It’s all about the dining & the details at impressive W Sydney

Not usually a fan of W hotels? The design-led luxury brand’s Sydney property might just change that

Why stay here 

If it’s your first time to Sydney, W Sydney’s convenient location close to attractions is hard to beat – whether travelling solo, as a couple or as a family. Its position at the southern end of Darling Harbour puts you within easy reach of King Street Wharf’s myriad waterfront bars, restaurants and kid-friendly tourist magnets such as SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and Madame Tussauds. For a more authentic taste of Sydney, keep walking to reach luxe waterfront foodie precinct, Barangaroo, or head into the heart of the city to shop at the never-ending list of retail shops and department stores. If you’ve already ‘been there, done that’ in the Harbour City, stay at W Sydney for the hospitality and food (more on that later). If you are a W loyalist, you won’t be disappointed, and if you’re not, wild and wonderful W Sydney might just make you a convert.  

Design

The W brand is nothing if not loud. In the world of hotels, sometimes bold and in-your-face design can be jarring – but not so at W Sydney. I immediately discover that the photos I have seen of this new hotel, which opened in late 2023 in ‘the Ribbon’ building, do not do it justice. The daringly curvaceous, 588-room property (the biggest W in the world) makes its presence known on the Sydney skyline, while the interiors – designed by London-based consultancy, Bowler James Brindley – are unashamedly on brand: The colours are vibrant, the prints bold and the materials highly tactile, weaving a wacky design narrative centred on the spirit of the mischievous Aussie ‘larrikin’. 

The designers at BJB also drew inspiration from Sydney’s coastal location. In the restaurant, BTWN, concrete columns are emblazoned with kaleidoscopic aerosol street art by Sydney-based mural artist Sophi Odling; together with strip-lighting on the ceiling – alluding to the slow exposure effect of photographed car headlights – the décor is a veritable celebration of W Sydney’s ultra-urban landscape. Plenty of other marine and nautical flourishes crop up throughout: the interior W sign at the hotel’s entrance, splashes of wallpaper in curvy rooms that reference the Australia waratah flower, and a copper-clad entryway that nods to the city’s disused railway tunnels. It’s all very considered, but it’s the luxurious quality and level of detail I find in every space that I am particularly impressed by.  

In the suite

Every square inch of my sprawling one-bedroom Wow Suite feels expensive, and – with just five of these upper-level suites available – extremely exclusive. I am pleasantly surprised by the scale and swankiness of the space, which features floor-to-ceiling views of Darling Harbour, a central bar and dining area, lounge room, walk-in robe, and two (yes, two!) bathtubs – one overlooking the harbour. No two suites are the same, but they all showcase more of that striking, eclectic design – mine features an electric-orange curved lounge and nautical-themed bedroom – and follow the gentle curve of the Ribbon’s architecture. Every Wow Suite is also equipped with a Hi-Fi music system with independent zones to stream music via TIDAL, a cellar list of premium champagnes and wines, and a spirit bar. There’s no doubt, the Wow Suite has all the makings of a good party. 

Dining

If you ask me, Sydney is one of the most underrated foodie destinations on the planet, and dining at BTWN only confirms my opinion. The superior quality of local produce and that globally-inspired approach to cuisine so prevalent among Australian chefs is on show in this expansive restaurant, positioned between two motorways (see what they did there in the name?). Dinner with a side of speeding cars might not sound particularly appealing, but leave it to head chef Chris Dodd to ensure this is a restaurant I will return to long after I check out (BTWN is open to the public). He delivers two of the best meals I have enjoyed in Sydney recently, with a seasonal menu that reflects his environmentally-conscious and hyper-local approach to cooking, sourcing as much as possible from New South Wales suppliers. 

The Appellation oysters with finger lime and native pepper mignonette from the restaurant’s central raw bar are some of the freshest I’ve ever tasted. Meat eaters, too, are spoiled for choice: the Gundagai lamb rump with mushrooms from Mussett Holdings Regenerative Farm and Jerusalem artichoke is hard to fault, and the kilogram grass-fed Manning Valley rib eye with bone marrow bordelaise (which serves two-to-four) is so tender and delicious that it’s difficult to put my fork down when I know I really should. The service at BTWN is also exceptional – nothing is too much trouble. 

Meanwhile, 2am: dessertbar by Janice Wong, located at one end of BTWN, opens each evening with a unique culinary offering by the acclaimed Singaporean dessert guru, while rooftop bar 29/30 and The Living Room in the lobby offer a relaxed food menu along with wines and hand-crafted cocktails. 

Special touches

While the two pools on offer at W Sydney – one indoor and one open-air – might offer all the relaxation you need during your stay, I prefer to spend my one child-free hour at the hotel ensconced in AWAY Spa. The sprawling space is, in true W style, ultra-modern – but not cold or clinical thanks to the ‘larrikin’ design language on show throughout: Millennial pink ‘pods’, vibrant geometric art features and layers of warm timber. My bespoke facial is expertly delivered using products by Italian brand Comfort Zone while I rest on a dangerously plush spa bed – I emerge from my cosy cocoon feeling truly pampered.  

If time is on your side, linger in the Wet Lounge, where you can sip tea while reclined on another pink pod and chill out in the sauna and steam room; or energise through hot-and-cold water immersion. You can also keep the pamper session going with a champagne and light bite at the beauty bar. 

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If you want to upgrade 

The penthouse on Level 27 is aptly named the Extreme Wow Suite. Perfect grammar might not be W Sydney’s style, but with a catwalk bar, living and dining area, panoramic Darling Harbour vistas and plush furniture across 202 square metres, ultra-luxurious suites certainly are. 

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W Sydney Wow Suite

Size
112-125 square metres 

Price per night
From $3,400 per night 

wsydney.com