Four Seasons Hotel Sydney Welcomes International Travelers with Multimillion-Dollar Renovation and New Guest Experiences

Posted on 20th April 2023

International travel to Australia is back in full swing and Four Seasons Hotel Sydney remains the luxury gateway for visitors to explore the city and beyond. Centrally located in the historic Rocks district overlooking one of the world’s most beautiful harbors, the hotel is within walking distance of top restaurants, shopping, the ferry terminal and iconic sites like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

A multimillion-dollar renovation of 517 rooms and suites was completed just before the two-year border closure.

“We completely changed the look and feel of the rooms, bringing in lighter colors for a more residential look,” says General Manager Uday Rao. “The most popular room is the Full Harbour View Suites which are corner rooms that have bay windows and full panoramic views of the harbor.”

Sydney is known for its lively food, wine and spirits scene, and Four Seasons Hotel Sydney is no exception, introducing these new guest experiences:

Living it Up at Lounge 32

Located on the hotel’s 32nd floor, Lounge 32 boasts sweeping views of Walsh Bay and offers interactive amenities for suite guests from nitrogen ice cream made by the hotel’s pastry team to a roaming trolley of signature cocktails with evening canapes of fresh prawns and oysters.

Grain Bar pours Australia’s largest selection of barrel-aged cocktails

The innovative team at Grain Bar has developed their own barrel-aged cocktail program, launching Australia’s largest selection with 22 different varieties, all made in-house to expand upon the existing craft cocktails. Each cocktail is aged for around four weeks in a five-litre barrel; production is carefully managed by the bar team who explores the potential of different grains to enhance the flavor, aroma and texture of each drink.

“The magic of barrel aging is that it tames the harsher aspect of a spirit, and makes the whole drink much more cohesive and super mellow, so you enjoy the flavors more,” says Grain’s Bar Manager Adam Lau. He cites two examples: the Boulevardier, a whisky Negroni that’s been aged in a barrel seasoned with coffee liqueur to round it out, and the Aloha, which is essentially a barrel-aged Pina Colada, but a much more elegant and sophisticated version.

Grain also created its own signature beer in partnership with Modus Brewery. The “super approachable” lager features five different grains including the drought-resistant triticale malt, sourced from local farms in regional New South Wales.

Grain Lager and the Grain barrel-aged cocktail selection are available for guests to enjoy at the bar, in-room from their mini bar, or to take home from the Retail Corner. Coming soon is Grain’s very own Gin label in partnership with Bondi Liquor Co.

Tea and The Art of the Aperitivo at Mode Kitchen & Bar

Mode Kitchen & Bar has launched two gastronomic experiences. The Italian ritual of “Aperitivo” is a two-hour pre-dinner ritual featuring an expansive selection of Italian street food and antipasto. For those craving something sweeter, afternoon tea is an inspired three-tiered offering of pastries (like coconut and passion fruit mini pavlovas), scones, and savories that are all made in-house.

Why Visit Sydney Now

Australian Fashion Week, May 15-19: The 2023 schedule features 45 designer shows and presentations from the next generation of Australian designers alongside some of the industry’s biggest names defining the future of Australian fashion.
VIVID Sydney, May 26-June 17: You’ll want to book a corner suite for this annual celebration of creativity, innovation and technology in collaboration with some of the most boundary-pushing artists, thinkers and musicians. The city is illuminated and the landscape changes with vibrant 3D projections across the city’s architecture.
FIFA Women’s World Cup July 20-August 20: The US team will defend their title down under when Sydney hosts the opening and final matches.
Sydney International Boat Show, August 3-6: From paddle boards to super yachts, this is the biggest marine event in the Pacific.
SXSW Sydney, Oct 15-22: The Austin event expands beyond North America for the first time.