The Shangri-La Sydney is a landmark in its own right, famously known for offering some of the most unobstructed, panoramic views of the city’s skyline. Located in the historic Rocks district, the hotel opened in 1992 as the ANA Hotel before being rebranded. Its design, by Guida Moseley Brown Architects, was a complex feat of engineering; the tower actually sits above a rail tunnel and incorporates several heritage-listed structures, blending modern luxury with the area’s deep convict-era history.
A standout feature is the Horizon Club on the 30th floor, designed to resemble the lantern room of a lighthouse—a detail that makes the hotel visible from across the harbour. The property is also home to an unexpected urban initiative: honeybees kept on the roof, the output of which is served in the hotel’s award-winning Altitude restaurant. For those seeking relaxation, Chi, The Spa uses ancient wellness philosophies and local Australian products like Sodashi to create a serene sanctuary.
Its location is perfect for exploring Sydney’s most iconic sights. Guests are just a short walk from Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The hotel’s proximity to the cobblestone laneways of The Rocks provides easy access to vibrant weekend markets and artisan boutiques. Whether you are watching the sunset from the 36th-floor Blu Bar or taking a leisurely stroll to the nearby Museum of Contemporary Art, the hotel serves as an unmatched home base for experiencing the best of the harbour city.
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
Location
Recent guest reviews
4 July 2026
Fantastic location, excellent customer service- we will definitely be back!
Great location, we received an upgrade to our room which was amazing and the horizon club was fantastic!
2 July 2026
The food was excellent, staff attentive. Loved the pool and spa
The staff are friendly and attentive.
The Horizon club was impressive
2 July 2026
Amazing views, facilities and breakfast - highly recommend
Top facilities and amazing views
1 July 2026
Amazing service, so worth the money!
Amazing service from all staff at the horizon club lounge! Wonderful food everg day and had 9am check in and 4pm check out. Highly recommend booking a horizon club lounge access room to access all the extras 😍😍
1 July 2026
Very pleasant, comfortable, warm and welcoming
There was a warm welcome at my early arrival and complimentary early check in. The staff were always friendly professional and polite. The room was spacious, very clean and the bed was really comfortable. The bathroom was great - with a spa bath, although I didn’t have a chance to use it on this trip. Maybe next time! There was also a pool and other amenities which I didn’t yet explore. I did go to the casual bar on the 36th floor for the view over the city, harbour and opera house! There was also a more formal Restaurant on this floor. The location was also great! Between 10-15mins walk from the historic shopping strip, ferries and beautiful harbour with its many restaurants. I ate in on the first night and found the food at the Shangri-La was great - so you could easily just eat there.
There wasn’t much I didn’t like - it should be noted though that the area around the Shangri-La is quite hilly! I walked a lot so it’s not too bad.
1 July 2026
Our five day stay was a very enjoyable holiday. Left very relaxed.
The view and the Horizon Lounge made the stay very special. Everything about our room was excellent.
I wish they didn’t allow children and prams in the Horizon Lounge.
1 July 2026
Excellent staff, we felt so looked after, facilities were beautiful and we highly recommend the horizon club. Free drink
It felt luxury
We loved everything, there was nothing to dislike
30 June 2026
A relaxing weekend
This was our fifth visit. Location of Hotel is excellent. A short walk to the rocks and Opera House. We had use of the Horizon club and being able to sit and relax while being able to look out onto Sydney harbour, especially while its rains.. Service was excellent, always making sure that we had any needs. Coffee and tea was always available and the drinks and canapes at 6.00pm is a popular time and at times the club is full. The room had everything needed and the fudge and bed turn down every night was a nice touch.
Having to leave
30 June 2026
Great staff, great service but bad size bed.
Location and view of harbour and opera house.
The bed. We booked the room with twin beds. We were so disappointed with beds as it was so small compared to single bed to other hotel that we stayed.
It was so small that once you on the bed you can’t move otherwise you will be on the floor. For the price we paid I think it was so poorly.
29 June 2026
Absolutely gorgeous, views to die for
Friendliness, accommodating, and perfect location in Sydney
Little bit outdated inside room, and maintenance required
29 June 2026
Great location with an excellent cocktail bar on Level 36.
Great view, and Level 36 was excellent to have a few sneaky cocktails.
Buffet breakfast was great if you ordered of the custom menu, but hot food was only warm, and machine coffee was luke warm at best. Order from your waiter and you will have the best omelette and coffee.
29 June 2026
Would return again. Very relaxing and comfortable.
Location, cleanliness, friendly staff
28 June 2026
Will definitely be staying again on the next Sydney trip
Great location and incredible service
N/A
28 June 2026
A perfect place for family vacation or to just indulge yourself in city life with all amenities really close
The room size, set up, amazing view of opera house from room, perfect size bathtub and bathroom. Comfortable bed and free movies alot to choose from
Closing time of pool and expensive parking
28 June 2026
Great location,beautiful views and friendly staff members. The mattress is very comfortable.
Location
The room is out dated.
27 June 2026
My stay was highly enjoyable! The location of the Hotel near Karstens was very convenient for me .
1503 +912. Arrived on a late flight! Reception was staffed and they were helpful! Staff at the restaurant were very helpful and friendly !! Room Service was very good. There was no alcohol in the mini bar ! ( Minor point!!)
I couldn't see the Sydney Opera House from my window ( 1503). Apparently it could be seen from 912 ! It's a minor issue.
25 June 2026
The best hotel in Sydney..
Excellent
Nothing
25 June 2026
Fantastic views. Great spot as we did harbour bridge climb
Location.
Nothing
25 June 2026
I had a great time and the accommodation was a huge part of that.
Clean, quiet, great room with a view, comfy bed, bath . Champagne and strawberries proved a nice touch.
Nothing
24 June 2026
Luxurious and very special.
Room type, the view of the harbour.
Nothing- all was beyond expectation.
24 June 2026
My partner & I got engaged during our stay! It was a wonderful experience start to finish.
The staff were incredibly polite, helpful & accommodating. The location & view was spectacular, the facilities & the room were all clean, comfortable & classy.
N/A
23 June 2026
Luxury hotel in an excellent location with outstanding Sydney Harbour views.
The location and view are excellent. Check in and check out were efficient.
22 June 2026
Fantastic inner city with views to die for!
The room service was amazing! The staff were outstanding!
That there was no balcony or way to get fresh air
22 June 2026
Beautiful views, thoughtful service, and a truly memorable family stay that made our birthday celebration extra special.
We had a wonderful stay at Shangri-La Sydney.
The hotel is in an excellent location. Although it is a well-established hotel, the facilities and rooms are very well maintained and presented. The staff were consistently friendly, professional, and genuinely helpful throughout our stay.
As we were celebrating a birthday, the hotel kindly surprised us with a small birthday cake, which was a thoughtful gesture and much appreciated.
We stayed in a Sydney Harbour Twin Room, and the view was absolutely beautiful. One of the highlights was being able to walk to the Sydney Harbour Bridge in just a few minutes and watch the sunrise over the harbour — a truly memorable experience.
Thank you to the entire team for making our stay so special. We left with wonderful memories and would happily stay again.
22 June 2026
Perfect location and great room
We love staying here whenever we’re in Sydney for work.
21 June 2026
Perfect best birthday ever
Everything
It was so amazing
Nil
21 June 2026
Great views, drinks and location.
bed really comfy. Loved the fact that we could go up to the cocktail bar before dinner and dinner - all just upstairs.
I also loved the art exhibition that was displayed downstairs. The view from our room was lovely
our fridge was not working when we arrived - it did take a little bit to get a new one.
21 June 2026
Overall great experience!
Friendly staff, nice breakfast and facilities
Need to take a bit of walk to opera house.
21 June 2026
Very comfortable hotel in a great spot at a reasonable price.
Free upgrade with a view of the bridge. Bed comfortable.Room the right size. Good movie selection. Controls for the lights happily not confusing. Rooms serviced promptly.
Would have preferred a selection of black tea and a couple of biscuits. Perhaps a shaving kit and a tablet of real soap.
20 June 2026
Lovely getaway to celebrate my friends 40th
Room with the view of the Opera House. Great location for exploring the city.
Room service brekky wasn't great quality food. The buffet was declines, great variety however too expensive for a small eater.
20 June 2026
Beautiful hotel / would highly recommend
Amazing views - fabulous staff
20 June 2026
I spent an amazing night at the hotel. The staff were helpful and friendly, had a good workout at the gym and the breakf
It had a lot of facilities like the gym and swimming pool, nice harbour and opera house views. Excellent Breakfast.
It was a bit pricey and the room designs were very old.
18 June 2026
Unparalleled luxury, when you can afford it.
This place is really first rate. Fantastic views over the harbour, and great 24 hours service. It's really a touch of luxury.
The cost: it is such that I can really only afford to stay there once a year, for things like birthdays or anniversaries
16 June 2026
Nice place to stay, but dine elsewhere.
It's a nice place to stay. I chose the harbour view room for $490 /night. The view was fabulous, the bed was very comfy, nice facilities and very clean.
I stayed for 2 nights, which was lovely. However there is no fresh air to the room from outside, only the aircon unit which wasn't really fresh air. The room was a little stuffy by the early morning a result. It was a relief to go outside to breathe to be honest. Didn't eat at the hotel as pricing was over the top, compared to all the awesome cafes and restaurants near by with more choices and fabulous food at realistic pricing.
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 & 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
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

5 July 2026
Very good experience living with the Shang-la hotel.