Crown Towers Sydney

Rooms have stunning views and a great bath, but service was very slow on check in and check out. Rooms run a bit hot with no windows. The rooftop was pretty average. I asked to be seated with the better view, but the staff member seated someone else there before coming back to me. Overall, not the best value for money. Plenty of better options in Sydney

The only saving grace of this hotel is its location. For a hotel positioning itself as one of Sydney’s top luxury properties, the service was surprisingly disappointing. I was charged a $10 delivery fee simply to have a set of cutlery brought to my room. When I questioned the charge, I was told it was considered part of the in-room dining service. I wasn’t ordering room service. I had simply bought a sandwich nearby and needed a knife and fork. Charging a delivery fee for something as basic as cutlery feels unnecessarily petty for a hotel of this calibre. The bath experience was equally disappointing. This is one of the first five-star hotels I’ve stayed at in Australia that doesn’t provide bath salts despite having a bathtub in the room. When I requested some, I didn’t expect one working day to deliver them, especially when they are apparently the hotel’s own Crown-branded bath salts. The room itself was decent, and the location is excellent. Unfortunately, those positives were overshadowed by the service and the lack of attention to what I would consider basic expectations of a luxury hotel. It was honestly a little embarrassing bringing my family here expecting them to experience one of Sydney’s premier luxury hotels, only to find that the service fell well short of that standard. Good location, decent rooms, but the service does not live up to the luxury positioning or the price.

The property is absolutely beautiful, but unfortunately, the hospitality doesn’t quite match the setting. Rooms & Views — Breathtaking The rooms are stunning, and the views are genuinely spectacular. The picture attached is the view from our room, and it was easily one of the highlights of our stay. Service — Well Below Expectations This is where the experience really fell short. At check-in, we were specifically told that the buffet breakfast ended at 11:00 AM. We arrived at Epicurean at around 10:20 AM, only to be told by the restaurant staff that the buffet was closing at 10:30 AM. We explained that we were travelling with a child and had planned our morning based on the information given to us at the front desk. Unfortunately, the staff were quite adamant about the 10:30 closing time. What made the experience particularly disappointing was that, while we were still having breakfast, a staff member came over and told us that she would give us “five more minutes” to vacate. She even acknowledged that there had been ongoing issues with the front desk communicating the wrong breakfast timings. That really wasn’t acceptable. The miscommunication was between departments of the hotel, yet as guests we were made to feel as though it was our fault. At a luxury property, especially one charging around $1,000 a night, you expect such situations to be handled with grace rather than making guests feel rushed and unwelcome. Thankfully, Shankar, the Epicurean supervisor, stepped in. He was thoughtful, courteous and extremely accommodating, and his approach was exactly what we would have expected from a hotel of this calibre. He deserves special mention for turning around an otherwise unpleasant experience. Food — Average The breakfast spread was extensive and looked impressive, but unfortunately the taste itself was nothing particularly memorable. Overall Crown Towers is undoubtedly a beautiful property. The rooms, views and physical surroundings certainly create the impression of a true luxury hotel. But luxury hospitality is about much more than beautiful rooms. At $1,000 a night, guests are paying for an experience — the warmth, attention to detail and feeling of being genuinely looked after. Unfortunately, that part was missing for us. We will remember the breathtaking view from our room. I just wish the hospitality had been equally memorable.

If it was a 3 Star hotel, I'd give it 5 Stars... But it's a 5 Star hotel; with 6 Star pricing! * We checked in online as the messages 'instructed' us to do, but then had to basically check in again on arrival, so should not have wasted our time. * The first thing we noticed when we arrived in our suite, was that the windows were filthy! So a great view, if you can focus past the dirty windows! * The room itself was beautiful, but there was no instruction as to how things worked... all controlled from a 'tablet' device that didn't quite work properly. I had to call reception to make the TV work beyond free-to-air! * I still don't know what facilities the hotel has (had as I've left now), as the only information is online. * We had breakfast in the hotel - but - wait - only one cup of coffee was included! Seriously! And on day two, my coffee was cold - stone cold. I sent it back. I had finished breakfast before the replace emtn arrived. * A vast breakfast selection, but no omelettes. That's not 5 Star. * The pool area is vast; but more of a 'kid's club' than a relaxing adult area. * The gym... OK... brilliant. Modern, clean and full-size. * Room cleaning... hopeless. We hd to call to ask why our room had not been cleaned by 3:00 in the afternoon. It took another hour before anyone showed up and did a cursory tidy-up. Evening turn-down service? Simply did not happen. * Final insult; late checkout request. Summarily refused. Didn't even ask how 'late' or suggest using hotel facilities post checkout. Just simply 'No; we're very busy".