Establishment Hotel, Sydney, Australia

This stylish Establishment luxury hotel combines the best of old and new in Sydney, with an ambitious and eclectic mix of colonial heritage and cutting-edge luxury. The ornate facade on George Street dates from 1890, and the interior has been built round the remains of George Patterson House, which was gutted in a fire in 1996.

The facilities

The cleverest part of this luxury hotel is that the main bars and restaurants are at the front, with the noise and bustle of the city, while the 33 bedrooms are tucked away in a peaceful tower, 50 yards back from the street.

There are 13 bars to choose from, but the most mellow is the top floor Hemmesphere, with its Moroccan decor and ottomans strewn with cushions. The lights of Sydney's central business district glitter through curtains made of gold saris. Choose wine from the very long wine list, and cigars from the even longer cigar list. And at the communal sushi counter, watch chefs prepare your meal as you rub elbows with beautiful people.

The ground floor Establishment Bar claims, at 150 feet, to be the longest bar in the Southern Hemisphere. A discreet bouncer on the door clicks in customers, and after 900 have arrived, a queue forms round the block. As a resident, you naturally avoid joining the masses waiting outside.

If you want to dance the night away while staying at this luxury hotel, make your way to the brick-walled cellars of the Tank Nightclub and don't miss the row of unisex portaloos which are the talk of Sydney clubbers.

While you dine in the luxury hotel’s sophisticated "Est" restaurant on the first floor, admire the 1940s pressed metal ceiling, the walnut furniture and Sydney's largest wine rack, which looks like a giant bird cage.

Breakfast is served in the luxury hotel’s Garden Bar. The only concessions to nature in this indoor garden are the splashes of water trickling into a pool, and some spindly bamboo behind the counter. The Garden Bar is an austere but tranquil glass-roofed space which incorporates remains of the fire-ravaged 19th century building. The original jagged outer walls and cast iron columns blend successfully with concrete and glass.

The rooms

The 33 rooms at this luxury hotel are large and well-appointed. You can stay in the duplex penthouse, which has an enormous bedroom and adjoining limestone bathroom, and on its upper floor an open plan living and dining area with panoramic views.

All rooms have sophisticated electronic equipment. For instance at the touch of your bedside console you can conjure up 12 lighting combinations.

Further touches of the screen will control the wide-screen TV, three telephones, data port access, state-of-the-art CD and DVD players, stereo, air conditioning and dozens of other amusements. But there are also old fashioned features such as windows that open, comfortable sofas and armchairs, and a large bath.