InterContinental Sydney by IHG — Hotel in Sydney

Finding truly exceptional customer service can feel rare these days, but I can assure you the Intercontinental Sydney has mastered it. I believe this stems directly from the hotel's management, who have cultivated a culture where employees clearly feel valued and empowered to make decisions that genuinely assist guests.

I stayed here before departing on a cruise from Sydney, choosing the hotel for its convenient location near the pier and Circular Quay. After a flight lasting over 15 hours, I arrived exhausted, fully expecting to be told my room wouldn't be ready until the 3 PM check-in time.

Instead, I was greeted by the friendliest staff member imaginable, who immediately offered coffee, tea, or other refreshments – a perfect welcome. When I cautiously asked if a room might be available early, she was wonderfully transparent. She explained, 'The specific room we have assigned for you has an excellent view of the bridge and is on a high floor, but it's not quite ready. If you're okay with something different, I can check for you.' Naturally, I urged her to check!

She mentioned they had a room available that was 'near the elevator' (at that point, I would have happily taken a broom closet!). I assured her I couldn't imagine it being an issue and would love it if it was ready. Within 10 minutes, I was in my room – and it was fantastic. Let's be honest, most hotel rooms are near an elevator, and as long as it's not excessively noisy, it's rarely a problem. This room was perfect, quiet, and allowed me to get a much-needed nap before setting out to explore Sydney. I only wish I had gotten the names of the staff who were so helpful – their service was truly outstanding.

Hotel Highlights: Amenities, Dining, and Bar

Beyond the exceptional service, the Intercontinental Sydney offers several delightful perks. A standout for me was the luxurious Byredo Bal d'Afrique scented bath products (hand wash, shower gel, etc.) – I loved the scent so much; I could have happily stayed in the shower all day! Thank you for providing such lovely amenities.

The breakfast, served in the Treasury on the 1st floor, is excellent. Everything is freshly prepared, the staff are efficient and attentive, and the food is delicious. I think I gained five pounds just from the croissants alone!

For a lighter evening meal, the hotel bar is also a perfect spot. The team there is incredibly accommodating and focused on guest satisfaction. Interestingly, the manager reminded me so much of Valentina from White Lotus Season 2 – always bustling around, ensuring every customer is happy and everything is running perfectly. I mentioned the resemblance to him, and he chuckled (though I couldn't quite tell if it was an amused chuckle or not! It was meant as a compliment).

Unbeatable Location and Easy Transport

The hotel's location is strategically brilliant. It's just a five-minute walk to Circular Quay, meaning you can easily walk your luggage to the cruise ship terminal if needed.

Even if you're not heading straight to a ship, the location is a fantastic base for exploring:

• To Bondi Beach: The 333 bus departs regularly 5 minutes down the street from from near the hotel outside the Quay. For approximately $2 AUD (Australian Dollars), you can take a scenic 40-minute ride through different Sydney neighborhoods directly to Bondi Beach. Spend as long as you like there, then catch the same bus back. (A must is trying Anita Gelato, delicious)

• To the CBD (City Centre)/Shopping: Hop on the Light Rail (tram) just moments away. You can conveniently tap on and off using your credit card. This takes you directly to the Town Hall area and the stunning Queen Victoria Building (QVB), home to high-end shopping. You'll find Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels – you name it. For visitors from the US, shopping can be particularly advantageous with the current exchange rate (at the time of my visit, the Australian dollar was around $0.60 USD, making purchases a great value).

• To Manly Beach: Walk down to Circular Quay and catch the ferry. A ride costs around $10 AUD and takes you across to Manly. It's an amazing, eclectic area with cool shops, great restaurants, and a beautiful beach – perfect for a day trip involving sun, sea, exploring, and a true Sydney experience.

Nearby Activities

The hotel is also very close to the starting point for the Bridge Climb, which I highly recommend – it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If possible, try booking the night climb well in advance; seeing the city lit up from atop the Sydney Harbor Bridge is truly unforgettable.

Before getting on your ship (or just as a great way to spend a few hours), head over to The Rocks district, located conveniently nearby. It's a historic area filled with charming old shops, pubs, and restaurants. It's perfect for exploring, perhaps after checking out of the Intercontinental, as it's very close to the cruise terminal.

Sydney Shopping Bargains

Finally, don't miss out on grabbing some Australian favorites while you're there, as they are often much cheaper than buying them back in the US:

Lucas' Papaw Ointment: Amazing multipurpose ointment, especially good for lips. It's significantly less expensive here than in the States.

Lanolips: Another fantastic lip (and skin) product that costs a fraction of the US price.

Tim Tams: The iconic Australian chocolate biscuit! You can find them at a very reasonable price in Woolworths supermarkets, which are located all over the city.

Final Thoughts on Sydney

Overall, Sydney is a delight – a cherished city that feels safe and clean, with friendly people. I can't say enough positive things about it and cannot wait to return. Thank you, Sydney, for a...

The Review

Most endeavors will provide those that subject themselves to the journey perimeter or limits to which to operate within, our trip to Australia did just that.

This will be a review of one of many places that we either visited or stayed. The level of travel experiences between Ms.P & myself placed us both fully capable of providing both an honest as well as just reviews.

During this review, I will refrain from personal details (i.e daily routines, conversations, etc.) unless it is directly is impacted or influenced by the whatever unit is under review.

The intercontinental Hotel of Sydney As this being my very first trip to Australia as well as residing within a luxury hotel, I can say the level of professionalism & courtesy employees was 2nd to none. Ms. P & I arrived were greeted and welcomed as our baggage was attended to by the many bellhops on standby. (Side note- The name bellhop is derived from a hotel's front-desk clerk ringing a bell to summon a porter, who would hop (jump) to attention at the desk to receive instructions. It is short for bell-hopper, and the word's first known use was in 1897.)

Once all administrative duties were completed she & I were given our keys, directed to the elevators and we were on our way. (Note: The lobby- During a Marketing class, instructor stated “ to capture & hold a customer/ client, we must capture their 5 senses.” IHS did capture 2 out of 5 of mine within the first few minutes. Sight- The entrance was spacious to a point that if I didn’t know, I would have assumed we were walking into a casino lobby. Infrastructure & up to date lighting which provided a warm, but not overbearing atmosphere. Smell- I have no idea what fragrance the hotel uses, but if this review is read PLEASE let me know! The smell hits in waves as you enter the hotel, but it is also more dominant in place where odors have to be removed (restrooms & locker rooms 31st floor).

Ok, after making it to our suite for the week (that’s what I called it, Ms. P said “ it’s not a suite, it’s just a nice room..”), whatever its name is was very unique based off the view as it relates to the city. Our view consists of the downtown view as a few historical buildings & statues.

The room came with a fully stocked mini bar/fridge this came across as odd to me, due to haven’t ever had a mini bar/fridge without a microwave, but hey this is Australia.

The bathroom was quintessential in the manner that gave you what we needed and more than we expected . Ms. P, especially enjoyed the detachable shower head and I preferred the overhead shower, but she & I are different in that due to she is 5’0 and I’m 6’3, so yeah it worked for us both.

The bed was a queen size single, memory foam type setup & I’m not sure but I think the pillows were Goose-down, which was fine with me.

The lighting provided the mood for most of our trip due to we had the options to use all or just reading lights. The curtains were automated which provide us both the chance to see the night sky without having to leave the bed.

Overall, we enjoyed the majority of the amenities (we did forget that we could get a top shelf breakfast every morning, but who eats breakfast before walking over 8900 steps each day !?)

Now in every aspect of anything there can be improvements and YES, this hotel could have a few improvements in my opinion. Here is my short list of improvements: Washer & dryer- there is a laundry service, but a bit on the pricey side for me, but that’s me. More events within the actual hotel (i.e comedy, poetry reading or even live music) That’s it ! That’s my review of one and only hotel in Australia that I was blessed to spend a week with a woman that I wish to spend all my days with as well as traveling mate.

Please ensure that whatever you do, if you are in the area give this hotel and the surrounding vendors. The harbor is close by as well as several other sites in the area.

Thank you & Roll Tide from...

We stayed here 4 nights (4-8 March 2024) post cruise from Auckland. (sorry it took almost 5 months to write review) We took a cab from the port and weren't overcharged as is so often the case with taxis! We arrived very early (9 a.m. or so) but were given a room on a high floor. Check-in was a bit testy as the young lady we first approached was "in training". The guy next to her took over and made things tolerable. I was having trouble connecting to the Internet even though I am supposed to connect automatically at any IHG location, even if I'm not a guest, due to my IHG Diamond status. Finally, I was able to show that I had Club Lounge access due to my IHG stays in 2023. I also receive complimentary breakfast in main restaurant due to my status (more about that later). The only card in our Key folder was about early check-out-nothing about benefits! We arrived at our basic King Classic room (upgrade was to higher floor). There were usual items: bed, desk, TV (not as many channels as expected), seating area, beverage station, closets and drawers plus safe, etc. There were ample outlets for our CPAP machines. The bathroom only had a shower, but everything was very clean with fully stocked squeeze bottles for bathroom amenities.

The Club Lounge was on 2 levels: the higher level used only for breakfast (it was a public bar area later in day) provided the best views and the main lounge a floor below was used for quiet time, afternoon canapes, cocktail hour, etc. All was good with great views as well of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House and more! Service was always excellent at breakfast with many selections found on special menu. Note: This is the only Intercontinental where I've stayed with more choices and such in the Club Lounge rather than in main restaurant. (Our 1 visit to main restaurant was testy as I drink lots of water; they only had very small glasses by a filling area for water. I asked for bottle of water or large glass and was told they would charge me for water so I asked for manager. He took care of things so I received a complimentary bottle of water - I just need a carafe or something I could fill w/o having to walk back and forth too often). They also brought bigger glasses; even with bottle, I refilled it at least twice at filling area and proved I actually do drink lots of water w/ breakfast. We returned to Club Lounge our final 2 mornings for breakfast. We did high tea once in Club Lounge. We tried to arrive early for Cocktail time (5-7 p.m.) to secure a seat near the window w/ great view. Drinks were mostly delivered by staff and could take long sometimes, but got better as the 4 days passed. One evening, since I was drinking gin & tonic, they brought me a local gin with ants in it! I did the shot and swallowed the ants, but I prefer gin w/o ants! We also drank much of the local wine. All in all, the lounge was very good, but I was told by regular guests that it was even much better before COVID!

We had many adventures in and around Sydney, including lunch in the Tower, tour of Opera House, Drag Queen tour, and more, but those will be covered in other reviews.

I really enjoyed the location, the Club Lounge breakfast and Cocktail Hour, most of the staff, the cleanliness, etc., but the main restaurant breakfast wasn't up to Intercontinental standards and I missed a tub, but this is becoming the norm at most hotels today! In conclusion, I highly recommend this hotel and would stay there again if we are able venture back Down Under (been twice in 2009 and 2024), but it's so far and we're...