SYD: Park Hyatt, Sheraton on the Park, or Westin?
 

Arriving in SYD after a long flight from the US, spending 2 days in town before hopping a flight to Cairns.

We are looking for a place to base for Sydney sightseeing. I know the Park Hyatt is generally held in very high esteem, but at 30K/night, I am trying to figure out if it's worth it. Cash price is astronomical and not an option. Have Platinum status with Hyatt through the credit card.

By contrast, the Sheraton on the Park is only 12K Starpoints/night (or $350ish), and the Westin is only 16K Starpoints/night (or $300ish). Currently Gold with SPG but will be Platinum by the time of the trip.

For reference, the Four Seasons and the Langham are both about $275/night, but no status with either of them.

So, is the PH worth the premium? Or am I better off saving the points for 3 nights at the PH Melbourne later in the trip?

I came across this post while trying to plan my first trip to Sydney, so I don't have input on which hotels are better but wanted to add that Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, and Langham (as well as Shangri-La) are all part of AMEX FHR, so if you are able to book through that program you might consider it. Langham offers a $100 spa credit :td:, but the others all offer $100 food & bev credits ^ plus of course free breakfast through FHR.

I love Park Hyatt Sydney. It's truly an aspirational property. The location is great for access to the ferries and sightseeing boats. Still, I had an excellent stay at the Sheraton on the Park. The train from the airport has a stop immediately across the street. It was an easy location for transportation as was the Westin where I have also stayed.

PH Melbourne is ok, but not on the same level as the PH Sydney.

Yes, unfortunately AMEX FHR does not yet have bookings for 2016 yet and I don't want to wait until November (or later) when those contracts are finalized to book. Still though, good to keep in mind and if there is a good promo running I will certainly be looking into that option.

Thanks Carol. Easy airport access is definitely a big plus for the Sheraton. Helpful insights!

I used to stay almost exclusively at the Park Hyatt but in the last few years I have mainly stayed at the Sheraton.

As SanDiego1K said, the Park Hyatt is a great hotel. If you secure the right room, the views are amazing - there is nothing quite like waking up, opening the blinds and looking at the Opera House from bed. The hotel is universally praised in the Luxury Hotels forum. However, I do not find it convenient as a base for getting around Sydney. It is a bit of a walk from the CBD and I'm not a huge fan of walking/taking a taxi through the Rocks every time I need to get somewhere. If you plan to spend a lot of time exploring the Rocks it might be more convenient for you. Whenever I stay at the Park Hyatt I end up spending most of my time in the back of a car going to and from the hotel. In my experience the service at the Park Hyatt, while better than any other hotel I have stayed at in Australia, does not merit the premium. These days I only stay at the Park Hyatt if there is a particular reason for doing so and a specific room is available.

The Sheraton is a solid hotel in a great location. It's in the middle of the CBD and you can easily walk to Circular Quay, the Domain and Surry Hills. The service is what you would expect of a 3.5-4 star hotel. Upgrades as a Gold and Platinum are not always spectacular but I have only once ended up in the exact room I booked (i.e., no upgrade) and that was only because I wanted an early check-in. Some of the rooms have a view of the harbor (but not the Opera House or the bridge). The staff, particularly in the club lounge, do a good job and are very friendly.

The Park Hyatt is nice, but you're basically paying for the view. And the view is great, but you can get an equally good view (or nicer) from any number of places accessible to the public by going for a walk. And the location isn't really central.

Still, if you're flush with Hyatt points it might be worth doing for just one night so you know what you're missing.

If it were me, I'd go with the Westin in Sydney and the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne, which I personally prefer to the PH Melbourne for its better location and (in my experience) better service.

I just booked 4 nights at the shangri la. Great views- 'full harbor view' is opera house and harbor bridge.

Used to stay at four seasons, but I can't take their attitude, the hotel just seems to be slipping. Never was able to swing PH on the expense account. ;)

Shangri-La is probably the best overall choice in Sydney these days and the restaurant upstairs has remarkably good food and some bargains on the wine list (unusual for a view destination hotel restaurant). The PH is undoubtedly the finest PH in the world (beating Tokyo/Paris/etc) but somewhat inconvenient location and best if you intend to stay in the hotel the whole time -- not a bad idea. For sightseeing I'd go with Shangri-La or Westin. Sheraton is a bit disappointing in service and room quality though great location and used to be a great hotel (de-frocked Luxury Collection SPG).