InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach review

Few cities can claim one InterContinental, let alone three. But with the recent opening of the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, Australia’s biggest city now fields three outposts of IHG’s flagship brand.

The InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach is in the midst of a phased opening at the moment. The rooms, restaurants and gym are all open now, but its pool deck, cabanas and spa will all debut in April.

Still, I was eager to see the property on a recent two-night swing through Sydney, so I booked the city’s newest hotel for an impromptu beach vacation during the Southern Hemisphere summer. Here’s what it’s like and what future hotel guests have to look forward to.

First impressions

Although its city-fringed harbor is a landmark, it can be easy to forget that Sydney is something of a beach destination in addition to being a major international business hub. But as the Pacific came into view while I drove over subtropical hills and descended into Sydney’s tony eastern suburbs, it hit me: You can have the best of both worlds here — a world-class metropolitan experience and days of sun and sand.

That’s just what the new InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach aims to deliver: the InterContinental brand’s upscale amenities and service, but with a decidedly vacation vibe. You can have your beach and business meeting, too.

The hotel took over the former Crowne Plaza (keeping it all within the IHG family), but has been completely reconceived with a much more light-filled, coastal aesthetic. A lobby tiled in creamy marble slabs, glossy ceramics shaped like blossoming coral and plenty of natural light (and the sound of waves crashing if the windows facing Coogee Beach are open) all lend a resort feel to the hotel the moment you arrive.

The rooms

The classic L-shaped edifice has just 176 rooms and 22 suites these days.

They range from standard Classic rooms with windows overlooking the surrounding beach town of Coogee that start at 290 square feet, to suites spanning up to 1,346 square feet with expansive balconies offering views of the towering Norfolk pines lining Arden Street and the Pacific beyond.

All have a beachy new look, with tan and white walls, geometric carpeting in taupe and beige, rounded backlit mirrors that reflect the coastal light, bleached wood furnishings, and gray-veined white marble accents. Of course, there are other welcome updates like bedside USB-A and USB-C ports and buttons to control the lights and curtains, too.

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Scant closet space and small bathrooms are the only true giveaways of the hotel’s past. But for a short vacation, you won’t mind much. Smart decisions like installing half-glassed walk-in showers (don’t worry, there’s little floor-flooding spray here) and stocking high-end Byredo products are welcome updates.

The minibar is another upscale feature, with a Nespresso machine, oh-so-Australian sundries like Random Harvest sweets and nuts, and a fully stocked beverage selection that includes Australian wines and spirits.

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Dining

The hotel’s all-day restaurant, Shutters, is a light-filled space past the reception area that features a coffee and cocktail bar alongside two dining rooms — a large interior space with plenty of two- and four-tops, plus a sun parlor with booths and tables.

Breakfast includes a buffet of fresh fruits, cheeses, cold cuts and pastries like delectable almond-rhubarb croissants, plus made-to-order eggs and a make-your-own juice station.

Lunch and dinner, meanwhile, proffer specialties like Moreton Bay bugs with spiraled trottole pasta, chilis and vine-ripened tomatoes in a garlic-butter sauce ($29), and crunchy salt-and-pepper squid from the south coast with lemon-myrtle aioli ($15).

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The hotel also lured U.K. chef Rick Stein to open an eponymous restaurant fronting Arden Street where the city’s eastern suburbanites congregate for heaping seafood platters and specialties like tender Abrolhos scallops from the coast of Western Australia doused in hazelnut-coriander butter ($9 each), and creamy seafood curry with prawns, cuttlefish, monkfish and lingcod served with green beans and grated coconut ($42).

The selection of Australian wines by the glass also spans many of the country’s best-known appellations.

Amenities and service

• Guests can borrow complimentary beach towels for lounging on Coogee’s strip of golden sand, a minute’s walk away.
• The hotel’s gym is small but contains a smattering of Technogym cardio and weight equipment.
• Each floor features water stations where guests can fill up provided bottles as a way to reduce plastic waste.

• Service is friendly but diligent, and staff members will know you by name by the end of your first evening.
• The hotel’s soon-to-open sundeck will feature a stunning infinity pool, a bar and cabanas.
• The same floor will feature an Eliva Spa with five treatment rooms and the hotel’s Club InterContinental.
• I experienced some early-days kinks like malfunctioning air conditioning in my first room, but the staff was quick to respond and happy to move me to new (ocean-facing) accommodations.
• Spend a day walking between Coogee and Bondi on the designated beach path and stop for a swim at various beaches.

Location and logistics

The InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach is in the city’s coastal eastern suburbs. Although quieter than the central city, you can still access many nearby bus lines for inexpensive transit to the rest of town. Its location has the added benefit of being closer to Sydney Airport (SYD), which is just a 20-minute, $25 Uber ride away.

What it costs

The Classic room I booked cost $350 or 57,000 IHG One Rewards points per night, though that rate dips as low as $295 on some dates.

Thanks to my Platinum Elite status, though, I was upgraded to a 1 King Premium Ocean View room that would have cost $418 per night and was not bookable via points. It also featured a balcony overlooking the pool area and the beach.

To make the most of your stay, consider the following IHG cobranded cards:

All of them have lucrative welcome offers, confer automatic elite status and have elevated earning rates at IHG properties.

Alternatively, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points earned on cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) directly to IHG One Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, which may put an award stay within reach.

Accessibility

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The hotel’s public areas are all wheelchair-accessible. The main entrance is step-free and there is a ramp to Shutters and elevators to the floors with guest rooms, the pool deck, the gym and Rick Stein.

The hotel offers accessible accommodations in the Double Classic Coogee View, Double Premium Oceanfront and Double Junior Suite categories with roll-in showers and bathroom grab bars.

Bottom line

Many visitors to Sydney stay a couple of nights and hit the highlights like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. But if you have some more time, it’s well worth spending a few days exploring the city’s coastline, including its upmarket eastern suburbs and the superb beaches that dot this dramatic stretch of coastline. The opening of the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach is another enticement to do so, thanks to its convenient location to both the city and the airport as well as its proximity to its namesake beach and some fantastic coastal walks.

With reasonable paid and points rates, this might just become one of my new go-to stays in the city, especially when I’m looking to mix business with beach time.

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