More details have been revealed about the first Australian outpost for the legendary luxury hotel brand the Waldorf Astoria. It was already known that the new five-star accommodations would be located at 1 Alfred Street, otherwise known as Gold Fields House, which has sat unused on one of the most coveted real estate locations in Australia, by Circular Quay, since 2018, when a fire gutted a previous development project on the site. Now it’s been announced that the latest holder of the deeds, Lendlease, has partnered with Mitsubishi Estate Asia to realise a $3 billion venture to transform the 4,000-square-metre block currently on the footprint into one of Australia’s best luxury hotels.
The Waldorf Astoria Sydney will boast uninterrupted views of Sydney Cove, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and it will be the latest major development to join a roster of upgrade projects that include pedestrianising part of the Cahill Expressway and updating the ferry wharves at Circular Quay. The hotel will be designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates and feature 220 rooms, as well as in-house restaurants and bars. A second tower will also be constructed on the site at 1 Alfred Street, designed by Australian architect Kerry Hill, and will feature luxury residences spread over 59 levels. It is expected to open early in 2025.