Capella Hotels and Resorts is preparing to make its Australian debut in March 2023 at the former Department of Education building in Sydney’s Sandstone Precinct.
The heritage-listed building, which occupies a city block surrounded by Loftus, Bridge and Young Streets, will be home to a 192-room hotel that aims to set a new global benchmark for luxury accommodation, cuisine, and cultural immersion.
“Capella Sydney is not just an ode to the city and Sydneysiders, it’s an open invitation for discerning travellers from all around the world to visit Australia and experience the magic of this place we call home,” said Capella Sydney’s General Manager, Marc von Arnim.
“The Capella brand is synonymous with luxury, excellence in the craft of hospitality and cultural immersion. Capella Sydney takes this to the next level through unparalleled heritage work, architecture and interior design, state-of-the-art wellness facilities and transformative guest experiences that go above and beyond the expected, underscored by world-class accommodation and dining.”
Inside its historic walls, spanning eight levels, the hotel will adopt a contemporary design aesthetic that celebrates the Australian panorama. The interior will feature sophisticated furnishings as well as commissioned and collected artworks to capture guests’ attention.
Elements of the original design, by architect George McRae over a century ago, have been retained thanks to meticulous restoration by Pontiac Land and Make Architects, including in the marble-clad foyer, bespoke function rooms and wellness spaces.
The open-air foyer at the centre of the property will include a seven-metre-tall green wall featuring nearly 70 local species of flora as well as a bespoke kinetic sculpture by Amsterdam-based Studio Drift.
The hotel will feature three ground-level food and beverage outlets including Brasserie 1930, which will serve up modern brasserie classics using quality Australian produce from small-batch farmers and growers.
Also on the ground floor, McRae Bar, named after the aforementioned architect, will put a modern spin on the classic hotel lounge with an intimate and elegant cocktail experience.
Six meeting and event spaces catering for groups of 10 to 80 persons will also be positioned on the ground floor, each with high ceilings, plenty of natural light and the latest in high-tech conferencing equipment.
The guestrooms, averaging over 55-square-metres, will exude luxury with deluxe textiles, standalone tubs and custom Italian Frette linen. The Capella Suite, the largest room at 235-square-metres, will be located on the ninth floor.
The hotel’s world-class wellness offering, on the sixth floor, will include Auriga Spa, a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre kitted out with Technogym equipment, yoga platform, and changerooms complete with steam, sauna and experiential showers.
In-house guests can also explore art and intriguing artefacts uncovered during the restoration in The Living Room, a signature space in all Capella properties that celebrates art and culture.