Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

In a 32-story skyscraper surrounded by other towering structures, the Four Seasons is recognizable as a high-end corporate hotel even from the street. Inside is a busy lobby with rust-colored marble floors and casual leather seats, with a restaurant off to one side. Additional seating is found up a carpeted stairway on a loft-style mezzanine level with wood-paneled walls and alternating modern art prints and built-in display cases of decorative art objects. Huge cases filled with enormous flower arrangements add a bit of warmth to the corporate-feeling spaces. Although kid-friendly amenities and a central location attract well-heeled leisure travelers to this Four Seasons, it's clearly targeting the corporate sector, and is a popular meeting and conference venue. The ambience is often busy, especially in the morning when people are checking out en masse and running off to the day's meetings, but the large and well-staffed front desk helps maintain a calm atmosphere.

The Four Seasons is located on busy George Street, one of the main thoroughfares that runs throughout the entirety of the Central Business District (CBD). There's a bar/nightclub across the street along with a Forex bureau, and there are plenty of office blocks and parking garages in the immediate area. The hotel is located at the southern end of the city's famous historic Rocks neighborhood, and Circular Quay, a major transport hub for both trains and ferries, is a four-minute walk away. The whole area is ideal for exploring on foot, and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants within a short stroll of the hotel.

The Sydney Opera House takes about 10 minutes to reach on foot, while the Australian Museum and Hyde Park are a 25-minute walk away. The Taronga Zoo is a 15-minute drive away without traffic, while Bondi Beach takes closer to 20 minutes. The Sydney Airport takes a minimum of 20 minutes by car and can also be reached by the Airport Line (T2), which stops near at Circular Quay. The trip takes around half an hour door-to-door. 

With over 500 rooms, the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney is the world's largest Four Seasons. It has 16 types of rooms (including the one-of-a-kind Presidential and Deluxe Royal Suites), most of which fall into the Deluxe category, which has either one king or two twin beds and can accommodate a maximum of two people. These rooms have either city or harbor views, although the Deluxe Full Harbour Rooms on the seventh to 30th floors have panoramic views of the Sydney Harbour, its iconic bridge, and the opera house. The next level of rooms, Premiers, are over twice the size of Deluxe Rooms and though most have either a king or two singles, they can accommodate up to three people with cots. There are also a few suites, most of which are open-plan Junior Suites with full views of the Sydney Harbour. The best rooms in the house are on the top floor with panoramic views. Those staying in the top-floor suites and the rooms and suites on the Club Floor get access to the Executive Club, which comes with such extras as a free breakfast buffet, evening cocktails and canapes, and access to private meeting rooms.

For such a high-end hotel, the decor in rooms is remarkably -- even disappointingly -- bland. Carpets have a mini-square gray and brown print that looks suited to an office building, and much of the furniture and upholstery has a similarly dull, muted brown and beige color scheme. The all-marble bathrooms are notably more attractive and have large vanities. All rooms have safes, well-stocked minibars, Wi-Fi access, and entertainment systems with 42-inch flat-screen TVs and DVD players. Connecting rooms and wheelchair accessible rooms are also available.

The Four Seasons is a business hotel above all else, and its multiple meeting rooms and event facilities are among the property's biggest selling points. There's a Grand Ballroom, three Gallery Rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, Studio Rooms, smaller lofts, and a Residential Suite with a separate board room. The Executive Club is another big draw for business guests and is open to those staying in suites or on the Club Floor; the lounge has free Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, and a dedicated concierge. Wedding packages are available.

The hotel features has a 24-hour fitness center, with a wide range of modern equipment, that looks out over the city through slanted floor-to-ceiling windows. Free fruit and bottled Fiji water are available, and the men's and women's locker rooms each have saunas and steam rooms (although these are only open during the daytime and evening). Personal trainers can be arranged. The outdoor pool is surrounded by lounge chairs with cushioned seats and cabana-style awnings. There's also a spa with six treatment rooms that offers a full range of beauty and spa treatments.

Although the Four Seasons is squarely targeted at adults, it does offer special features for families, including on-site babysitting, kid-size bathrobes, children's menus, and welcome gifts especially for little ones. Cribs, changing mats, bottles, and bottle warmers are available on request. 

Along with 24-hour room service, the Four Seasons has two restaurants and a bar. Mode Kitchen & Bar, which opened in July 2017, serves modern Australian fare for lunch and dinner from a space in the lobby. There is also an extensive hot and cold buffet breakfast (for a high fee, discounted for children). The more casual Cabana serves snacks and sandwiches poolside, along with cocktails, but it's only open from October to February (and only on weekends from October to mid-December). The bar, Grain, is open daily and serves light snacks along with is large selection of spirits, beers, and wines.