Expert reviews
“Towering above Walsh Bay from its prime position alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this sleek hotel is the place for a room with a bird’s-eye view. North-facing rooms overlooking the water are the best.”
Featured as Fodor’s Choice in Sydney.
“Many hotels along Sydney’s harbor feature views of their spectacular surroundings, but none quite like Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney. Towering 36 stories above Sydney Harbour, the Shangri-La stands alone in the city for the highest unobstructed views, boasting the largest windows of any harbor-facing hotel.”
“A modern Asian style focused on the Oriental blossom ties things together. A nice touch, but nothing tops sitting in your room and staring at the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.”
“The Shangri-La distinguishes itself among the cluster of five-star chain hotels in Sydney’s Circular Quay, with its famous Level 36 bar and restaurant – one of the best spots in town for a drink or a meal with a view. All the rooms feature harbour views from enormous windows and have cosy window-seats.”
What guests liked
- Amazing views
- Great rooms
- Friendly staff
- Excellent Wifi
- Great location
- Comfortable beds
All you need to know
Shangri-La Hotel is situated at 176 Cumberland Street in the Central Business District of Sydney where it offers the best in hospitality amenities and facilities to tourists and travelers looking to enjoy the best of Sydney. The hotel is strategically located close to the city financial, economic and entertainment hub which will make sure guests get the unique adventure they desire.
The hotel is rated five-star for its quality services, and it also offers excellent views of iconic places such as Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
The Shangri La Hotel offers luxury and stylish room options such as Executive Grand Harbour Twin, The Rocks Suite with Club Lounge Access, Premier Grand Harbour King, Executive Grand Harbour King and Deluxe Grand Harbour King. The hotel features room options with lounge access such as the Horizon Darling Harbour King with Club Lounge Access, Horizon Opera House City with Club Lounge Access and Executive Grand Harbour Suite with Club Lounge Access.
The hotel is about a 5-minute walk away from the Sydney Opera House while the Museum of Contemporary Art is about 300 m away from the hotel.
The rooms in the hotel are fitted with standard amenities such as free Wi-Fi for high-speed internet access, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a minibar, air conditioning and a comfy bed.
The hotel provides other services, facilities, and amenities such as concierge services, luggage storage, 24-hour front desk, airport shuttle, daily maid service and room service.
Hotel deals & lowest price guarantee
We partner with Booking.com and Agoda. Both booking websites offer the lowest price guarantee so you can be certain you will always get the best deal for this hotel. If you have seen a better price elsewhere, all you need to do is contact the booking website and they will refund you the difference immediately. You can price match right up until the day before check-in.
Location
Recent guest reviews
4 March 2026
Exceptional
We stayed in Opera House view room at the club level and the check in, check out was very easy. Wonderful staff and breakfast. The room has window seats and great view. The hotel is at the Rocks and close to Bridge stairs.
I can't think of any.
3 March 2026
Highly recommend experience in Sydney
Central location and spacious rooms. Friendly and respectful staff. Clean rooms and enjoy the variety of offers during your stay. I would suggest to guests to use train to Wynyard train station and walk via York Street to the hotel to avoid the steep stairs from Circular Quay.
N/A
3 March 2026
Lovely service and great location
Great location and service
Everything was superb
3 March 2026
We were pleased with the comfort and the location.
The room was spacious and had a good view of the Western side of the city. We liked the bar on level 36 and went there a few times.
Breakfast was a bit disappointing. The room was very crowded with very little room to move between tables. We ordered a coffee which arrived towards the end of our meal when we had expected it first.
3 March 2026
Exceptional
Highly recommended
2 March 2026
Comfortable and enjoyable stay with an awesome view
The view was awesome,loved the ledge!
Breakfast buffet: not a lot of options, average room compared to price
2 March 2026
Relaxing and incredible
We loved the location and spaciousness of the room as we’ve stayed in this room a fair few times. The views are amazing. The Buffet breakfast is excellent and so are the facilities and small touches like filtered water in the lobby. The service is exceptional too.
We’ve stayed in this room type a fair few times but this time the standard of the room didn’t meet our expectations. One of the robes had a big rip in it, the toilet was dirty when we arrived, there was no bathroom mat to put on the floor and the first face washer we went to use was heavily stained. Considering the rooms $800 a night, we expected it to be better maintained. I’ve got a week booked in July in the same room type so hope the standard is what I’m paying for going forward.
2 March 2026
Quick break
Top class service- treated us really well as was our anniversary
2 March 2026
Fabulous
Exceptional staff. Immaculate rooms. Great location.
2 March 2026
Great location, lovely staff and great food
The ambiance, luxury and staff
Very little
1 March 2026
Amazing location, views and wonderful service -we were upgraded to an incredible room for our anniversary
Great location, amazing views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge
1 March 2026
Exceptional
The customer service and the view
Nothing
1 March 2026
Always a great stay
Lovely people and great facilities
28 February 2026
Breathtaking will be back!
Stunning veiws, location was amazing! Staff amazing!
Nothing not to like!
28 February 2026
Comfortable stay very pleasant staff
Staff very polite fairly good location very clean and spacious
Very steep road to get to hotel if walking booked opera house view but to the side not as shown on site
28 February 2026
Fabulous stay !
Typical Shangri-la standard , welcoming , beautiful fragrance as you enter the property , great big rooms , comfy beds , huge bathrooms !
My only slight criticism would be , 1st couple of days was a little chaotic in the main restaurant for breakfast . And if pushed , I really don’t think the executive lounge should allow children .
28 February 2026
Our stay was perfect! Definitely coming back here again and recommending this to my family & friends
Everything was perfect!! Everything was perfect from the day we arrived til the day we checked out. Couldn't have asked for a better hotel. Staff were so welcoming and very polite mannered so that made our stay even more perfect! Would definately come here again for sure! Breakfast and dinner were just amazingggg!!!
28 February 2026
Very good
the view was excellent
27 February 2026
Very calm and relaxing
Clean smelt good
Club lounge food was a little slow
27 February 2026
Exceptional
The staff were very friendly, we got upgraded too! Everything about the Shangri-La was amazing, the rooms, staff, location, views...
There was nothing we didn't like.
27 February 2026
Good
Room-was good size Location-very good Bed-Confy
The Breakfast _the ItemsRequested arrived Cold
26 February 2026
Exceptional
Amazing location
Nothing
26 February 2026
Great location, great service
We loved that we could walk to the Quay and board our cruise. We really appreciated the complimentary wine bottle and chocolates we received for our honeymoon.
26 February 2026
all good - i booked and paid for it as a parent present to the newly wed couple.
Everything were good - i booked the suite for my daughter and future husband. They got married on the 22nd Feb, stayed for few nights and i think they enjoyed the view etc. Photos taken at the suite were amazing with the view.
When i checked in with my daughter - i was told that i have to pay $100 ahead per night. i already paid enough for few nights ahead. Even though we've booked through a third party, we should be told ahead for this kind of payment. I booked and paid a year ahead. It's a bit upsetting when you checked in and asked for payment ahead for security. Anyway, the place was really nice but i think it's overpriced etc. My daughter was really happy and enjoyed the room for their little honeymoon.
25 February 2026
Fabulous
The location is epic
It’s very dated and old
25 February 2026
Exceptional
The most beautiful room & view. Friendly staff. Great location.
24 February 2026
Very nice, but too short
Location and presentation
Not much
24 February 2026
Very good
Great location Very clean hotel Great gym with loads of equipment Breakfast options were fantastic
23 February 2026
Wonderful experience
Fantastic views
Bit of a trek up from the ferry
23 February 2026
I would definitively return but request a quieter room.
It’s a great older hotel with spacious rooms.
I could hear the lift going up and down from my room. Could be more sound proof.
23 February 2026
Exceptional
Stunning views of the harbour from our room.
22 February 2026
Sometimes to get what you pay for and this was a fabulous hotel in a perfect location for a short stay in Sydney
Great location. Great views
22 February 2026
Fabulous
Great location. Concierge staff were very helpful
Very busy lobby, a little chaos. The staff at breakfast could not manage to stock up food - there were many empty plates and it was very dirty, especially around 9 a.m. The bartenders at the Blu bar - very unprofessional, they didn't know what they have as drinks, mixed up the order 2 days in a roll.
21 February 2026
Great short stay in Horizon room definitely worth it!
Stayed in an Horizontal room which offered great lounge facility. Breakfast was fabulous and service impeccable.
Nothing
21 February 2026
excellent
everything
nothing
20 February 2026
Always welcoming and thoroughly professional
Clean
20 February 2026
Luxurious stay with fabulous views of Sydney
Loved our stay at Shangri-la Sydney. Horizon club room was exceptional with amazing views of the harbour. We particularly enjoyed the early check in and the 6pm canapé and drinks in the Horizon club lounge. We enjoyed the pool and facilities and the comfort of our room and the sleep quality was excellent and we enjoyed a hearty breakfast before our check out.
Would have preferred warm or hot plates at breakfast in the Horizon club lounge.
19 February 2026
A wonderful centrally located 5 star experience. Our go to in Sydney with outstan service
Service is always amazing, location is excellent and 5 star standard across the board
N/A
18 February 2026
Great view but would have expected a bit more from shangri la chain
Location, staff found sterilisation machine for baby bottles.
Not sure staff could cope - they forgot to bring baby cot despite reminder so we ended up having to sleep with baby in bed. Also pool facilities not great or big enough for volume of guests - no sun loungers, pool full of kids with no supervision, including in spa pool which they shouldn’t have been in.
18 February 2026
Love this hotel!
My favourite hotel. Loved my corner room, the view on Opera, location. Super friendly staff. And the best bed in the world, I want same mattress and cover for home now. Every time I'm in Sydney - only staying here. Amazing show for Lunar New Year.
Cleaning and breakfast could be better, sorry. My room was full of hair from previous guests. After cleaning request it was all the same, hair were even on bedsheets and towels. Some towels had stains. Dust, and curtains smell dust. Some curtains were broken. Breakfast was much improved from last year, so tasty, but still wish to have more basic veggies, like cucumbers, tomatoes. Maybe bcs of Lunar New Year, but there were lines on entrance and stressed running waiters around. Small distance between tables adds stress.
18 February 2026
Loved the stay. The staff were even better than the exceptional views
The room was spacious and the view exceeded expectations. The pillows were extremely comfortable.
The mattress could have been more comfortable
18 February 2026
Very good
Amazing location, very friendly and helpful staff and good facilities
a little bit dated / older
18 February 2026
Conformtable and cozy stay
Location is very good and convenient.
The facility seems to be old but clean.
17 February 2026
Great
Was great Awsome view
A little hard to get to when travelling with kids
17 February 2026
Very nice but expensive
Location location Early check in
Hard to walk to and we really enjoyed our stay but it was pricy
17 February 2026
Exceptional
The hotel has excellent facilities, the staff were brilliant, food selection first class
17 February 2026
Everything I had expected and more
Everything it was awesome
Nothing
16 February 2026
Exceptional
We liked the lvl 30 area. we found all the staff polite.we found the location really good.
16 February 2026
The great view from floor 35 and the club lounge facilities.
Excellent.
Nothing.
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Kids' meals (additional charge)
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
- - Fruits (additional charge)
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Soundproof rooms
- - Packed lunches
- - Car hire
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Designated smoking area
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Fax/photocopying (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Currency exchange
- - Tour desk
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Concierge service
- - Private check-in/check-out
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Sauna
- - Fitness centre
- - Spa and wellness centre (additional charge)
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Hot tub/Jacuzzi
- - Indoor pool
- - Indoor pool (all year)
- - Beauty Services
- - Facial treatments
- - Body treatments
- - Body scrub
- - Body wrap
- - Spa facilities
- - Steam room
- - Spa lounge/relaxation area
- - Foot bath
- - Spa/wellness packages
- - Couples massage
- - Full body massage
- - Fitness
- - Fitness/spa locker rooms
- - Happy hour (additional charge)
Outdoors
- - Terrace
- - Sun terrace
- - Outdoor furniture
Entertainment & family services
- - Babysitting/child services (additional charge)
- - Strollers
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Trouser press (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Parking
- - Parking garage
Accessibility
- - Wheelchair accessible
- - Toilet with grab rails
Pool and wellness
- - Heated pool
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Swimming pool
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key card access
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

4 March 2026
Short staycation to do the harbour bridge walk