Sydney, Australia

Capella Sydney

Price per night from$444.12

Price information

If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (inclusive of taxes and fees) available in the next 60 days.

Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (AUD661.67), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.

Capella Sydney Photos

Style

Top of the class

Setting

Super-central Sandstone Precinct

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Pay attention, students… Let’s learn what happens when a dynamic hotel group takes over the Sydney Department of Education’s beautiful Edwardian Baroque building: Capella Sydney is teaching everyone a thing or two about how to elevate hospitality. Set just steps from the Opera House, lively Circular Quay and Royal Botanic Garden, it has suites with a history degree, a chef schooled in age-old cookery techniques, a spa with all the spoils in a former art gallery and indoor-outdoor bars with all the exciting buzz of a ‘hometime’ bell. A boutique hotel masterclass… 

Smith Extra

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Free late check-out until noon (usually 10am)

Facilities

Photos Capella Sydney facilities

Need to know

Rooms

166, including 26 suites.

Check–Out

10am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More details

Rates include a choice-laden buffet breakfast and your choice of hot dishes.

Also

For guests with mobility issues, public areas are accessible and some Premier Kings and Deluxe Suites have been specially adapted.

At the hotel

Spa with a Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room; 24-hour fitness centre; guests-only lounge; yoga platform; free-to-use bicycles; concierge; laundry service (guests get five items pressed for free a stay); free WiFi. In rooms: 55-inch TV with streaming services; LG soundbar; Bose speaker; Nespresso coffee machine; tablet with lighting, climate and curtain controls; minibar with local products and free soft drinks; wine fridge; bathrobes and slippers; Dyson hairdryer; turndown service; and Haeckels bath products.

Our favourite rooms

The vintage hotel proudly wears its new glass box of a ninth-floor addition like a modernist pill-box hat. And, so it should, because the suites at this level have iconic Sydney skyline views. And you’ll get separate living and dining spaces, sleek finishes… Rooms in all categories have been luxuriously outfitted in restful shades – with polished walnut, stone and marble accentss, custom Frette linens, Haeckels’ lotions and potions – most benefiting from the original building’s arched windows and carved cornices, but our hat tip goes to the vast Capella Suite, which also has an aspect of the Royal Botanic Garden from its bedroom and a fireplace.

Poolside

There are two pools in the hotel spa (open to guests only) – one long and lap-ready, with light flooding in through the ceiling, day-beds along the side and Baroque detailing. The second is the ‘vitality’ pool, which means bubbles.

Spa

The hotel’s early-19th-century sandstone building may have been the seat of governmental offices (not sexy), but it was more cultured than corporate – so much so that it had its own gallery on the sixth floor, today the Auriga Spa. Here beneath the glow of original copper-lined lanterns, the kind of art practised is more fragrant massages solo or as a twosome, healing rituals, and spells in both the sauna and steam room. For more active pursuits, assume positions on the yoga platform or take on the fitness room’s Technogym gear.

Packing tips

Bring finery fit for the modern age.

Also

Big birthdays, weddings and the like can be held in the dashingly handsome event spaces – all carved woods and marble columns.

Children

Yes, Capella Sydney’s building once held the Department of Education but the curriculum isn’t geared towards school-agers. But, if you do bring the kids, most rooms sleep three (extra bed free for under-12s), and babysitting can be booked on request.

Food and Drink

Photos Capella Sydney food and drink

Top Table

Aperture’s art-filled courtyard is a rather romantic spot, with light-flooded tables in the shade of weeping fig trees and by a towering vertical garden.

Dress Code

Make like mufti day, but well-mannered. Now’s the time for that ‘where can I actually wear this?’ vintage piece.

Hotel restaurant

Following the teachings of savvy Edwardians – but more for technical sophistication than survival cuisine – ground-floor eatery Brasserie 1930 will cure, smoke, ferment, preserve and pickle to create a unique menu filled with produce from farmers and growers who only dabble in small batches. Anchored to the Young Street shoulder of the hotel, the restaurant will have a lively atmosphere and feel classically cosmopolitan, with marble chequerboard flooring, leather banquettes and starburst chandeliers affixed to high ceilings.

Hotel bar

Scot George McRae was a prolific architect, responsible for some of Sydney’s most beautiful historic buildings (the Town Hall, Corn Exchange, Parcel Post Office), and in the Department of Education building he went for full Florentine flourishes, leaning into the Baroque. And this Edwardian grandeur and glamour has been honoured here, with chandeliers casting a soft glow and intimate banquettes, where you can drink classic cocktails and fine wines. And at the core of the building is a light-flooded courtyard and the Aperture bar, where a soaring green wall is carpeted in native flora, hanging lights are dressed as blooms and a range of artworks includes a kinetic sculpture by Amsterdam’s Studio Drift, making it one of the prettiest spaces in the hotel.

Last orders

In the brasserie, breakfast is from 6am to 10am, lunch from noon to 3pm and dinner from 6pm to 10pm. Afternoon tea at Aperture is from 2pm to 5.30pm and the McRae Bar is open from 4pm to 11pm.

Room service

Feast in-room from 6am to 10pm.

Location

Photos Capella Sydney location
Address
Capella Sydney
35-39 Bridge Street
Sydney
2000
Australia

Capella Sydney is in an early-19th-century Edwardian Baroque building (the former Department of Education), set at the buzzy intersection of Bridge, Young and Loftus streets, close to Circular Quay and the Opera House.

Planes

Well-connected hub Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport is just a 25-minute drive from the hotel.

Trains

Circular Quay Station is an elevated-railway stop just a five-minute walk from the hotel; it has a direct connection to the airport and sits on the City Circle line, which can zip you all around the city.

Automobiles

You’re dead-centre in Sydney, so easily within walking distance of important sights and the buzz of Circular Quay. If you want to explore the further reaches of the city, a car may come in handy, but otherwise you can make do with the Metro. There’s no car park on the property, but Wilson Parking is just next door. Valet parking is charged at AU$120 for 24 hours.

Worth getting out of bed for

The team at Capella Sydney are currently fine-tuning their guest experiences. However, we have no doubt you’ll make great use of your assigned ‘Capella culturist’, whose extensive local knowledge and ability to make things happen ensure they are safe hands for your itinerary. This might include foraging expeditions with First Australians, luxury harbour cruises or tickets for sport and theatre events. But, even without their help you’ll find plenty to do – the historic Sandstone Precinct is close to all the postcard-bagging sights of Sydney: the Opera House and Harbour Bridge (which the daring can climb); the Royal Botanic Garden; buzzy Darling Harbour; the Sydney Tower Eye; the Rocks… Both the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales are well-filled with fascinating pieces spanning Australia’s creative history; and the National Gallery has fine examples of First Nations’ distinctive art style. Circular Quay is a lively hangout from which cruises launch; but if it’s beaches and a bit of fresh air you’re after, head south to do the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk (on Fridays and Sundays, bands soundtrack swims at the Bondi Icebergs Pool), or head north to Manly. As the sun starts to set, decide if you’re in the mood for an indie flick at indie Golden Age Cinema, shows and shenanigans at the Meraki Arts Bar, or live music in industrial surrounds at the Oxford Art Factory – there are no wrong choices.

Local restaurants

Sydneysiders are a voracious lot when it comes to eating – deciding where to go in the city’s sonic-boom of a dining scene requires military-style manoeuvring and possibly some kind of spreadsheet, so we’ve narrowed down a few failsafes in Capella Sydney’s ’hood. First up, Quay, which – of course – sits on the waterfront; but it doesn’t rest on its Sydney Opera House-admiring setting, serving a multi-course adventure of a menu through smoked-eel cream and caviar, crayfish in umami custard and anjelica broth, or duck with morello cherry, kampot pepper and black garlic. It’s the date-night sweet spot. Ragazzi Wine and Pasta is still a cool, design-forward venue (we like the ‘portal’ through to the bar), but stays firm on its mission statement; of the pastas, you might get gigli with kangaroo sausage and macadamia or cavatelli with octopus and salsa verde; and the wines are reliably good and Italian. At Dawes Point, in the industrial beauty of a building that was the Saatchi & Saatchi garage, Hickson House Distilling Co has the sort of menu that’ll soak up its immense collection of whiskies and gins, many house-made. A slab of sirloin with pale-ale Béarnaise, porchetta with roasted apple in a juniper jus, or barramundi with lemon-myrtle beurre blanc will tastily temper any excesses. Another eatery with a front-row Opera House seat, fittingly named Aria does full-throated flavour: spanner crab with kombu and nectarine, quail with pumpkin and white soy, and cherry soufflé with pistachio and vanilla. 

Local cafés

To see another side of the Opera House, take a morning stroll over Harbour Bridge to Celsius Coffee Co, which juts out into Kirribilli Wharf. Its house blends pass muster for Sydney’s high bar, but it also lures the punters in with Japanese milk buns stuffed with smoked bacon, Swiss cheese and garlic-lemon aioli; or twists on eggs Benedict with brisket and yuzu hollandaise. And, we love Artistry Gardens’ exposed brick, floral floor tiles and leafy terrace; but especially for its breakfasts of honey-coconut granola, mushroom toast with ricotta and harissa butter, or a smoked-ocean-trout scramble. 

Local bars

So, you’ve chosen where to eat for the night, but now you have another Herculean task – where to get sloshed (or lightly toasted). The answer – for the first option – is Cantina OK! Dubbed a ‘micro mezcal mecca’, this teeny drinkery is alleged to have the best margarita in Sydney; but don’t sleep on its other sippers – we rather like the Fortuna OK! with mezcal, pandan, oats and dragonfruit. And the mixologists at Fifties-style drinkery Maybe Sammy don’t dither about when it comes to top-form drinks. A long list of awards can attest to their skill, and their premium pours of sazeracs and Rob Roys, martini trolley and mini versions of classics attest to their sense of occasion. And for drinks with a view, head high up into the sci-fi-esque retro-futurist interiors of Bar 83 atop Sydney Tower.

Reviews

Photos Capella Sydney reviews
Holly Clark

Anonymous review

By Holly Clark, Scene snapper

Our sandy and salty-haired days in the Harbour City get a chic upgrade as we check into Capella Sydney. Having taken all the Instagram shots I possibly could, around the corner at the Opera House, it’s time to step off the scorching pavement and into the cool of the welcoming lobby.

High, cathedral-esque ceilings, oversized artwork and a rather hypnotic hanging installation, opening and closing like flowers-to-the-sun, greets us. I later discover that this is indeed the idea of the design, yet the flowers are facing downwards rather than upwards, as we, the guests, are the sunshine — cheesy, but I like it.

The Edwardian Baroque building has been incredibly well restored and although ultra-modern, the history of the space (as a former Department for Education office) really shines through. Aside from the unbelievable artwork, my favourite nod to the land is our welcome drink of fermented wild rosella with wild honey and cider vinegar, which makes me feel healthier with every sip. It’s been created by Capella’s very own fruit forager — my culinary expectations edge up a notch…

As I sit waiting for a friend to join me for brunch, I browse the menu. It’s a decadent selection, with options of truffled chicken mousse on brioche, wagyu beef pie or a lobster roll… An actual butterfly landing on the page in front of me is a nice (if unplanned) touch. Capella has a huge living wall of foliage covering an entire side of the atrium in which I’m sitting. At night it hums with the oh-so-holiday sound of cicadas, and in the day it duly delivers butterflies to glide around the space. What a welcome.

Brunch done, it’s time to head up to the room. Always the most thrilling bit. I become a complete child — my excitement peaking whenever I enter a new hotel room. This time, the door opens onto bold, rich textures, plush furnishing, soft tones, and little touches nodding to Capella’s sustainability efforts. It has the full monty of luxury hotel frills and added details you’d never even think to hope for, such as a lamp specifically for bathing in the perfect light (yes, I’m a bath snob), alongside some sweet-sweet smelling bath salts. 

I could have ooh-ed and ahh-ed all day in this room, but the Auriga Spa is calling. Robed up and with the entire afternoon to spare, we wander upstairs for a not-so-quick pampering session. An unexpected sanctuary of tranquillity welcomes us. 

As ever, I’m in need of a deep tissue massage for my dodgy camera-bound shoulders, but perhaps with hindsight I should have embraced some of the other treatments on offer. The philosophy here looks upon the natural moon cycles and taps into celestial rhythms; I’m not entirely sure how this plays out, but it sounds plesant. Next time, I will choose to be adorned in adaptogenic gemstones — but honestly, after a sauna and massage, I float out of the door...

Speaking of doors, I don’t think we open a single one during our stay. The front door, the bar, the restaurant...all are quietly opened upon approach with a warm smile, classy nod and a look that says, ‘I’m here if you need me, but otherwise I’m going to let you go about your business.’ Every member of staff sweeps around with the relaxed confidence that only comes with knowing your craft to the letter.

This evening I have a client call to take, so Mr Smith very happily finds himself sipping negronis from the McRae Bar, solo, while he waits. By the time I arrive, he seems to have downed several shots of ‘smug’: this is the kind of watering hole that makes you feel cool just for sitting down and ordering a drink. One sip of my cocktail, though, after a sauna, and for everyone’s sake, I’m ready for food.

When you stay at Capella, there’s no need to go elsewhere for dinner. Brasserie 1930 has already earned two hats (the Aussie equivalent to Michelin stars) and we quickly take to the relaxed atmosphere and indulgent menu. First up is caviar and superb beef tartare, followed by rainbow trout with citrus butter, Yarra Valley trout roe and chives... You know those meals where the food is so good you actually forget to have a conversation about anything other than what you’re eating? Well, it’s one of those — and we eke it out as long as service allows.

The following morning, slightly hungover and in a cloud of pillows, I lean over to my favourite feature of our room (apart from Mr Smith). At the click of a button, I draw back the blinds to reveal the city buzz. Surely this then counts as the office? Sadly our booking here doesn’t stretch to such aspirations…

On check-out, a member of staff mentions Capella Sydney’s sister hotel in the Maldives. The thought of beds this comfortable, staff this friendly, cocktails this drinkable, and a spa this rejuvenating, all surrounded by turquoise waters and dolphins somehow softens the blow of leaving. What a hotel: Capella has unquestionably nailed it — a verdict I feel I should deliver in person to its siblings…

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