Hotel Review: Shangri-La Sydney

This hotel was once ANA Harbour Grand Hotel Sydney until its closing in 2002 and became Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts in 2007. We booked our stay at the Shangri-La Sydney on the Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program on Amex Travel. Originally debated between the Four Seasons and Shangri-La, we chose the latter for my curiosity to experience a Shangri-La property for the first time and a generous third-night-free promotion.

Our Amex FHR booking included:

1. Early checkin at 12 pm
2. Daily breakfast for 2 people
3. Room upgrade
4. $100 hotel property credit
5. Late checkout at 4 pm

Checkin :

Upon arrival, the lobby left us underwhelmed, a big contrast to its oriental magnificence particularly found in Asian luxury hotels. At check-in, the staff laughed at my partner’s passport photo, commenting that she looked like an eight-year-old, which she found unprofessional and inappropriate. When I inquired about a suite upgrade as an Amex FHR benefit, the staff bluntly stated, “We are fully booked tonight,” which was clearly untrue. Hotels general reserve rooms for unexpected situations, and the Shangri-La website showed several suites available on our booking dates.

Room :

We were given a standard room with no view of the Harbour Bridge or Opera House. The images on Shangri-La website showed a beautiful room, but the reality was disappointing, with poor maintenance and hygiene issues. Frustrated, I spoke to the general manager, who reluctantly agreed to show us an available suite. The suite was more spacious with an Opera House view but was in poor condition — tired sofa, open fridge, and rubbish left on the floor. When I requested to cancel our booking, the manager said it was impossible, so we stayed in the standard room.

The room had numerous problems: no complimentary water (which took 45 minutes to be delivered when requested), rubbish from previous guests under the desk and around the bin, and mediocre in-room dining with an additional 5% property charge.

On the second day, breakfast on the top floor was a pleasant surprise, standing out as the only redemption of our stay. However, this highlight was overshadowed by the overall experience. After taking a stroll around Sydney for half a day, we returned to find our room had not been cleaned, despite there being no “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. This oversight was the game over, leading us to cancel the rest of 2 nights and relocate to Four Seasons next door, which felt like a heavenly contrast.

Conclusion :

Overall, this hotel property felt like a misrepresentation for the Shangri-La brand. While I remain open to trying Shangri-La properties in other parts of world, this experience was a significant letdown. If I were this hotel manager, I would take this as an opportunity to turn an FHR guest into a loyal Shangri-La member, much like how I became a devoted fan of Mandarin Oriental after a memorable stay in Mandarin Oriental Jakarta.

If you are planning a holiday in a luxury hotel in Sydney, unless you have a high status with Shangri-La Circle, I highly recommend choosing other hotels on the same price point such as Four Seasons Sydney or The Langham Sydney.

Other luxury hotels in Sydney :

1. Capella Sydney
2. Park Hyatt Sydney
3. Four Seasons Sydney
4. The Langham Sydney