Tuesday 10 March 2015

The Hilton in the Heart of Sydney

I rediscovered the Hilton Sydney on a recent stay with my daughter the night before she flew to Canada. It was only a short walk from Town Hall station through the QVB to reach the Hilton.

Hello ...

We entered the Hilton through the revolving glass doors on George Street. The ground floor lobby was spacious, with vast expanses soaring upwards over five floors. The feature sculpture in the lobby, "Vine" was created by Australian sculptor Bronwyn Oliver out of aluminium. This spiral design coils from the lobby floor to the ceiling of the atrium.

Checkin was quick with the welcoming staff. Then it was up to our room on the 42 floor by one of the high speed lifts

Deluxe Plus Room

Our deluxe room provided wonderful views over the city. Sydney harbour, Centerpoint Tower, and the Queen Victoria Building were some of the Sydney landmarks that we could see during the day and lit up by night.

A bottle of St Hallets red wine and two bottles of water were appreciated welcome gifts. The room housed a large glass topped work desk, chaise lounge and LCD TV with DVD player.

I could use my laptop with the wireless internet access provided. The IP phone had a beaut "Magic Button" which enabled instant access to room service and reception. A clock radio offered MP3 and bluetooth. There was a safe, hairdryer, iron & ironing board, mini-bar, and tea and coffee making facilities.

Shower Time ...

The 4-point bathroom had a separate bath, shower, toilet and vanity. A large range of amenities were provided, even a cloth to clean my glasses with. It was nice to see a fluffy bathrobe and slippers. Maybe next time I will choose the bathroom with Aquavision TV and massage bath options!

Now to Sleep ...

Our room had two comfy large single beds, with clean white sheets doonas and pillows. We chose to stay with the pillows on the bed, but noticed a pillow menu provided other possibilities. These included soft support pillows (side sleep or boomerang) medium support pillows (silent night or classic) and firm support (sweet dreams). Block-out blinds, operated by pressing a button, perfectly covered the windows and created a dark room for an enjoyable nights sleep.

Get Fit ...

I was impressed with the LivingWell Health Club. It was huge, with a lot of fitness facilities, exercise classes and personal trainers available. There were many exercise bikes, walkers, rowing machines and weights. All too energetic for me, though I noticed they were well used by other people keen on keeping fit. For relaxation there is a 25-meter heated indoor pool, whirlpool, saunas and steam rooms. The Alysium Spa offers various massage services, and Pierre Haddad provides hairdressing services.

Time to Refuel ...

The Hilton has various dining options available. The ideal spot for breakfast is Glass Breakfast, which provides wonderful views over the QVB through floor to ceiling glass windows. The Cini Cafe is on the ground floor lobby and the perfect place for a coffee. The Glass Brasserie has creations by Chef Luke Mangan and is ideal for quick lunches and relaxed dinners. The Glass Wine Bar features three 13 metre tall wine rack towers that house 440 boutique wine bottles. The Zeta Bar is a stylish sleek cocktail bar with a stunning rooftop terrace.

Marble Bar

The Marble Bar, originally known as the George Adams Bar, was a treasured part of the Adams Hotel built in 1983 in Pit Street Sydney. It was designed in the ornate tradition of the Italian Renaissance, with Corinthian columns, solid bronze capitals, Belgium & African marble, cedar joinery, stained pictorial glass frames, elaborate plaster ceilings and 14 Edwardian paintings all adding to the glamour of the bar.

The whole bar was dismantled, transported piece by piece, refurbished and rebuilt in the Hilton Hotel and opened in 1974. It is open from 4pm each day and well worth a visit. Entry is down stairs from George Street.

Let Us Meet Together ...

The Hilton offers a total of 23 different event and meeting rooms spread over 4 floors. There is a 1,200 seat grand ballroom, 48 booth exhibition center, and breakout spaces that can hold functions for 3 to 3,000 guests.

Family Time ...

The Hilton provides many services to help parents during their stay. They offer a babysitting service, children's activities, children's menu, children's video rental, cribs and high chairs.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String ...

Various packages are available at the Hilton, These include Double Points or Double Miles, Bed & Breakfast, Leisure Escapes, Breakfast & Wi-Fi, Advance Purchase, Go Out, Health Resolution, Shopping Escape. TGIF, 2X Points, HHonours, Business and Romance in Sydney. For more details about any of these packages refer to http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-south-wales/hilton-sydney-SYDHITW/offers/index.htm

Time for a Facelift ...

The old Hilton, originally opened in 1974, has been given a whole new look with its re-opening in 2005 after 3 years of reconstruction. The original entry to the hotel was in the upper levels of the podium accessed by ramps from Pitt Street. A new street-level entry was created by building a new street between Pitt and George Street, flanked on one side by a green wall and on the other side by a glass wall leading into the hotel foyer. The ugly concrete panels on the podium facades were replaced with glass and sandstone panels. The once-blocked views of the historic Queen Victoria Building are now visible from the brasserie and bar above George Street. The function areas of the Hilton of meeting, conference, and convention rooms were relocated to the Pitt Street side, and the dining and bar areas to the George Street side. The 577 rooms on the 44 floors have now been completely refurbished.

Finding the Hilton ...

The Hilton is located in the heart of Sydney, in the centre of its main business and shopping area. Myer, David Jones, Westfield, the QVB and the Strand arcade are all in easy walking distance. If arriving by car or taxi entry is by Pitt Street, or if arriving by train the closest train station is Town Hall.

HILTON SYDNEY

488 George Street, Sydney, Australia 2000
Tel: 61-2-9266-2000 Fax: 61-2-9265-6065
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