Grace Hotel Sydney Review: A Heritage Stay in the CBD

Deb Carr
Jan 7
3 min read

Updated: 4 hours ago

This article was originally published in 2016 and has been updated in 2026 to reflect current information about the Grace Hotel Sydney.

he Grace Hotel at night with long car light exposure, located on York st., one of Sydney's most prominent historical landmarks, an example of Neo-Gothic architecture. — The Grace Hotel Sydney, a heritage-listed Art Deco landmark in the CBD.

The first thing you will notice about the Grace Hotel is elegance! How could it not be with the name Grace? Incidentally my youngest daughter's name is Grace. I'm staying here for a night to share with Sydney Chic readers some of the features of this beautiful hotel.

The hotel lobby will take you back to years gone by and you do feel like you are stepping back in history when you enter the lobby.

Once checked in, I headed up to my room on level six, but not before taking a photo of these beautiful flowers. The hotel is splendid with its marble walls, wooden staircases, antique furniture and vases of flowers that brighten up the area, and not to mention the chandeliers and stained glass windows.

Everything takes you back to the days of when manners were most important, and I can imagine what it must have been like when the hotel was first opened in the 1920's, which is now one of Sydney’s most prominent historical landmarks. There is something stunningly beautiful about Art Deco.

The lifts are made of wooden panels and beautiful tiled floors, very much a flashback to Art Deco days; if you can, take the stairs for a couple of flights, they are incredible as they are made of marble.

Rooms & Comfort

What surprised me is how big this hotel really is. Once I arrived on level six I did a loop of the floor and was intrigued how big it was. My room faces on to other rooms, so it's quite dark, but hey, who spends all day in their hotel room when there are so many things to do in Sydney? The room is clean, I have a desk, modern bathroom and nice big bed. The shower is a good size and the showerhead has a nice steady flow of water and warmed up quickly, which I discovered later. For those wishing bigger rooms there are many to choose from, including family sizes and suites.

I had some work to do so I set up my laptop on my desk and blogged for a while before I decided I was hungry. So I scooted off downstairs to find something to eat.

Dining & Nearby Options

I decided to stay in the vicinity of the hotel and found Vapiano Sydney. I ordered my spaghetti bolognese which was cooked within five minutes and it really was fantastic. It's a nice restaurant too, lots of pots of basil, interesting lighting, and has a good vibe. Later in the evening I had to attend a restaurant launch in Oxford Street, Darlinghurst so it was a 20 minute walk up through Hyde Park, another reason I like this hotel, very central to lots of places.

History & Architecture

The Grace Hotel is full of history, and I love the fact it's smack in the middle of the CBD. Built by the Grace Brothers in the 1920s as a showpiece of their successful retail business. That takes me back years when I remember "Grace Brothers" which founded in 1885. It was bought by Myer (later Coles Myer) in 1983.

The Grace Hotel has been beautifully restored to its former glory, making it one of Sydney’s most prominent historical landmarks, a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture with contrasting Art Deco interior.

Location & Walkability

It is conveniently located and you can easily walk to visit:

Chinese Garden of Friendship
The Queen Victoria Building
Pitt Street Mall,
The Strand Arcade and
Chinatown Sydney

You may like to read my article on things to do in Sydney this weekend.

The Grace hotel is heritage-listed and offers warm and personal service with the luxury of a 4 1/2 star hotel exuding a unique blend of old world charm with modern comfort.

For those that want a drink, situated in the hotel is P.J.O'Brien's for a bit of Irish drinking! There are many pubs and wine bars around this area as well as restaurants and cafes.