Capella Sydney

For generations, the Department of Education building in Sydney’s Sandstone Precinct has stood quietly, its golden facade forming an unassuming backdrop to the rhythm of the city. Reawakening as Capella Sydney in March 2023, the heritage-listed icon will welcome guests inside its walls for the very first time, setting a global benchmark for luxury accommodation, cuisine and cultural immersion.

Embedding visitors in the beating heart of the city’s commercial, cultural and hospitality precinct, Capella Sydney also marks the first property under the Capella Hotels and Resorts constellation to open in Australia.

Balancing storied architectural features with a contemporary design aesthetic, Capella Sydney celebrates the Australian panorama through its interiors, location and experiences. Spanning eight levels, the 192 guestrooms and suites are anchored by three ground-level food and beverage outlets, with spaces throughout the hotel unfurling to reveal commissioned and collected artworks, sophisticated furnishings and intriguing objet d’art – all within footsteps of the glistening harbour foreshore, the famed Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Occupying an entire city block, encircled by Loftus, Bridge and Young Streets, the building was originally designed by architect George McRae in the Edwardian Baroque style. It first opened for government use in 1915.

More than 100 years later, the meticulous restoration sees the building ready to write a new chapter in its history.