Hyatt Hotel Canberra is a potent blend of history and luxury

Canberra gets a bit of a bum rap amongst Australians, but the nation’s capital is well worth a visit. It’s a city only in name, preferring wide-open expanses to densely packed skyscrapers, bringing the country right onto the steps of Parliament House. A custodian of Australia’s history, good and bad, it embraces everything from museums to sport, and wineries to science.

If not a visit, it’s ideally placed as a stopover on the trip between Sydney and Melbourne, or in my case, Perisher in the Snowy Mountains. After a big week of physical exertion on the slopes, I was looking for somewhere luxurious and easy to lie low with the kids for a few days that leaned into Canberra’s history.

We ended up at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra – a Park Hyatt hotel – and boy did it deliver!

A Hotel with History

This is no ordinary hotel, but one intimately linked to the history of Canberra itself. You’ll find it inside the inner ring of Canberra, walking distance from Parliament House itself, as well as Lake Burley Griffin and Questacon. Its position predates Parliament – it was originally conceived in 1921 as a place to house travelling politicians and dignitaries, before opening in late 1924 as Hostel No. 1.

It became Hotel Canberra in 1927, in the same year Parliament House officially moved to the capital, and over the succeeding decades became something of the social nerve centre for after-hours politics. Prime Minister James Scullin even lived there during his tenure from 1929 to 1932.

After a period as a Commonwealth office of sorts from 1974, it was refurbished and extended, opening in 1988 as Park Hyatt’s first hotel in Australia.

This history matters, because you can feel it. It’s glorious. The original building, which was heritage listed in 1998, welcomes you in with the opulent arms of older times. Think boutique furnishings, chandeliers, grand pianos and tall ceilings. Grassy, tree-filled courtyards viewed through long hallways of floor-to-ceiling glass. The speakeasy bar and billiards room filled with sporting memorabilia from the likes of Don Bradman – large fires crackling away in the corners.

I love it. Not only because you can see the history, but thanks to its wondrous refurbishment, which makes it feel as if it was made yesterday. You can truly immerse yourself in what it was like 100 years ago without sacrificing modern convenience. Even as you walk the long central hallway into the extension, you’ll be hard-pressed to pick the transition – only the architecture becomes even more grandiose and impressive.

Truly breathtaking.

Rooms Fit for a Prince

Guests can choose to stay in the new extension or in the original heritage-listed area. My family and I stayed in the latter, but I saw rooms in both sections. They feel modern and spacious regardless, but the heritage rooms have added character in the form of high ceilings, furnishings and layout.

The large rooms feature comfortable beds (King or Twin), a couch, coffee table, large desk with business chair, TVs, pod machines and a fridge. Plus, gorgeous bathrooms with stainless steel finishes, stunning tiles and, in many cases, a standalone bathtub. Most of the rooms I saw had a sizeable balcony with a table and chairs, looking out over the huge property’s gardens.

The air-conditioning and internet are on point, too, and we had no issues with noise from outside, common spaces or nearby rooms.

Our room was particularly special, being that it was one of the larger ground-floor suites. These are named after ex-prime ministers, and we found ourselves in the palatial Barton Suite, one of the best rooms I’ve ever stayed in. It’s well over the top for most people’s needs, but if you really want to treat yourself… wow!

Each of the three rooms was the size of a normal room. One, dedicated to dining. The second, a lounge room with plush couches, a library of books, art to admire and a TV. The third a huge master, with a private balcony. That’s in addition to a full-size kitchen, two toilets, walk-in wardrobe with a makeup vanity, and a huge bathroom with a large hot tub. Seriously!

All beautifully conceived and put together, it’s as big as a home. And extra points for my son’s rollout bed, which was top quality.

Hyatt Hotel Canberra High Tea

One of the hallmark experiences of the Hyatt Hotel Canberra is its High Tea, served in the Tea Lounge. Positioned right in the heart of the hotel, it’s an open space that’s endlessly used for lounging and catch-ups. But for two sittings, 11am and 2pm (Thursday to Sunday), the Hyatt Hotel Canberra High Tea takes over.

Presented in the traditional three-tiered serving platter, you get a mix of sandwiches, hot and cold savoury bites, scones (with jam and cream, of course) and some inventive, delicious desserts. A glass of sparkling wine is thrown into the mix, alongside bottomless coffee and tea, the latter blessed with a unique, tantalising selection of options. It’s yummy and filling, while the room’s ambience invites happy chit-chat.

And yes, they do a kid-sized portion as well, which my children were thrilled with.

Elsewhere, the Promenade Café is the main dining experience, peeling away on the left and right side of a visually striking hallway in the centre of the building. I can only vouch for the buffet breakfast, but it’s fantastic. Great coffee, excellent made-to-order omelettes, and a huge selection of pastries, hot foods, fruits, salads and sweets.

I also enjoyed the staff experience here, with the kids having some lovely banter with the understanding wait staff. Indeed, the staff experience across the hotel matched the spectacle; everyone was helpful, friendly and had that easy-going, Aussie attitude that is so welcoming.

Before we move on to food, I did want to highlight a nice perk that happens on Friday evenings during July. A free wine tasting experience, served with canapés, by the fire in the Griffins Lounge. This was a lot of fun, with drinks flowing freely and good conversations.

Facility Rich

A short 50m walk away from the back of the Hyatt Hotel Canberra, you’ll find a separate building that holds the bulk of the facilities. There’s a mammoth gym, housing every kind of weight and cardio equipment contraption you can think of. It sits next to a tennis court, which – by the time you read this – would have finished its refurbishment into a multipurpose court.

Then there is the wonderful rectangular pool, with a dedicated lap lane and a larger space for play. Huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows open out towards a grassy area for sunbathing and relaxing. It’s a beautiful space that even features a sauna and a jacuzzi.

The only caveat is that this entire complex – while free for guests – is open to public use. This can make it awkward when locals are doing their daily gym session or swim, while you’re relaxing on holiday or splashing around with the kids.

Also awkward is parking. The surrounding public spaces are on short (2-hour or 3-hour) time limits or are paid. Thankfully there is a spacious underground parking lot, with direct hotel access and a suitable height limit for my 4WD (even with a roof rack), but that is an extra expense.

Hardly a reason to put you off, of course. Indeed, it’s challenging to find anything to dislike about the Hyatt Hotel Canberra. A time capsule into Australia’s past, preserved with love and elegance, delivered with modern trimmings and a friendly smile. I can see why it’s been so loved for a hundred years, and while I’ll never be prime minister, it was sure fun to live like one.

FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)