A NIGHT AT...
I
n a city resigned to being sent to bed
early by archaic state lockout laws,
Pyrmont’s The Star has become the
rebellious Sydney strip that never sleeps.
The neon lights, the gambling tables,
the plentiful action – it’s ‘home’, if that’s
the right word, to the city’s largest casino,
brilliant restaurants (Soyko, Momofuku Seiobo,
Black, Balla to name the best) and some the
world’s most reputable fashion houses (Gucci,
Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Veneta). It’s also
the place of hotels The Darling – the city’s only
official five-star offering – and Astral Tower,
which isn’t far off as luxe offerings go.
Studios at The Star is the latest
accommodation to straddle the waterside
mecca – a trio of themed suites that marry
fun and function: ‘70s Glam’, ‘Cyberpunk’
and ‘Dark Romance’.
We opted for a weekend with the wife,
amid the gaming geekery of the ‘Cyberpunk’
suite – a place of dreams for gamers and
wannabes alike.
Enter to a futuristic mirror staring back at
you, with a space-age egg-shaped chair hanging
to the left of the door. Both lead into an open-
plan space with four gigantic 65” TV screens
and Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, ready for an entirely different four-way
session. From FIFA to CoD, you’ll have access to a personal ‘Tech Butler’ to make
sure you’re fully versed on getting the most game time from the stay.
The décor’s outlined by trippy neon-tube lighting and a monochromatic
design. The more imaginative will position Scarlett Johansson’s Her character
in the room; others might engage visions of Darth Vader. Not finished there,
the other side of the room houses the latest VR kit, for you to fumble amusingly
around the place putting golf balls or slaying extinct animals.
With no natural light (hey, this is a casino complex) the suite proves a true
gamer’s paradise – a party place in which to be locked away with up to 25 friends,
with bespoke food and beverage packages available from $85 per person.
If you’re going to catch some shut-eye (note: it only sleeps two) behind some
white chrome doors you’ll find a circular bed with a mirror above. It screams
Austin Powers, and though it doesn’t rotate, it’s one to tick off the bucket list.
The age-old cliché that novelty soon wears off may hit a roadblock in
the form of these themed studios. Because one thing they offer is fun,
unadulterated fun – that same thing too often lacking in modern life.
Computer games might not be your thing and you may view VR headsets
as bizarre, unnecessary attachments – but this experience exceeds expectation.
It’s different and unusual – the fact that leather walls, and not idyllic harbour
views, are behind the metallic-silver curtains drew a wry smile. As to whether
the future is light-deprived, this is a change from the norm. And the novelty
still hasn’t worn off. Suites from $1500 per night; star.com.auFROM TOP
The ‘Cyberpunk’ studio
offers a unique gaming
experience; a view of the
spacious ‘70s Glam’ suite;
guests can make use of
this ‘Cyberpunk’ bar to wet
the whistle between games.FROM TOP
The ‘Cyberpunk’ bedroom,
giving guests a break
from gaming; the interior
to ‘Dark Romance’,
a throwback to the golden
age of disco; inside the
‘Cyberpunk’ bathroom.
WORDS: MIKE CHRISTENSEN.STUDIOS AT THE STAR84 GQ.COM.AU MEN OF THE YEAR 2017