A showstopping new executive lounge and 90 newly refurbished guest rooms, including the new Grand Harbour View and Darling Harbour View rooms and an upgraded accessible room, have opened at the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel Sydney.

The iconic hotel recently added the finishing touches to its US$8 million refurbishment by Grace Lei Guo, director of Sydney design firm Stack Studio, who has completed several other high-profile Shangri-La Hotel projects around the world. The Horizon Club Lounge is now Sydney’s most luxurious and spacious club lounge, at 335sqm, commanding Australia’s best hotel view from its prime position in The Rocks. Guests also have a telescope to take in the Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and the Harbour Bridge.

A stunning giant brass and crystal light feature by Mark Elliot, principal of Australian designers Point of View, forms a striking centrepiece and talking point.

The lounge’s expanded dining area now accommodates 123 guests, with an additional 47 seats, and features one of Sydney’s only communal tables in a five-star hotel club lounge – a beautiful four-metre long marble-topped sold timber centrepiece with a cold well, from which guests can help themselves to premium Australian wines and sparkling wines. Hand-painted Australian native flora mural designs decorate the walls.

Upgraded boardroom facilities seat 10 people and now take in harbour views, with full AV equipment including a sophisticated sound system and two giant screens, free WiFi and broadband internet as well as magazines and newspapers.

The hotel’s rooms and suites are already among the biggest in the city – the biggest is the Royal Suite which offers a vast 242 square metres of living and entertaining space, an executive study room, private dining room, and a personal butler.

Enhanced privileges exclusive to those who book Horizon Club accommodation include coffees made by trained baristas, a Shangri-La signature cocktail, desserts by executive pastry chef Anna Polyviou, house-made butter and honey from the hotel’s rooftop beehive, and an automatic 4pm check out time. A raft of other privileges, from daily breakfast and evening cocktails to access to dedicated concierges and garment pressing, are also on offer. www.shangri-la.com