Having consumed a steady diet of Hallmark Christmas movies for the past three weeks, I was prepared to leave my well-paid-yet-highly-stressful corporate job (and smitten partner, naturally) to escape to the Swiss Alps. Or, at least a snowy mid west American town. Here, I would fall in love with the local farmer – and my high school boyfriend – where I would help him save his family’s cake shop for the holidays and we would kiss under the mistletoe come December 25.
Spoiler: This scenario posed a few problems. 1) I don’t have a high-paying corporate job; 2) I don’t bake; and 3) I most definitely didn’t have enough approved annual leave to hop aboard a long-distance flight in search of the holiday spirit and the true meaning of Christmas.
Fortunately, however, although Australia may never deliver a classic White Christmas, for one school-holiday weekend this December, Skye Suites Sydney came surprisingly close. With two kids in tow, (not my own. Current status: Aunty Claus), I leaned fully into the fantasy – a Wintery, snow-holiday-inspired escape right in the heart of a Sydney Summer – where we managed to pretend Santa was real … without leaving the CBD, the state, or the season.
Once I accepted that I would not, in fact, be trading my life for a fictional snow-dusted village or rekindling a romance over gingerbread, and stepped into the ice-cave-vibed lobby of the luxe five-star hotel (also Sydney’s first boutique serviced apartments) one of the first things that – figuratively – warmed my festively-frozen heart (c/o listening to Little Drummer Boy on repeat) was the ornamental indoor fireplace. One that while not producing actual flames, delivered maximum cosy chalet energy and set the Insta mood instantly. Think: Alpine lodge meets city sophistication. The kids were impressed. I was emotionally invested.
That feeling only deepened at check-in, where the service was as a smooth as a fresh fall of snow – cool, calm and unfazed by the presence of two very excited children and one aunty attempting to wrangle backpacks, snacks and festive expectations. The experience was efficient, welcoming and ironically warm – which immediately made the stay feel less like travel logistics and more like the beginning of a holiday.
From there, we headed up to Room #908 – our two-bedroom suite and temporary North Pole-adjacent headquarters for the nights. At 68 square metres, it was spacious enough for two small humans to burn off holiday energy, while I pretended I was on a chic Winter break and not refereeing arguments over who touched whose snack.
The suite unfolded effortlessly from kitchenette to living area, which quickly became our command centre for hot chocolates (lukewarm, because kids), Christmas movies and dramatic pre-swim towel negotiations. The styling nailed the home-for-the-holidays assignment: understated, polished and thoughtfully designed.
The kitchenette also came fully equipped with cooking facilities, a generous fridge, microwave, induction cooktop and coffee machine, making it easy to cook, reheat and refuel without relying on cafe queues or takeaway bags. Practical, yes, but also quietly luxurious when travelling with children who know that if they ask aunty for a $200 Lego gift set for Xmas she won’t say no. (And don’t want to spend another $7567 on Uber eats.)
Each bedroom came with a queen bed which meant no late-night negotiations or early-morning invasions of personal space. The beds themselves were genuinely beautiful: pillow-top mattresses, 300-thread-count sheets and goose-down comforters that made falling asleep feel like sinking into a cloud. Plus official little person review confirmed: “We love jumping on here aunt”. For one magical night, everyone slept soundly. We all woke up cheerful. A Christmas miracle, truly.
Even in the bathrooms – featuring Smith & Co bathroom products and generous storage and bench space (essential when travelling with small people and their many, many belongings) – every detail felt considered.
A private terrace offered a moment of fresh air – or, in my case, a place to stand quietly and remember who I was before school holidays began. If this had been a real life Christmas movie, the snow would have started falling over a Mariah Carey Soundtrack at that exact moment. Instead my reverie was interrupted by Luca threatening to eat Leo’s cupcakes.
And then there was Skye Suites Sydney pool. If the foyer fireplace set the scene for opening credits, the pool delivered the full white-Christmas finale. Glass-encased and mosaic-tiled, it glowed like a secret ice cave hidden beneath the city. Cool, calm and quietly theatrical, the space feels more alpine spa than hotel pool – all soft lighting, curved lines and shimmering reflections that mimic frozen walls. The adjustable lighting and built-in sound system transform swimming into a full sensory experience: part winter wonderland, part futuristic retreat. The kids declared it a “frozen palace,” and I didn’t correct them. Floating beneath the glowing ceiling while Sydney simmered outside felt deliciously surreal. The adjoining Jacuzzi sealed the fantasy, delivering strong apres-ski energy – minus the ski boots, frostbite and emotional subplot.
When we weren’t pretending it was mid-Winter, Skye Suites’ location made festive exploring effortless. Martin Place is an easy walk away, which meant we could visit Sydney’s enormous Christmas tree – the closest thing the city has to a Hallmark-style town square montage. Skittle Lane’s cafes are right downstairs for morning coffees and sweet treats, while Darling Harbour, Barangaroo and Pitt Street Mall are all within strolling distance. Yet despite being so centrally located, returning to Skye Suites always felt like stepping back into our own snow-globe version of the city – calm, contained and quietly indulgent.
In the end, I didn’t fall in love with a local farmer, save a cake shop, or fly home on Christmas Eve in a private jet. But, for one weekend, Skye Suites Sydney delivered something arguably better: a Hallmark holiday movie fantasy without the airfare, the logistics, or the unrealistic expectations. Turns out, sometimes a trip to Middle America to save a small town bakery can be optional … Especially when there’s an ice-cave pool, a cosy suite, and two small believers who are absolutely certain Santa knows exactly where you’re staying as an alternative.