter. The Luigi Bormioli glassware has pretty swirls and there are Vittoria coffee cups to complement a Nespresso machine (with real milk). Throw in a powder room and you have a great little entertainer.
The sleeping quarters next door deliver more dreamy views from the kingsize bed. Luggage is easily stashed out of sight in the well-designed wardrobe. A deep tub awaits in the marble bathroom, along with a separate rain shower and single vanity; pump-pack amenities are by Swedish brand Byredo. Lighting is easily controlled from various points with three settings, including a night-time option, and USB ports make bedside charging a breeze.
Facilities include a club lounge (opened this week), a gym with Peloton bike, and indoor pool, all on the 31st floor, but the crowning glory is up one more flight of stairs on the top level. Aster bar puts the Harbour City centre stage, drawing the eye to the water and distant horizon, either through floor-to-ceiling windows or banks of mirrors. I don’t see the venue after dark but it would be quite a sight with the skyline all a-twinkle. There is seating on the 270-degree wraparound balcony and at the marble bar, but I’d bag one of the steel-blue velvet banquettes with curvaceous wings and settle in for an astronomy-themed cocktail and perhaps some shareable plates or dessert.
Breakfast is served in the Conservatory, an airy space on the first level where dark European oak parquetry floors are arranged in a herringbone pattern and clusters of globular lights hang from high ceilings. It’s a buffet affair with table service for eggs made to order and a pantry stocked with fresh pastries, fruit, cereals, salmon and the like. A discrete gluten-free zone is thoughtfully positioned to avoid cross-contamination.
It’s not a feature Lewis would have considered necessary when he was dreaming up his design for the Treasury. No doubt he would barely recognise the place now but it’s testament to those who’ve overseen its transformation that the heritage credentials still shine through.
In the know
InterContinental Sydney is at 117 Macquarie St, Sydney. Rooms from $495 a night; suites from $799. Aster is open Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm to late; bookings essentials on weekends. The Treasury is open daily from 8am until 11pm, later on weekends.
Penny Hunter was a guest of IHG Hotels and Resorts.