Sydney’s new $1b hotel starts at $700 a room, with (Darling) harbour views

The Chinese-owned hotel finally opened to staying guests on October 11, with model Jesinta Franklin among the first A-listers to experience the 588-room hotel, the biggest W hotel in the world.

Given the opening was delayed by three years due to the pandemic, and also the collapse of its original builders, Grocon and Probuild, it was a key moment for owners the Wang family, via their Greaton Development company, as well as for Marriott, which owns the W brand and holds a long-term management lease on the distinctive curved building.

Marriott’s chairman and a third generation of the dynasty, David Marriott, made his first trip to Australia to help celebrate the newest property in Marriott’s vast global portfolio.

“It’s super exciting to see the hotel open on this beautiful harbour precinct after the delays,” said Mr Marriott, who is based in the US mid-Atlantic state of Maryland. “I can’t wait to bring my family here.”

W Sydney has all the bells and whistles you would expect with a billion-dollar build: from the 30-metre open-air infinity pool featuring a giant jellyfish motif crafted from glass mosaic tiles on the 29th floor, to a fleet of luxury SUVs for transfers, all with “WSYD” numberplates.

The self-described “lifestyle” hotel will soon be serving $275 “Nellie Melba” cocktails in its exclusive rooftop bar – and will pour Dom Pérignon by the glass. It also features popular Singaporean eatery export, Janice Wong’s 2am: dessertbar, for night owls with a sweet tooth.

But W Sydney’s position, between those busy expressways, is hard to ignore; the hotel does its best to lean in with humour, even naming the restaurant on level 3, BTWN.

Dransfield sold the building to the Wang family in 2016 on behalf of Grocon for more than $700 million in a forward-funded transaction.

“One of the former interested parties back in 2016 dropped out as they were concerned there was a smoke stack coming up from the freeway,” Mr Dransfield said. “The engineers said yes, but it’s cleaner than the air coming from the freeway.”

He went on to point out, “Sydney is now trapped by freeways. It’s harder to find land to build a new hotel.”

But room rates tell the story of how the city is changing its attitude in terms of a desirable address.

For a one-night mid-week stay next week, deluxe lead-in rooms with classic opera house and harbour views start from $360 at the recently refurbished InterContinental, rising to $395 at the Shangri-La and $1497 at the Park Hyatt.

Crown Towers Sydney gives them a run for their money with views of Darling Harbour and beyond (but not taking in the harbour bridge or opera house) starting from around $699 for a room.

The Sofitel Darling Harbour averages a respectable $535 a night for local views.

“Sydney is a great leisure destination, but Monday-Thursday it’s 60 per cent plus corporate traffic,” Mr Dransfield said. “These days, if you aren’t near Barangaroo and that area, you aren’t in corporate heartland, and hotel pricing is reflecting that.”