I am currently staying at the Shagri La hotel in Sydney and can honestly say, after spending four weeks touring around Australia, that it has been the worst experience of the whole holiday.

I booked the Shangri La – the Horizon package at extra cost for the additional benefits it offers - as a special surprise for my new wife – this trip is our Honeymoon – and we were both really looking forward to staying at the hotel. However the experience thus far has been a complete disappointment.

Firstly, we spent 40 minutes in the reception whilst the receptionist muddled around with the computer. After asking us if it was our Honeymoon she said that she would check us in as we’d “only have to wait in a line at the Horizon reception”. We finally received our room keys and were told to go to the 31st floor where unfortunately the coffee service had finished but we could wait there whilst they prepared our room. We had just had a 7 hour trip and really just wanted to relax in our room but agreed to wait. After discovering our key cards didn’t allow us access to the lift we eventually made it to the Horizon club lounge on the 35th floor. We waited for 10 more minutes then tried to access our room, again couldn’t get the lift to work so asked the receptionist at the bar (who was very helpful) and she showed us to the 30th floor (where we should have been directed in the first place). Finally got our correct keys and got to our room where we discovered two single beds. IT’S OUR HONEYMOON! So, it was back to the club lounge to complain. One of the staff pointed at her colleague who explained that all king rooms were taken and that there wasn’t much she could do. After some complaining by my wife she agreed to upgrade us after one night to a king room with harbour view which we were really pleased about. At this point we also had to ask about how the Horizon package works – which we’d paid extra for remember- as no one had bothered to advise us about the Horizon lounge on the 30th floor where complimentary drinks are provided or any of the other hotel facilities included in the Horizon package. So, after that it was back to lift where key card wouldn’t work again. After spending 5 minutes going up and down in the lift we finally got back to main reception to get keys coded again. We finally got into our room one hour after arriving at reception and I’m not really looking forward to a night spent in single beds!

The hotel looks fantastic and the views are something really special but when you are spending almost £800 on a hotel for three nights you expect some level of good service. It has been one disaster after another and I would urge anyone thinking of staying here to think again!

Adrian Tomkins

Stayed in the Shangri-La for four nights as part of our honeymoon in July. We arrived before 9am and were delighted to have been checked in early. The receptionist who checked us in was in training. She was excellent, extremely polite, efficient and welcomed us to the hotel, congratulating us on our marriage. It was a great start.

As part of our booking with Trailfinders, we were given an upgrade to an opera view room. While we were grateful for the gesture, we could not really see the opera house unless we strained our necks out the window. The room was freezing. We turned the air-con off ourselves but for whatever reason, the room still felt cold for the duration, not that we would let that have any major impact on what we thought of the hotel. The decor was rich yet not over-stated. There was a great feeling of relaxation throughout the hotel.

Cafe Mix, where we had buffet breakfast was ok. I couldn't help but think that it was trying to be something it wasn't, and failing miserably. The music was completely wrong and not fitting of a 5-star hotel's restaurant. You could see what the hotel was trying to achieve but something was missing. Clearly, this isn't a major factor in deciding where to stay but something that did stand out for me. The food was fantastic and in general the service was fine. We had wanted to eat in Altitude and the only night we could was a Sunday, when Altitude is closed. I could not understand this, when the hotel looked relatively busy. Go figure.

Staff in general throughout the hotel were ok. While concierge, in particular was brilliant, I would question the staff of Blu bar on the top floor of the hotel. Again, something was missing here, like it was overly-pretentious and every patron was to feel grateful for being allowed to even enter the side bar, let alone the bar that faced onto the harbour bridge. This feeling I got from the bar staff in particular.

While in general the hotel was fine, and we didn't have any major complaints, I'm not entirely sure this hotel is world-class 5 star. I would certainly like to experience some of Sydney's other alleged finest before returning.

What a fabulous stay, we were upgraded on arrival to a full harbour view room, wow...what a view of the Quay and the bridge.

We were treated to complimentary coffee and snacks on arrival as the room was not made up for an hour or so. This was lovely.

Wonderful position to walk to the city centre, about a 20 minute stroll away.

We met friends in the evening and had cocktails in the lounge there, very good service and a lovely atmosphere.

Fantastic breakfast buffett, we were full all day, such an array of choice for first thing in the morning!

Very clean rooms, lovely staff, highly recommended.

Have a cocktail in the bar at the top of this hotel...absolutely heavenly!!

My family and I stayed at the Shangri La Hotel for 3 nights. We stayed in one of the Horizon Suites.
Upon Arrival we were greeted with warmth and we felt as if we were royalty.
We were whisked up to the 30th floor for check in, where we were greeted by three of the most wonderful people we have ever met.
Sabina, Jerry and Katie, they made us feel so special from the second we arrived, till the moment we left.
Our room had a view of the Sydney opera house. The room had twin beds that were big enough for my two children and my husband and I to sleep comfortably.
Jerry delivered refreshments to our room and gave us helpful hints on how to get around.
We would be out all day, and once we entered our room, there would always be a bucket of ice with cold drinks waiting for us and hot chocolate for the kids.
Breakfast in the Horizon lounge didn't have a large variety hot food, but if it's hot food you want, I suggest you go to the 2nd floor at Cafe Mix. The swimming pool is a little on the cold so if the cold doesn't bother you, its worth taking a swim.

We sadly left the Shangri La on Saturday 2nd August, we felt we left family behind. My children, my husband and I became attached to the three people who made our holiday unforgettable. Thank you to the three of you, for your kindness and service. Keep up the good work.

To Katie, Yianni still promises to be good.
To Sabina, Agathi still practicing to sing like you, and I think that you are just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside.
To Jerry, you have the most infectious personality, keep being you, because you are a very special person. You were born to do what you do. You make people smile all day everyday.

THANK YOU