The Darling hotel at The Star Sydney – an entertainment hub amid the yacht-studded harbours of Pyrmont – has seen an interior refresh, with luxurious new suites befitting its location. International design practice Fender Katsalidis made sure to balance sophistication with a playful and colourful twist.
The Darling in Sydney
The Star encompasses various food and beverage options, a casino and an array of event and function spaces, as well as The Darling, whose sixteen suites have been through an extensive, two-year refurbishment. Wanting to make the rooms a place of rest and relaxation, the design practice focused on comfort, with soft furnishings and carpeted floors.
Curves are a key design element, evident in sofas, lighting fixtures, and stools, and balanced by linear table tops, shelving, and kitchen countertops. The colour red is threaded through each suite as a signature element, and is most evident in the penthouse’s karaoke room, which is enveloped in sultry red hues. Guests can sing to their heart’s content, as each room features suitable acoustics for a high level of privacy.
Reflecting on the project, Fender Katsalidis’ associate principal, Catherine Allington, says, ‘Our goal with refurbishing the two levels is to offer captivating experiences and one-of-a-kind memories through design. With this intention, each guest suite is reimagined to have its own unique visual and sensory journey, creating distinctive moments that oscillate between playfulness and respite.
‘The deluxe penthouse suite with the all-red karaoke room is unrestrained in its playfulness, so this is counteracted with an equally enhanced atmosphere of restfulness through the hues of soft greys and sages in the bedrooms.
‘Slight variations were also applied to the interpretations of each suite, as we were working with many existing finishes being retained. Applying this nuanced approach created experiential vignettes and a level of personalisation that sustains a continued sense of discovery and excitement for recurring guests.’
-
Five influential women hoteliers reflect on the changing face of hospitalityAs women continue to gain ground in the hotel sector, despite still being underrepresented in senior positions, five female moguls share their experiences of the past and projections for the future
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Melbourne Place: ‘an alchemy of colour, texture and personality’Designed by Kennedy Nolan, Melbourne Place is the Australian city’s newest independent hotel, oozing creativity and urban energy
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Six hotels where you’ll find the winter sun this FebruaryFrom intimate seaside inns to lush tropical resorts, here are six Wallpaper*-approved winter sun escapes
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this yearFrom the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from the revival of a grande dame in Madrid to the restoration of a gothic beauty in Prague
-
Australian surf culture merges with the charm of the Mediterranean at Il DelfinoIl Delfino, designed by Sheree Commerford, is a restored 1940s seaside inn nestled on the Yamba coastline in Australia
-
Layover in style at Melbourne Airport’s new hotelIbis Styles Melbourne Airport hotel by FK brings together elegant rooms, co-working lounges and leisure facilities in a striking aircraft wing-inspired design
