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Nolan-esqueNedKellyartworktakesupone end of
thespacethat’sarrangedwitha colourfulmenagerie
ofbrightpinkandbluefurniture,andmoreof those
hangingchairstodanglein.Toonesidesliding glass
doorsparttoreveala terracewhereyoucan sit with
drinksanda pizzafromthekitchen,admiring the city
sparklingawayatnightbeforewatchinga film on a
descendingprojectorscreenatwhatis touted as
Sydney’sonlyhotelrooftopcinema.Ceramic heat
stripsontheceilinganda bigopengasfirehoused in
a blockofbronzebrickskeepsit allwarm.It’s an
impressiveextensionofthebarandmysteriously you
can’theartheaircraft– whatwitchcraftis this?
The 150 guestroomsaredesignatedafter airline
seatclasses;there’sevenPremiumEconomy.It would’ve
beenremissnottogoFirstClasswhenit comes in at
under$300.Thesamedesignflairis apparent with
mid-centurymodernfurnishings, boldpatterns and
contemporaryart.However,whatstrikesme is the
hugeblackobeliskofa TVtakingupthecentre of
theroom– doublingasa roomdividerinfront of the
king-sizebed,itcompletelyoverwhelmsthe space.
Copperlampshadesarematchedbythebathroom’s
fittings,a bigstandalonebathnodoubta welcome
relieffortiredlong-haulers.
It’sa testamenttothehotel’sarchitectsthat I
forgetthetimewhenhavingbreakfastinthe light-
filledloungethefollowingmorning,missing check-
outbyfiveminutes.“Twentydollarsplease,” says the
receptionistwithcoldseriousness.“Onlykidding,”
shesmiles,channellingtheCitadinesConnect’s
senseoffun.AndwiththatI catchtheliftand
touchbackdowntoEarth.DETAILS
CITADINES CONNECT
SYDNEY AIRPORT
121 Baxter Road, Mascot,
NSW; citadines.com
Verdict: With gorgeous
communal spaces, it
succeeds in setting
itself apart from the
surrounding forest of
airportchainhotels.
Score:
We rated: The cocktail
bar’s outdoor terrace
cum rooftop cinema
is a remarkable space
with views across the
metropolis; almost
worth visiting the hotel
for a drink alone.
We’d change: The
obelisk of a TV in the
First Class suite would
be taking up too much
space even for the most
ardent binge-watcher.
Notes: I paid $245
for a First Class suite,
breakfast was an
additional $18.RETRO LUGGAGE SCALES and a big LCD
screen playing black-and-white scenes of the golden
days of air travel are all that greet me in the small
entrance of Citadines Connect Sydney Airport hotel
(catchy!). Perhaps the fire alarm has gone off? But
there aren’t any robed guests huddled awkwardly
together in the quiet lane outside. It sits in a portion
of Sydney undergoing radical change – among
construction sites, newly completed apartment blocks
and typical airport chain hotels servicing business
types winging in and out of Sydney for meetings. But
this new offering is keen to break from convention, as
hinted at by its intentionally low-key entrance.
Having an airport hotel in your portfolio isn’t
normally something to hang your hat on, but parent
company The Ascott has embraced its new property
with glee. Its subtle retro air-travel theme has
been executed with such joyous abandon that the
reception is where it should be: up in the air in the
penthouse, where wall-to-ceiling glass offers views
of the runways as Learjets race overhead and A380s
touch down like clumsy swans. There’s even an old
coin-operated telescope like the type you would find
at the top of the Empire State Building.
Up here the space has been carefully put together
by architects Fox Johnston and interior designer
Cressida Kennedy, the reception adorned with lots
of green foliage, while bright pastel furnishings, thick
patterned rugs and hanging basket chairs to watch the
aircraft come and go can be found in a small lobby.
Along a corridor the hotel’s enormous communal
area opens up with a white-tiled cocktail bar that
wouldn’t look out of place in the CBD. A big SidneyAUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COMAll AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way – so we experience exactly what you would.DANDOWNheadstoSYDNEYAIRPORT
and CHECKS into a FIRST-CL ASS... room.
TA K E O F F
WEEKENDS | Reviews
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A bold artwork
dominates the lounge; The cocktail bar has views of
the airport and Botany Bay beyond; Patterned tiles
and brass fittings adorn a Premium Economy shower
room; Watch the planes come and go from king beds.