Australia is a country that certainly knows how to do luxury and from Queensland’s Silky Oaks Lodge and Spa to Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge, those in search of a five-star getaway certainly won’t be disappointed when visiting this beautiful nation.
But despite its plethora of high-end hotels and mouth-watering fine dining eateries – think Sydney’s esteemed Tetsuya, which fuses French and Japanese influences with traditional Australian cuisine, and Bistro Guillaume, which is headed up by esteemed French chef, Guillaume Brahimi, for starters – it has often lagged a little behind in some areas of opulence.
This year, however, this is all set to change, as the brand-new Crown Resorts’ development, also in the iconic city of Sydney, brings six-star luxury to the harbour, in a sprawling and extravagant establishment that has set tongues wagging in the city ever since plans were first revealed.
Yet another string to its bow when it comes to offering opulent, luxurious experiences to visitors from around the world, this flagship destination in Bangaroo, the city’s newest and most sought-after waterfront precinct, Crown Sydney marks the stepping-up a notch of style and sophistication in this sunny Oceanic nation.
Opening in December of this year, The Crown is set to be one of Sydney’s tallest buildings, offering sweeping views that take in the harbour and the iconic Sydney Opera House from all of its upper floors. Home to an opulent luxury hotel and a sprawling casino featuring all of the latest games to tempt high-rollers through its doors, this impressive A$2.2bn development is already making waves amongst locals and tourists alike, with many counting down the days until they can get a first look inside – and enjoy one of the first slices of the action.
With an enviable address and lavish range of facilities, this is not a development that can be expected to do things by halves. It might be due to open under an unusual set of circumstances – in the middle of a global pandemic, and in uncertain economic times – but it’s unlikely to stop the wealthy from paying it a visit, to see what all of the fuss is about.
It hasn’t been an easy journey for the development so far, and James Packer, an Australian billionaire and the largest shareholder in Crown, had to hire a group of former MPs as lobbyists and fought a turbulent legal battle to overcome strong public opposition to the construction of the glass-clad tower, which he believes will give the city back its spark.
The 275-metre-high building, twists upwards in a petal-like formation over Sydney Harbour, and is undoubtedly a beautiful piece of architecture. Set to become the city’s premier destination for guests looking for a world-class experience in all forms, it aims to reach new heights for both service and style.
Bringing together a prestigious range of 82 luxury residential apartments – where the penthouse will set you back a cool $60m and is currently up for sale – along with a 349-room, six-star hotel and casino, it’s certainly an extravagant development by some standards. And, offering a selection of signature restaurants – including the world’s third incarnation of the famous ‘Nobu’ – it’s almost certain to become a firm favourite amongst the rich, the famous, and general big-spenders alike.
On that note, the part we are all the most eager to hear about is, of course, the casino. An elegant gaming space featuring all the best table games including Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette, the VIP gaming area is luxuriously modern, and with spectacular views over the stunning harbour below, it’s an experience quite unlike anywhere else.
Mark James, a spokersperson at leading online casino website SlotsUp, believes that this could be the most exciting casino launch in Australia ever.
“When it comes to the world’s best gaming and casino offerings, The Crown Sydney is set to, quite literally, take things to all new heights – and this impressive development is a huge upgrade for Sydney and for Australia as a whole, putting it firmly on the map for the world’s biggest jet-setting high-rollers.
“No doubt, we’ll see some of the richest players and biggest winners flocking to the venue once it opens – assuming, of course, that Covid travel restrictions allow. It’s truly going to be an exciting moment for Sydney, and one that we can’t wait to see.”
Thanks to its impressive views and its privileged location amongst the city’s only six-star residential accommodation and hotel, there’s no doubt that the world’s biggest high-rollers will be queuing up to get through the doors this December. It might still have to be at a social distance, of course – but as long as the stakes are high at the roulette table, then that, we can make do with.
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