If you’re familiar with Capella Hotels and Resorts , the Singapore-based luxury hospitality group with hotels across Asia, you know that each property is unique and true to its surroundings – whether it’s the lush tropical jungle of the Bill Bensley-designed Capella Ubud in Bali or the colonial architecture and sleek resort vibes of Capella Singapore, the company’s first hotel. Last year, the brand debuted in Australia with Capella Sydney, located in the Central Business District and a stone’s throw from Sydney Harbour and the city’s most famous landmarks: the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Housed in a heritage building from the early 20th century that used to be the Department of Education, Capella Sydney opened after a seven-year-long restoration project that preserved the structure’s sandstone facade while transforming the interior into a five-star luxury hotel that has quickly become Sydney’s most buzzed-about destination for locals and savvy travellers alike.
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"At the Capella Sydney, Aperture is where you can admire a lighting installation by Dutch art duo Drift while enjoying lunch or afternoon tea","url":"https://img.i-scmp.
com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/21/4815af3c-3ff9-4120-bac0-5fbbaf136e62_686e78c9.jpg"} At the Capella Sydney, Aperture is where you can admire a lighting installation by Dutch art duo Drift while enjoying lunch or afternoon tea The first thing you’ll notice upon entering the elegant lobby is a “robotic lighting installation” by Dutch art duo Drift, which is suspended from the skylight ceiling of Aperture, the all-day lounge that is the hotel’s most happening gathering space and a popular spot for business lunches and afternoon tea . The other dining option is Brasserie 1930, named after the year the building was completed.
It offers hearty dishes that celebrate the best of Australian produce in a beautiful setting that comes alive at dinner and is also busy for brunch, Australia’s unofficial favourite meal. If you like inventive cocktails, you must check out McRae Bar, where mixologists concoct drinks that are modern twists on “the first golden age of the cocktail”. As you would expect from a Capella property, the rooms and suites are beautifully appointed and equipped with all the amenities and comforts of a hotel of this calibre.
Decorated with works by Australian artists, they come with stand-alone tubs, linen from Frette and custom toiletries made in partnership with British skincare company Haeckels. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"A suite with a view of Sydney Harbour at Capella Sydney","url":"https://img.
i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/21/19ab3590-cebb-40c9-bf04-8c926982407f_686e78c9.jpg"} A suite with a view of Sydney Harbour at Capella Sydney Located on the sixth floor, next to the 20-metre heated swimming pool and the fitness centre, Auriga Spa aims to offer a journey of “wellness transformation” for your mind and body.
Signature treatments include the New Moon and Full Moon massages, which work wonders on jet-lagged bodies in need of some tender loving care. Facials are performed with products from Australian label Synthetics Organics, based in Byron Bay and known for the bestselling Notox Ageless Glow Serum (make sure to ask your therapist to apply a few drops at the end of your facial for a major glow boost). {"@context":"https://schema.
org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Auriga Spa at Capella Sydney offers treatments including massages and facials","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/21/757b2663-70e6-478f-9fc2-5aab98cc2224_34f54c2a.
jpg"} Auriga Spa at Capella Sydney offers treatments including massages and facials Capella Sydney also offers experiences that connect guests to Sydney’s rich heritage, ranging from the Sydney Architecture Walk, created in collaboration with award-winning architect Eoghan Lewis, to history tours that give insight into the colonial history of the city by exploring the laneways and streets of The Rocks, the quaint neighbourhood by the harbour. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney is a popular spot for dinner and brunch","url":"https://img.
i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/21/4f7ef37d-6015-469c-a8e6-6ae094ed9326_34f54c2a.jpg"} Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney is a popular spot for dinner and brunch With 192 rooms and suites, and buzzy eateries that are already some of Sydney’s hottest reservations, Capella Sydney is certainly living up to its name.
Pontiac Land, the developer behind the group, has bigger plans for the property and is currently expanding to a heritage building next door. Lands at Capella – a complex of co-working spaces, luxury retail, dining establishments and more – is set to open in 2026, providing yet another reason to go back to Capella Sydney and make it your base to explore Australia’s most beautiful city. A stone’s throw from some of Sydney’s most popular attractions – and the quaint district of The Rocks – this captivating hotel is housed in a colonial building that was once the Department of Education The rooms are beautifully appointed and feature local art, while the restaurants celebrate the best Australian produce, and the spa delivers restorative treatments with local beauty products.
