Capella Hotels and Resorts will open its first Australian property, Capella Sydney, in March.
On a Sydney city block surrounded by Loftus, Bridge and Young Streets, the sandstone and heritage-listed former Department of Education building will welcome guests as the transformed luxury hotel, Capella Sydney, in March 2023.
This will be the first property for Capella Hotels and Resorts in Australia – its other properties are located in Bangkok, Singapore, Ubud and more.
The 192-room hotel will span eight levels and three food and beverage venues, including the McRae Bar, named in honour of architect George McRae who designed the original building that opened in 1915.
“The Capella brand is synonymous with luxury, excellence in the craft of hospitality and cultural immersion. Capella Sydney takes this to the next level through unparalleled heritage work, architecture and interior design, state-of-the-art wellness facilities and transformative guest experiences that go above and beyond the expected, underscored by world-class accommodation and dining,” said Marc von Arnim, Capella Sydney’s General Manager.
Design notes
A meticulous restoration has been undertaken by Pontiac Land and Make Architects on the project.
The hotel’s interior design preserves and celebrates original elements throughout including timber oak floors, original windows and a marble-clad foyer – all fused with contemporary design touches.
Guest rooms and suites feature the intricate craftsmanship of the original building in light-filled and spacious accommodations averaging more than 55 square metres.
Rooms are decorated in walnut tones with natural stones, rich textiles, standalone bathtubs, custom Italian Frette linen and Haeckels amenities. The signature Capella Suite is the largest room available, at 235 square metres, located on the ninth floor.
On level six, the Department of Education’s former art gallery space has been converted into a wellness zone, with a series of overhead copper-lined heritage lanterns fully restored to illuminate the space with natural light. A 20-metre heated indoor swimming pool is a highlight, available for the use of in-house guests, as well as a fitness centre, yoga platform, sauna, and Auriga Spa offering treatments for couples and individuals.
Authentic experiences
The Living Room, a signature space in all Capella properties, is designed to connect guests with local culture. Capella Sydney’s Living Room is surrounded by art, artefacts uncovered during the restoration and a collection of books. It’s here that guests can be introduced to ‘Capella Culturists’ – neighbourhood experts on-hand to assist guests by curating authentic, local experiences.
Dining
The food and beverage venue, Aperture, is a light-filled space that occupies an open-air void of the original building, standing at the Farrer Place foyer and serving as the core of the hotel. It is home to international artworks and a seven-metre-tall green wall featuring nearly 70 local species of flora. A bespoke kinetic sculpture, ‘Meadow’ by Amsterdam-based Studio Drift, sits above an expansive glass ceiling and canopy of two weeping figs.
The sophisticated ground-floor restaurant Brasserie 1930 will feature a menu of modern brasserie classics and an extensive wine list, with an emphasis on produce from small-batch farmers and growers and methods drawing upon age-old techniques such as curing, smoking, fermenting, preserving and pickling.
McRae Bar overlooks Loftus Street and is designed as a modern version of a Victorian-era drinking den.
Capella Sydney will open for online reservations from mid-December 2022.