Sheraton on the Park, Sydney review: A classic grand hotel

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The location

Overlooking the city's Hyde Park, the Sheraton is in the heart of Sydney, just a block from the Pitt Street Mall and a short walk to Darling Harbour, the Town Hall and Martin Place. To the north the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens are about 10 minutes' walk.

The place

The Sheraton is a classic grand hotel – the large lobby, all dark marble and brass, opens onto a huge staircase. Up the stairs is the Feast Restaurant and the bar. High tea can be taken at the Gallery on the ground floor.

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There are 557 rooms across 22 levels. The gym and pool are on the top floor, the latter enclosed but with floor-to-ceiling windows and a skylight that offers an outdoor feel and great views as you swim.

The Sheraton Club Lounge on level 21, for guests staying in "Club" rooms, offers great views across the city and a good place to work or enjoy breakfast. The hotel has won a series of awards for its conference and business facilities, with 15 meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 900 guests.

The room

I'm in a Deluxe Terrace Suite and deluxe it certainly is. The huge, three-room space is likely bigger than many apartments in this town. The dining table seats six and the couch could probably seat even more. There's a desk, mini bar and guest toilet (yes, the room has a guest toilet). The bedroom has a second TV and couch. Sliding doors allow you to block off the living area. There's also a walk-in robe.

The bathroom is also fittingly enormous, with two sinks, a separate bath and shower, and done up in black marble. The luxe toiletries are from Hermes and there's also mouthwash, toothbrushes and paste provided.

Panoramic views are on offer from the windows but there's also a large terrace that runs the length of the room, overlooking the park and out to St Mary's Cathedral. The biggest problem is staying here alone, without having time to host a party, or at least a business meeting.

The food

Bring your stomach empty if you're planning to eat at Feast, where the main attraction is the extensive seafood buffet. A never-ending supply of oysters, crab, lobster, mussels, bugs, prawns, fish and more is on offer.  There are also plenty of salads, vegetables, cheese, soup and a decent selection of meats if you're done with eating seafood. Everything tastes fresh and it's pretty much impossible to try everything, as much as you may want to.

Feast also offers a buffet breakfast, as does the executive club, though the latter's is more limited in its selection.

Stepping out

The "park" part of the Sheraton's name refers to Hyde Park, opposite the hotel and the oldest park in Australia. On the far side of the park you'll find some other key parts of Australian history, including the Hyde Park Barracks Museum –  a UNESCO World Heritage site that played a key role in Britain's settlement of Australia. Built in 1819, the barracks housed thousands of convict workers over several decades. The museum now tells the story of convict-era Sydney.

Essentials

Rooms at the Sheraton on the Park start from $279 a night, with suites from from $499. See sheratonontheparksydney.com.

The verdict

While it may be an award-winner with business travellers, the Sheraton on the Park's location and comforts make it equally attractive to leisure visitors seeking a luxurious stay.

Highlight

The size of the suite and its long terrace.

Lowlight

Like several of the major hotel chains, the Sheraton still insists on charging for Wi-Fi, unless you're a member of the hotel's loyalty scheme.

The writer stayed as a guest of Sheraton on the Park Sydney.

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