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
All you need to know
Shangri-La Hotel is situated at 176 Cumberland Street in the Central Business District of Sydney where it offers the best in hospitality amenities and facilities to tourists and travelers looking to enjoy the best of Sydney. The hotel is strategically located close to the city financial, economic and entertainment hub which will make sure guests get the unique adventure they desire.
The hotel is rated five-star for its quality services, and it also offers excellent views of iconic places such as Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
The Shangri La Hotel offers luxury and stylish room options such as Executive Grand Harbour Twin, The Rocks Suite with Club Lounge Access, Premier Grand Harbour King, Executive Grand Harbour King and Deluxe Grand Harbour King. The hotel features room options with lounge access such as the Horizon Darling Harbour King with Club Lounge Access, Horizon Opera House City with Club Lounge Access and Executive Grand Harbour Suite with Club Lounge Access.
The hotel is about a 5-minute walk away from the Sydney Opera House while the Museum of Contemporary Art is about 300 m away from the hotel.
The rooms in the hotel are fitted with standard amenities such as free Wi-Fi for high-speed internet access, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a minibar, air conditioning and a comfy bed.
The hotel provides other services, facilities, and amenities such as concierge services, luggage storage, 24-hour front desk, airport shuttle, daily maid service and room service.
Hotel deals & lowest price guarantee
We partner with Booking.com and Agoda. Both booking websites offer the lowest price guarantee so you can be certain you will always get the best deal for this hotel. If you have seen a better price elsewhere, all you need to do is contact the booking website and they will refund you the difference immediately. You can price match right up until the day before check-in.
Location
Recent guest reviews
9 April 2026
Very good
The view
Non
9 April 2026
Best views of the harbour in Sydney! Comfortable rooms and excellent service
Exceptional views
9 April 2026
Will be back there again
Perfect location and views just amazing
Everything is great!! No complaints
8 April 2026
Exceptional
Perfectly located and staff are always so helpful and happy to help
8 April 2026
It was a good experience and Shangri-la lived up to the name.
- cleanliess - Breakfast was really good - Location
I didn't like the staff attitude... I had paid extra for the view but I only got opera house view and not the whole opera plus harbour view. I requested staff to look into it but they were not considerate and asked to pay even more.
7 April 2026
Beautiful hotel with fantastic views of Sydney harbour
The staff were amazing, particularly Annie in the club area. We upgraded to the Horizon Opera House City View Room. It was amazing
7 April 2026
Great short luxury stay
Amazing location, great breakfast, very attentive staff. Upgraded to the Horizon package which included afternoon tea, evening snacks and drinks which was great and was all on level 30 with amazing views. This was expensive but felt like a great luxurious treat for a short stay. Very clean and quiet room.
Despite the upgrade, the room was not ideal for my 2 children, they had to share a sofa bed rather than a proper bed which didn’t work well as it was quite uncomfortable and creaky. Was advised there wasn’t an alternative room in the upgrade package where they could have a proper bed. Breakfast in the main level was very busy and had to line up.
7 April 2026
Exceptional
We had awesome views from 29th floor. Rooms was a good size and nicely appointed.
7 April 2026
Perfect
Food was delicious, room was amazing and staff all went above and beyond A++++
7 April 2026
Wonderful, friendly, brilliant
The location, the staff could not do enough for us so friendly and kind!
Nothing loved it all
7 April 2026
Great location.
Location is great. Staff excellent.
6 April 2026
An enjoyable stay but very expensive.
Breakfast was good but it was chaotic with queuing. Not big enough accommodation in the room for the amount of guests and their children requiring breakfast. This led to long queues waiting for a table and for self service. This needs to be addressed.
A larger room to accommodate the guests during busy periods like the Easter holidays.
6 April 2026
Good choice for a brief Sydney visit.
Great location and views. Amazing skybar Staff so friendly.
Very busy at breakfast Building getting a bit dated.
6 April 2026
Fabulous
Average
Most hot items very bland
6 April 2026
Great stay but slow Internet is a letdown.
Great location, spacious room and professional staff.
The internet was really slow. Almost non existent.
6 April 2026
Wonderful city break and the room views were incredible
The room with the view of the opera house and harbour bridge was stunning and loved the window seat room feature . The staff were extremely friendly and the rooftop bar was incredible with the views of the city
We stayed over Easter weekend so the pool was packed with families and young children. Just needed to work around the peak family times at it but the sauna and hot tub was great
5 April 2026
Exceptional
Service exceptional. Bed sheets divine. Horizon Club access worth every penny. Close to everything worth seeing in Sydney
5 April 2026
Enjoyable and great location in The Rocks area.
Lovely staff and walking distance to Circular Quay.
Nothing except the big hill to walk up to from the train station 😊
4 April 2026
Fabulous
Overall the room was great but we would have liked it to be above floor 15 (we were in floor 7).
We had to wait after the check-in time of 3:00pm for our room to be ready.
4 April 2026
Exceptional
Location was excellent. Hotel was clean. View was great. Staff were excellent.
2 April 2026
Very good
Breakfast was very good
Thought the hotel needed some modernisation. But staff were very good.
2 April 2026
Absolutely amazing hotel with such friendly staff and amazing views
This hotel is such good value for money. The staff are so helpful and friendly and the views over the harbour were absolutely stunning. I thoroughly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for somewhere quality to stay while in Sydney.
This is the first time I have nothing negative to say about a hotel I have stayed in.
2 April 2026
Having a view of the Opera House was definitely worth it
The best part was having a view of the Opera House, which was absolutely stunning. Also great to get a view from the 36th floor if you don’t have a view of the Opera House. We were on the 21st floor and we had a great view. I love the little window seat, It was also very conveniently located to the ferries and the botanical gardens.
Nothing really
1 April 2026
Wonderful
Everything went well it was a perfect stay
1 April 2026
Excellent
Bed was luxury and views were incredible
Spa / swimming pool facilities
31 March 2026
Wonderful hotel
Location and it was a beautiful property
N/a
31 March 2026
Fabulous
Location
Nothing in particular
30 March 2026
Best hotel in Sydney! Views, accommodation and staff excellent
The views of the harbour were amazing
Nothing we can’t fault it
29 March 2026
The views of Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are fantastic! We would recommend upgrading to the Horizon Club, it i
The view from our room was fantastic and the location was central to all attractions.
Carpets and paintwork could do with a refresh.
29 March 2026
A wonderful experience.
Location and view superb. Valet parking faultless. Breakfast was amazing. Wonderful selection. Very attentive staff.
I assumed I booked a room with 2 beds but on arrival the second bed was only a sofa bed and not at all comfortable. My sister had a very uncomfortable night. It really spoilt my wonderful experience. The only other negative was the cutlery ar breakfast. The knife is not very ergonomic. Quite difficult to use. I did ask the waiter and apparently a lot of people have thought the same.
29 March 2026
amazing
Amazing location, facilities, everything
nothing
29 March 2026
A great experience from a hotel that cared. Beatifok rooms
What a great weekend Faultless
Rooms, staff
29 March 2026
Nice and convenient, comfortable to rest your head nice and clean
It was lovely I have stayed many times I had a quick stop over in Sydney and chose this, nice and conveniently close to circular quay.
A delivery charge on room service for $10 for a hot chocolate ontop of the cost which usually hotels don’t have a delivery charge so I thought that was a bit ridiculous considering it’s made in the hotel and should be free for people staying to order… it’s more than some uber delivery fees.
28 March 2026
Fabulous stay
Everything! Room & bathroom very large, bed incredibly comfortable, spotlessly clean. Staff friendly & very helpful. Loved the happy hour, cocktails very reasonably priced. The pool & jacuzzi area very relaxing. The buffet breakfast was amazing, so much variety, delicious!
Absolutely nothing!
28 March 2026
Perfect 15th anniversary celebration at a top-tier location
Our stay was truly exceptional. We stayed in a room with a spectacular 270-degree view that was simply breathtaking. Celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary, the hotel went above and beyond by welcoming us with a beautiful bed decoration, a personalized card, and a bottle of sparkling wine with fresh fruit. These gestures, combined with the unbeatable location in The Rocks, made our holiday incredibly special. It is definitely a place we would return to for special occasions.
As a minor point of improvement to achieve absolute excellence, we noticed a lack of thoroughness regarding the replacement of mugs by the housekeeping service. After we left them on the room service table (which we understand is a different department), the cleaning staff did not replace them. Despite leaving a note through the hotel’s room service app, we had to request them again later. These are small coordination details that, if refined, would make the experience flawless, though they did not overshadow our otherwise wonderful stay.
27 March 2026
excellent hotel
Amazing view from the room, Club room food was excellent as were the staff, and only a short walk from the Opera House
slow process checking in
27 March 2026
Exceptional
Hotel and staff were amazing 👏 Great central location too Stunning views from hotel
26 March 2026
Good location, a bit outdated and a cold swimming pool
Great location
A little outdated but the worst thing was the freezing cold pool. Kids wanted to swim instead they just shivered
25 March 2026
Fabulous
Everything
Being charged a surgharge.on payment of a credit card shame on very old fashioned and bad business next time I will bring.a bag of cash money
24 March 2026
Exceptional
Shangri-La Sydney has always delighted me on every visit. I choose to spend my most special occasions in the Opera House area, and Shangri-La Sydney consistently makes my stays truly memorable. The complimentary touches always exceed my expectations and add something extra special to each experience. Please continue delighting your customers in the same wonderful way. Kudos to the customer service team for their outstanding work! Cheers!
I wish I had more days to stay
24 March 2026
High-fives in Sydney
There were so many things I like about this property. The location was fabulous. Just minutes away from the Opera House and the bridge and marvelous little shops. Also, the public transportation central hub was less than a five minute walk. You could get everywhere easily. My room was great. I like the additional security features of needing your card in order to get the elevator to go to your floor. I enjoyed high tea while looking out of incredible views at the top floor. I used the room service after a long day and I have to say it was amazing. Not just the food but the presentation. I also partook in spa services which definitely need to be experienced. The best of all the staff, I did not meet one staff member who wasn’t pleasant that didn’t smile that didn’t want to make my stay even better.
24 March 2026
excellent
very good
very good
23 March 2026
Fabulous
Concierge services was awesome
23 March 2026
The guy in the lounge bar, was extremely nice very helpful a credit to you’re u hotel.
Hotel was lovely rooms ample size clean good towels & Bedding Staff we’re very nice, all went above expectations very friendly
23 March 2026
Very comfortable and ideal location
Almost everything
Afternoon tea in executive lounge could have been better - too many sugary donuts- cucumber sandwiches would have been better
22 March 2026
Excellent hotel in a perfect location with really great staff. Top drawer facility.
Excellent hotel in an ideal location. I would say it’d be difficult to find a better hotel in Sydney.
No negative points at all.
21 March 2026
Ok
The location
Slow or poor service at breakfast
21 March 2026
We had an overnight stay for an event, it was just beautiful, we really did not want to leave.
Everything, the staff, the location, the views, the cocktails.
Nothing.
20 March 2026
Fabulous
Stunning view of harbour, spacious and comfortable room
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 and 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
- - 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

10 April 2026
Enjoyable and the location couldn’t be better