Crown Towers Sydney, NSW

IF THERE IS ONE WORD to describe how a stay at Crown Towers Sydney

(crownsydney.com.au) makes you feel, it is ‘pampered’. From the moment I arrive at 1 Barangaroo Avenue, I am blown away by the service I receive. The luxury hotel was billed as Sydney’s first six-star hotel and, while the rating doesn’t officially exist, everything about the $2.2 billion hotel makes it feel in a class of its own.

I can’t help but think the entryway to my 15th-floor Executive Harbour Bridge Suite is designed to build anticipation; the long hallway leads into the living area to reveal floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive views of the harbour. It invites you in and leads you on a treasure hunt of discovery through to the bedroom, with its impossibly comfortable king-size bed, and then on to the marble en suite with a deep, egg-shaped, freestanding bathtub and an enormous walk-in rain shower. I am not exaggerating when I say it is hard to pull myself away from the room to continue exploring the property.

One of the most memorable perks of staying in this 275-metre-high hotel (officially the tallest in Sydney) is the views. It’s a surreal moment floating in the surely soon-to-be iconic heated infinity pool overlooking the harbour. Sydney truly is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and this is without a doubt one of the best vantage points to enjoy it from. I perch myself on one of the floating day beds and watch the sun slip lower in the sky as poolside attendants dutifully keep my drink topped up throughout my swim.

I decide to round out the pampering experience with a massage at the Crown Spa Sydney. The designer of the spa, Blainey North, has excelled in creating a dreamy, light-filled space that is as serene as it is pretty. The colour palette is a soothing combination of soft lilacs and candy-floss pink contrasted by marble tiles and brass gold and silver accents.

The massage includes the use of the luxuriously decadent Aqua Retreat. I take my time jumping between the Infrared Saunas, Moroccan Steam Room, Experience Shower – which also delivers a water-pressure massage from all angles – and the 37°C-heated Vitality Pool. I emerge feeling like a new person and the post-holiday glow stays with me long after checkout.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a compelling reason to leave your room – other than the infinity pool of course – at this perfectly positioned luxury hotel.

IF YOU’VE EVER WANTED to live like a rock star, Dune House – part of Kangaroo Island’s Hamilton & Dune (hamiltondune.com.au) – is the place to do it. The minute I check into this architecturally designed three-bedroom property overlooking Emu Bay and take in the sunken living room overlooking the sea, I begin to swagger like I’ve left my manager and crew outside. Helping my metamorphosis is the meticulous attention to the detail in every room; the fridge and minibar are stocked with boutique goodies, the bed sheets are Weft Textiles and sparkling mineral water pours from the kitchen tap. There’s nothing to complain about and my (imaginary) manager is thrilled.