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ABOUT THIS HOTEL

• DESCRIPTION
• FACILITIES
• ARCHITECTURE / DESIGN
• MEET THE ORIGINAL

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ARCHITECTURE / DESIGN

Public Area Designer & Stylist: Nic Graham & Associates
Guest Rooms Designer & Stylist: Indyk Architects

QT Sydney illustrates an ideal mix of history, location and contemporary design. Two of the city’s most iconic buildings have been restored to their former glory, capturing the romance of the era in which they were built, while creating a new landmark for the city. The revitalisation of the heritage-listed State Theatre and Gowings department store offers excitement, elegance and style in an ideal location surrounded by the best of the city – including the historic Rocks district, world famous beaches and endless opportunities for wining, dining and shopping.

Although the two buildings were both completed in the late 1920s, stylistically they are very different. The State Theatre is one of only two surviving theatres in Sydney that are designed by Henry E. White and John Eberson, and mixes eclectic elements of Gothic, Italian and art deco design. The Gowings department store, designed by Crawford H. Mackeller and constructed in 1929, has a vast and open layout – big windows, high ceilings, wide corridors and sandstone cladding. The conversion of the upper floors into a bright and chic boutique hotel experience did not affect the State Theatre, or the lower retail levels of the Gowings building, which have remained unchanged.

Guests enter via the lobby of the State Theatre on the first floor, where the building’s theatrical past can be felt, with stage lights casting a glow over the reception and draping, heavy stage curtains leading guests into the building. Throughout both buildings, historic elements have been conserved and enhanced, including original timber floors, retail showcases in the hotel entry foyer, original stone cladding and gargoyles that grace the facade. Any traces of remaining history have been given a fresh and modern spin with colors and decor as rich and colorful as the buildings’ history – such as royal blue, magenta and yellow; statement furnishings; and geometric patterns on the ceilings and floors.

The upper levels were originally a mix of commercial, retail and vacant space. These areas have been converted into 200 rooms with a focus on working around original features and enhancing heritage items. Unique design pieces, such as hanging light fixtures shaped like bowler hats, adorn the rooms, with subdued lighting that bounces off deep reds and maroons and colored Perspex.

Over the years, Sydneysiders – as the locals are referred to - have grown attached to these buildings, therefore it was a priority of the developers that the historic street level activities of theatre and retail be maintained. QT Sydney’s Gowings Bar & Grill, operated by one of the city’s culinary greats, as well as the Gilt Lounge attract the who’s who of the fashion and entertainment industries. While the lively lobby, linked to all the action on Market Street, creates atmosphere as guests arrive with the streetside barista Parlour Lane Roasters.