Mouette G.
Yelp
"You've been upgraded to the Presidential Suite." Sweet words...
First, the disclaimer:
1. I do not usually stay in Presidential Suites (170 sq m). As such I am reviewing a Presidential Suite experience from the point of view of someone that stays in more normal sized accommodation (50 sq m).
2. Someone else paid the bill in the first place, and the upgrade was free. I am naturally very thankful to the Shangri-La for doing this (so thankful that here I am at 11pm writing this review and selecting which photos to upload). This might bias my review.
Let's get started.
What is a Presidential Suite?
In this case, two corridors including a closet, toilet and kitchen, a walk in wardrobe, a couple of sofas, a conference table with 8 chairs, a large bedroom, an ensuite bathroom with jacuzzi, double shower and separate toilet "room", and wraparound windows with the best view over Sydney I have ever seen, around 180 degrees from any single spot and perhaps 270 degrees if you count sitting at the corner and looking back towards the city.
That's the technical part done.
The view is easily the best feature. You get the Bridge, the Opera House, the wharves... but also North Sydney, some of the stuff West of the Bridge, and an unobstructed view all the way to the Heads and including most of the Eastern Suburbs above Bondi. The windows are clean and clear (yes, this needs to be said; it's not always the case even in famous establishments). The effect is one of peace and awe, particularly when coupled with the sheer... scale of the apartment. With windows on half the walls, light is clearly exceptional.
Some say that the Park Hyatt is the "best" hotel in Sydney. I'd counter that no room however nice can provide, at the water level, with the noise and limited view of ferries, the same sense of awe and peace that the higher floors of the Shangri-La come with.
Horizon Club membership was included:
"Evening drinks and snacks" was pretty basic, similar to a Priority Pass Lounge at most airports - some noodles fried two (very similar) ways, a few overcooked meat sticks, a cheese platter.
"Light buffet breakfast" was much better, and the first "light" breakfast I've been to that includes sausages, bacon, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. I asked where the baked beans were, and they brought some to my table in a bowl. It wasn't actually offered, so clearly they saw it as a good idea to simply go and execute a guest's off-menu wish, taking my query of "do you have it" as a request. If this is the complimentary "light" breakfast, what on earth do they serve at the proper, paid-for one? A special note was paid to the mini apple turnovers, which were really, really well made. I may have taken a few away. The flat white was good enough, as often is the case in Sydney. It would be exceptional for Paris. I cancelled my plans to pay Mecca Circular Quay a visit.
Afternoon tea almost one-upped the breakfast. Tea was served in a plunger pot, brought to your table after you indicate your choice of leaf (in bone china pots, naturally). We were stuffed after lunch at Bennelong, but still managed a mini lemon tart (excellent, so I somehow had a second and third) and some macaroons. Scones are also offered. We were sad to have to leave for late checkout at 4pm, which is possible right there and then at the Horizon Club, so you don't have to queue in the lobby. Brilliant.
Acqua di Parma toiletries in the bathroom. The jacuzzi filled fast.
If I was to nitpick, it seems that there is some internal IT-related inconsistency. Reception and the service centre seem to be separate and this caused some confusion as to the time of late checkout. The person paying for our room was called asking why we hadn't checked out yet... but really, this is something I expect in most big corporates, where IT is generally very hard to do well, so I'm not holding it against them and the customer contact was always perfect.
A point not often discussed: the bane of living on a higher floor is that at popular times, the lift can turn into a metro line as it stops on literally a dozen floors on the way to the ground. I used to live on the 40th floor and would routinely schedule my commute outside rush hour just to save the 10 minutes I knew would be wasted if I made the mistake of going at, say, 8.30am. Somehow, the Shangri-La lifts are either sufficient for the demand, or prioritize Horizon Club floors. We never stopped at more than 4 floors.
I had a look at a 5th floor twin room thanks to my friend staying there. It looked spacious enough, a scaled down but not levelled down version of what we had.
Finally, the location is more convenient than it looks, with stairs to Circular Quay via the Rocks that we used twice with no issues.
Will I return to this Shangri-La? Well, my in-laws are Sydney-siders, so probably not. Maybe the bar, to remember the view. Maybe even a suite for our anniversaries. But I definitely recommend it.