5 days 4 nights at the Four Seasons, Sydney (review)

For Luxperience 2014, delegates, media and exhibitors were hosted in a number of hotels within the area of Sydney Harbour.
I was in the Four Seasons, and this marks my first stay in any Four Seasons hotel.

Every morning I awoke to marvel at this sight.

It was in September, and the first few days of spring were upon us.
The air was still chilly, but the sun had started to come out and play.

BELOW:  Working by the window in my room:

I arrived late at night.
Check in was swift and professional. A warm welcome awaits me, in the form of the Tim Tam Slam.

Now if you don’t already know, Tim Tams are synonymous with Australia. This multi-flavoured biscuits has a cult following and I still can’t understand it.

Anyhow, if you are curious of how a Tim Tam Slam works, take pay heed to the below instructions:
Take a Tim Tam, chop off opposing corners so there are no chocolate coating on both ends, transforming the cookie into a pseudo straw.
Dunk one end into a cup of liquid—hot chocolate (best choice if you love chocolate), close your lips around the other end and then suck up the hot drink.
Just as the cookie is just about saturated, you shove the whole thing in your mouth, effectively slamming the now-melting cookie.
Works just as well with hot coffee.

I gave it a shot, and nearly passed out from the sugar-shot.

Nope, don’t like Tim Tams and will never will.

The Four Seasons Sydney is old, no doubt.
It however, retained its haughty charm, coming across as a rather stately hotel with strong uphold of posh and propriety rather than hip.
Contemporary it is not, but it is comfortable, the service is excellent and the location advantageous.

Happily enough the hotel has a decent gym for workout so I found myself in there for a few mornings prior to the Luxperience exhibition.

BELOW: Nothing like a good sweat to get the body going and a hearty breakfast for the necessary jolt to start the day.

Breakfast was a daily boost of happiness.
You can’t go wrong with Australia’s best produce and proper poached eggs and bacon. For me it’s the granolas, fresh fruits and cheeses that I couldn’t get enough of.

Cheeses:

My favourite:
Yogurt, fruits, a huge bowl of pre-soaked oats.

In Australia, gluten free is common.

Hot food section:

Yes, a whole pot of creamy eggs!

More eggs, perfectly poached ones with the creamiest Hollandaise sauce.
It helps that it came paired with bacon.

Load up on more BACON; streaky or back? Your choice.

The dining areas: Some parts dim, some airy nearer to the lobby and some at corners with high stools.

I don’t mind pastries, but the Australian ones doesn’t agree with me as they are usually way too sweet and greasy.

Admitted though, in terms of texture, they get it right. Flaky outer crust, tender inner layers with a good honeycomb structure.

My usual breakfast:

But in the end it was always a bowl of plain yogurt + fresh fruits + variety of nuts and seeds plus oats soaked in full cream milk for me.

I didn’t manage to eat in the hotel for lunch or dinner but based on the breakfast spread I enjoyed over the 4 mornings I daresay that the kitchen team is most competent.
On one of the nights during the Luxperience week we were hosted for a dinner reception.
The highlight of the night were the exquisite Peking Duck, roast pork and the fluffiest, pillowy gnocchi ever!

Well enough of the food.

Let’s head back to my room.
My 19th floor Deluxe City Harbour Room starts from AUD354/night, depending on season.
It provides me views of the city & aspects of Sydney Harbour or Sydney Opera House.
At 26 m2 (280 sq.ft.), it fits a King bed, stylish marble bathroom with bathtub, amenities from Australian organic brand Appelles, a work desk, a lounge chair plus coffee table & I can take care of business at a dedicated executive desk.

Overall it is handsomely furnished and comfortable.

The sun greeted me each day, and so did the cold.

Still I was glad for the view and the sunlight.

The amenities of the room includes the standard TV and wardrobe with bathrobe, slippers, iron, safe and the minibar.

Not free.

Yes, complimentary.
Good quality French tea by La Maison du (tea bags) is a plus point. Other than coffee, there were hot chocolate packs too, though too sweet for me, but it came in useful on cold nights.
Besides, hotels in Asia don’t normally provide hot chocolates so I’m happy to be given a few sachets here.

The washroom is large with a partitioned glass shower cubicle and a bathtub.
With Australia’s affinity for anything organic and natural, I was not surprised to see APPELLES Apothecary displayed at the vanity area, a local brand using only organic and natural oils in their products.

I did like their products, as the daily use of did help with the dry winter winds and scalp felt clean even though I only used a little dollop each time.
With the conditioner, my locks felt soft and nourished.
Besides, I really liked the scent of this shampoo and conditioner.

The Four Seasons is the choice for many celebrities, or so I was told. Guess who was here?

All in all there’s nothing to complain about for staying in the Four Seasons.
It is within walking distance to a lot of pubs, museums, art galleries, restaurants and well, shopping malls!
Paddington’s Oxford Street is the most well-known, with 2 kilometres of boutiques and high-street fashion. Right next door is DFS Galleria; Sydney’s largest duty-free shopping haven housing all the international brands.
The attractions of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney Opera House and shopping districts are all close by as well, giving The Four Seasons a unique vantage point.

The Four Seasons, Sydney
Address: 199 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone:+61 2 9250 3100