by Santorini Dave • Updated: November 20, 2018
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – old-world charm with elegance, opulence, and convenience.
The grace is immediately evident from the corridors lined with prints of old Sydney and cabinets of antiques personally collected by the owner. The compact Superior Rooms feature adorable old-fashioned furniture, plush curtains and an alcove with decent views. The more spacious Deluxe Rooms overlook the Royal Botanic Gardens (across an overpass), but the windows and balcony are not extensive, and views are better on the upper floors. The Junior Suites contain a lounge room with a sofa and chairs (that don’t match) and a gorgeous bedroom, but the tiny balcony offers no worthwhile views. Choked with antique furniture, and dominated by a grand piano and wall-length mural of a regal event, the Presidential Suite resembles a museum. Adding to the appeal are the outdoor pool, which is far more welcoming than others, the courtyard area alongside, and the guests’ lounge resembling a set from a 19th-century period film. And all this is in the city centre, surrounded by shops, cafés, theatres and transport options.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – The Basics
- Location: 3 Maquarie Street, a two-minute walk from Circular Quay.
- Guests: Particularly popular for business people and couples on inner-city getaways.
- Pets: Not allowed.
- Views: Of the street and park opposite, and the Royal Botanic Gardens at a distance.
- Wi-Fi Internet: Usually available free for guests depending on the booking.
- Parking: Available for A$60 per night.
- Phone: 8274 5444
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stamford.com.au/sscq
- How To Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – Amenities
- Pool: Heated, outdoors and inviting.
- Spa: None.
- Fitness Center: Small but adequate, with sauna attached.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: None.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – Food and Drink
- Restaurant: The Dining Room boasts a 19th-century charm, with contemporary cuisine and silver service. Open for breakfast and dinner.
- Lounge/Bar: The Bar is also unimaginatively-named, but certainly refined. And it’s won several awards for excellence.
- Breakfast: Continental buffet breakfast included in some rates.
- Room Service: Available 24 hours.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – Rooms
- Room Types: Superior Rooms • Deluxe Rooms • Executive Suites • Presidential Suite
- Smoking Rooms: By Australian law, smoking is forbidden within hotel buildings.
- Best Room: The massive Presidential Suite contains ornate antique furnishings, two lounge areas, a bar, and even a grand piano.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – What’s Nearby?
Nearby Restaurants & Bars
- The Spice Room – atmospheric and stylish Indian. 2-minute walk.
- Café Opera – refined French cuisine and seafood buffets in a historic hotel. 1-minute walk.
- Cubby’s Kitchen – casual, intimate and welcome vegetarian options. 5-minute walk.
- The Bridge Room – award-winning modern Australian cuisine in a lovely setting. 3-minute walk.
- Café Sydney – contemporary and popular, with a rooftop offering extensive views. 3-minute walk.
Local Transportation
A two-minute walk to Circular Quay, with a train station and the ferry terminal.
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay – The Hotel
Along the leafy and historic Macquarie Street, in the city centre, the hotel blends in so well.
The hotel faces Macquarie Street, one of Sydney’s oldest thoroughfares, along which is the vast Royal Botanic Gardens.
The lobby exudes an elegant 19th-century charm.
The guests’ lounge has been used many times for wedding receptions.
The Dining Room is a sophisticated restaurant on the ground floor.
The pool is outdoors, under cover and considerably nicer than others.
The courtyard setting alongside the pool is very unusual among other hotels.
The rest of the rooms are beautifully decorated and furnished, keeping with the ambience throughout the hotel.
The Superior Rooms are also spacious and elegantly furnished.
Tasteful art, plenty of seats and a wooden desk fill the rooms.
The Presidential Suite even has a grand piano!
The Presidential Suite features two lounge areas and furnishings that almost resemble a museum.
The Presidential Suite is packed with charming old-fashioned furniture.
The dining room in the Presidential Suite is rather regal.
Rooms on the upper floors offer views of the distant Royal Botanic Gardens.
In one of the oldest parts of Sydney, the streets around the hotel are dotted with restored 19th-century buildings.
Only 100m north of the hotel is Circular Quay, and another 300m to the west is the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Circular Quay is also the local transport hub, with a train station and bus stop, and the only ferry terminal in the city centre for services across the harbour.
Circular Quay is also the hub for local buses and trains, and ferries across the harbour.
Circular Quay is home to many high-rise office blocks and upmarket hotels.
The area of Circular Quay is lined with stylish harbourside cafés and bars.
From Circular Quay, a path lined with bistros leads about 400m to the renowned Sydney Opera House.
The hotel is barely 100m south of Circular Quay. From there, ferries ply the harbour and offer amazing views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
From Circular Quay ferries head all over the harbour, including wonderful places like Manly Beach and Watsons Bay.
The magnificent Sydney harbour is always full of boats.
From the train station at Circular Quay, it’s only two stops to the Queen Victoria Building, which offers a number of classy boutiques and lovely cafés.
The Circular Quay train station is only 200m north of the hotel. From there, it’s three stops to Paddy’s Markets, home to hundreds of stalls in a vast undercover building.