Luxury Hotels - Sydney in August: FS or Observatory?

Planning to spend 5 nights in SYD the end of August...what is the FS like? We just had a wonderful experience at the FS Istanbul( Sultanahmet) and would like to give them a try.
Is the Executive Level worth it?
Otherwise, we were thinking of the Observatory, which we have seen before but not stayed at. This is our 4-5th visit, so we know our way aroud pretty well.
We do not like the location or prices of the HYatt.

I wouldn't bother with the FS. Very unimpressed when I was there last year. The Observatory is my husband's first choice in Sydney (but I have not stayed there).

Planning to spend 5 nights in SYD the end of August...what is the FS like? We just had a wonderful experience at the FS Istanbul( Sultanahmet) and would like to give them a try.
Is the Executive Level worth it?
Otherwise, we were thinking of the Observatory, which we have seen before but not stayed at. This is our 4-5th visit, so we know our way aroud pretty well.
We do not like the location or prices of the HYatt.

You can not compare the FS Sultanamet which is in a historic building (prison) to the new high rise FS which is perfectly well located but soulless FS style in SYD.

At the Observatory you will miss the views from above (you have harbour view rooms if you like this kind of movement), but you will have a personalized service Orient Express style and one of the worlds best hotel indoor pools. Go as long as Orient Express is still keeping this property after their Lilianfels failure.

I love the Observatory, don't care for the FS Sydney at all. Observatory all the way. Second choice would be Park Hyatt.

My first choice would be the Park Hyatt. Recentlly renovated and best location right on the harbor. Stay away from the FS.

mmack, you should ask the baillies what the status is :cool:

https://www.certificates.hyatt.com/
stay at PH for $319

at least FS is a reflag
1982 regent opens sydney
(1991/1992 sydney leaseholder changed / FS acquires regent)
1992 FS mgmt of sydney
(1998 carlson acquires regent for new development / sydney owner changed)
2002 FS flags sydney

its largest FS by a fair amount (there are 3 larger RC)
interesting RC(FS) chicago is next largest FS and some great reports here

Waiting for the Bailies but their place isn't ready yet. They recommend Pretty Beach House

http://www.luxurylodgesofaustralia.com.au/ has added more incl pretty beach house

the FS is a dump. I reviewed it w pics on my blog

Wow! Can the FS be that bad? We'll see...The Observatory does look nice too.

Waiting for the Bailies but their place isn't ready yet. They recommend Pretty Beach House by the way, just north of Sydney, so we'll have to try that sometime.:)

Or you can stay at the newest 5-star hotel in Sydney -- The Darling. Blows everything else out of the water in terms of room quality, furnishings and style. Its by the Star casino in Pyrmont (both good and bad being in that neighbourhood, mostly good for tourists as its a great neighbourhood). Staff were hired for their looks, but are competent and extremely friendly, making for a different hotel experience, particularly if you book one of the nicer suites. I had ignored it as a casino hotel, but after staying there it really is the best hotel in Sydney with only the Observatory as competition.

Yes, the FS is that bad - it is not at all like the majority of FS and really needs to reduce the number of rooms and suites and completely rethink the interior, but then the owners are a little tight, allegedly, so no chance of that.

The Observatory is a much better choice, despite the lack of views from most of the rooms.

Personally, though, I would opt for the Park Hyatt.

Yes, the FS is that bad - it is not at all like the majority of FS and really needs to reduce the number of rooms and suites and completely rethink the interior, but then the owners are a little tight, allegedly, so no chance of that.

The Observatory is a much better choice, despite the lack of views from most of the rooms.

Personally, though, I would opt for the Park Hyatt.

Spent 5 days at the Park Hyatt the first day it opened.Feb 17th 2012.The best hotel I have everstayed at. The managment led by Kathy Sims cannot be better.They go the extra mile for you.

I like the Observatory, especially as its immediate neighborhood is improving. The water view rooms let you watch the activity at the container port, which I find fascinating, but it's not at all the traditional bridge and opera views. However, the style of the Observatory is quite traditional, which will not appeal to everyone. Their rooms also seemed to me to be very large for a city hotel.

What do people actually like so much about the Observatory?
Whenever I'm staying there I'm a bit underwhelmed and think that this will be my last stay there. The only reason why I stay there at all is because of LHW.

Edit:
The standard rooms and bathrooms are big, but I never ever got an upgrade other than a water view room. At most other hotels I get suite upgrades and end up in bigger rooms.
Wireless doesn't work in most rooms.
The location and the view is not particularly good for Sydney in my opinion.
The pool is excellent, breakfast is ok.

I never received any personalized service. For example, I always get the same welcome gift (an Observatory bag). How many of these bags do they think I need? Other hotels give me something different every time, unless it is a consumable.
They never address me by name and I don't have the impression they remember me. At other hotels where I stay equally often most staff knows me. When I asked the Concierge about restaurants he was clueless.

So tell me: What do you like so much about it? Do I have wrong expectations? Maybe I'm too young for the hotel :)

Observatory is now Langham Sydney, fwiw. That should fix most of the negatives that the hotel had previously (inconsistent service if they didn't like you/know who you are, stale welcome gift, snooty concierge, etc.). Look at how much better the Melbourne Sheraton became after Langham ... I'm staying there in a couple of weeks and will post, but have high hopes for the Langham touch.

I was at the Observatory last week. Room 314 has a pleasant L-shaped terrace with nice middle Harbour views (not the dramatic Sydney Harbour/Bridge/opera House view that some other hotels offer). If you like a fairly conservative, slightly chintzy boutique hotel (sort of like the Carlyle but with much bigger bathrooms :)), you will enjoy it. I found the service was very personal considering it was my first stay, the room service breakfast was definitely a cut above most of the competition and the bed was incredibly comfortable. Double doors cut out all the hallway noise. Rooms/decor could use some refreshing.

Given the alternatives generally in Sydney (yawn, but I haven't stayed at the renovated PH yet and have high hopes for Baillies), this is not a bad option, even without wifi in the rooms.... But personally I found it hard to get very excited about this one.

Spent 5 days at the Park Hyatt the first day it opened.Feb 17th 2012.The best hotel I have everstayed at. The managment led by Kathy Sims cannot be better.They go the extra mile for you.

I agree - nothing gets close to Park Hyatt - it's the only world-class hotel in Sydney.

shangri la now owns their property, might help some there?

http://blog.baillielodges.com.au/
10 suites, roof pool, house cars
sounds like private restaurant
43-47 George St = what do people think?

shangri la now owns their property, might help some there?

http://blog.baillielodges.com.au/
10 suites, roof pool, house cars
sounds like private restaurant
43-47 George St = what do people think?

Doubt it will have much impact.

Observatory is now Langham Sydney, fwiw..

Thank you for the heads up. So Orient Express messed up this one too after the Lilianfels failure. Who is in charge of their hotel division? To sell their overpriced rooms at their Italian properties they will need Italy to leave the EUR :D, so they can (over) charge in Lira :rolleyes: (to be fair in Sicily they are more reasonable).

No Australia for them anymore. Somebody remembers the GSPE train from Orient Express and Queensland rail?

shangri la now owns their property, might help some there?

http://blog.baillielodges.com.au/
10 suites, roof pool, house cars
sounds like private restaurant
43-47 George St = what do people think?

They are aiming for a hosted, highly personalized luxury townhouse experience targeting an ultra-high end traveller - won't compete with anything else in Sydney that I can think of, especially given the small number of rooms.

The buildings are historically significant and they are trying to do something special with them. Easy walking distance to Quay for some of Sydney's best food.

I will certainly pay them a visit once they are open (late 2013?)

Easy walking distance to Quay for some of Sydney's best food
thanks

won't compete with anything else in Sydney
first of its kind in any city
rare elsewhere

lebua talk 2+ years ago >
http://www.elitetraveler.com/leaders_detail.html?lid=126&p=1&n=deepak-ohri
we are buying chateaus and converting them into top-of-the-line exclusive hotels. That will be by invitation only—you may be able to pay the money, but then you have to be invited to stay there as a guest

No Australia for them anymore. Somebody remembers the GSPE train from Orient Express and Queensland rail?

Does anyone know what happened to the carriages from the GSPE train?

Does anyone know what happened to the carriages from the GSPE train?

There were plans to bring them to Sicily for another Orient Express attempt to run a luxury train. For now I believe these beautiful carriages are rotting somewhere in a Queensland Rail shed near Rockhampton. What a shame for Orient Express!