Hotel Morris Sydney has opened as a boutique retreat where Italian influences intertwine with Australian heritage.
Situated within an iconic Virgil Dante Cizzio-designed building that first opened in 1929 – it was Australia’s tallest hotel for 34 years – it’s located in the heart of the city on Pitt Street. Boasting 82 beautifully-appointed Art Deco-style guest rooms, this gorgeously restored heritage hotel is a unique piece of Sydney’s history.
Each Australian-inspired space is dressed in exuberant golden mustard tones and Jarrah wood accents which add warmth, while custom furniture, the use of Calacatta and blue Roma marble, brass detailing and bold amber onyx stone finishes lend a sense of opulence.
Guests will be as excited by the Handwritten Collection hotel’s dining as the accommodation. Bar Morris is the hotel’s intimate 40-seat Art Deco-inspired wine bar and features a day-to-night menu focused on simple, seasonal produce, infused with Italian influences, and set to a hotel-curated soundtrack of funk and soul music. Head chef and rising culinary star Rosy Scatigna brings a wealth of experience, including stints at acclaimed restaurants across Italy and the UK, including two hatted Shell House.
Highlights of the menu include reinvented Italian classics such as Panfocaccia bread made from an heirloom recipe; juicy flank steaks served with Café de Morris butter made with salmoriglio, an ancient Italian sauce; and Nduja madeleine, a cheesy savoury sponge, enriched with silky guanciale and ‘nduja emulsion.
The wine list is driven by local Australian heroes, Italian drops, and natural vinos, as well as the coveted wines of Elisabetta Foradori, considered one of the most influential female winemakers in the world.
In addition, Tom Bulmer from The Social Spirits has curated the cocktail menu incorporating Australian and Italian ingredients: The Ocean’s Depth Martini is made with house spiced brine, while the Negroni Speziato features Chinese five spice-infused gin with a touch of amaro, an Italian herbal liqueur.
