Experience timeless elegance at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

There are two very special reasons to check into The Fullerton Hotel Sydney this autumn

You want the beating heart of Sydney? It’s hard to go past The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, housed in a heritage building as awesome as London’s Houses of Parliament or Paris’s Eiffel Tower.

Formerly the General Post Office Sydney, designed by New South Wales Colonial Architect James Barnet, the GPO is one of the largest sandstone buildings in Sydney and said to be the finest example of the Victorian Italian Renaissance style in NSW.

Its northern  façade abuts one of Sydney’s most vibrant CBD meeting precincts, Martin Place.

This blending of old-world charm with the modern sophistication of a five-star hotel results in a unique destination style. Let’s call it Haute Heritage!

Changing of the guard

The GPO, at 1 Martin Place, Sydney, opened for business in 1874. In 1891, the clock tower was completed and the bells rang out across Sydney for the first time. Attention to detail has long been a hallmark of the GPO building, a dedication that permeates the Fullerton walls.

In 2019, the year The Fullerton Hotel Sydney became custodians of the GPO, restoration was in overdrive. Stone Mason and Artist, a family-owned company specialising in stone masonry and building restoration, undertook a 38,000-hour cleaning process to restore the building’s façade to its former glory.

The following year the clock tower underwent repairs to glass, stone and metalwork, and the mechanism. The intention was to maintain its heritage, make the clock accurate, and have it play a full Westminster chime like Big Ben.

No surprise, then, that last year The Fullerton Hotel Sydney was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide, a global collection of upscale and historic hotels and resorts found in 47 countries.

The GPO recently celebrated its 150^th birthday. In 2025, the after-party is in full swing with two very special temptations over Autumn, the Heritage Stay Experience and the Heritage Afternoon Tea.

Says newly-appointed General Manager John O’Shea, “This iconic building has been the heart of the city for 150 years. We are delighted to honour its rich heritage with a unique afternoon tea experience, including an exquisite selection of reimagined Victorian-era delights”

“Our culinary team has crafted a menu that reflects the grandeur of the Victorian era while offering guests a refined and memorable dining experience.” 

Inspired by 19th-century high-society traditions, the Heritage Afternoon Tea menu includes cucumber sandwiches, potted shrimp egg, smoked salmon sandwhiches, layered Neapolitan ice cream, clever malted milk cookies, a twist on the luscious apple charlotte and the buttery Bakewell pudding, and Fullerton scones with clotted cream and berry jam. 

Afternoon tea, between 12 pm and 4 pm at The Bar, is $78 per person, $98 if you want a flute of Veuve Clicquot with that. The offer runs until 31 May 2025. 

The Heritage Stay Package is a one-night stay in a Heritage Wing room, buffet breakfast for two at The Place Restaurant, Heritage Afternoon Tea for two at The Bar, two Postmaster’s Break cocktails, a welcome amenity gift, souvenir postcard, a sheet of GPO stamps, and a guided heritage tour with insights into the building’s fascinating history.

The Heritage Stay Package (from $550) is available for bookings up to checkout on 31 May 2025. Enjoy an exclusive 10% off the Heritage Stay Package with the code “Fullerton” on their website today.

Free guided tours of the GPO are available from Tuesday to Saturday from the Concierge’s desk, two each morning and one on Thursday evening.

These are a journey through time that history buffs especially will love – loads of stories, stats, and anecdotes! Learn about the architecture, the sculptures, and how the colony’s post, telegraphy and telecommunications systems evolved. Old photos evoke Sydney’s early days. There’ll be questions on the history of the Tank Stream to see if you’ve been paying attention.

Book some self-restoration at Endota Spa. The 75-minute Surrender package includes an organic relaxation massage with warm jade stones, an organic facial, and a face massage with a jade roller.

Among the retail outlets in this glamorous building are high-end jeweller Calleija, menswear brand M.J. Bale and Latin American fine diner, Morena. 

In the establishment’s shopping orbit are Burberry, Bulgari, Cartier, Chaumet, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Hardy Brothers, Hermès, Hublot, Louis Vuitton, Paspaley, Ti­ffany & Co, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Valentino.

High-end seductions in the nearby Westfield include Chanel, Fendi, Prada, Miu Miu, Christian Louboutin, Balenciaga, and Givenchy.

When the credit card says “Enough!”, check out some of the other buildings James Johnstone Barnet, New South Wales’s longest serving Colonial Architect, had a hand in: Customs House at Circular Quay, the State Library of New South Wales, Darlinghurst Courthouse, and the Mortuary Station near Central Railway.

Luxury Travel Magazine readers receive 10% off when they book a Heritage Stay Package at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney here.