Royal Suite fit for a Princess

City hideaway fit for a princess

By NICOLETTE CASELLA
February 26, 2005
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1260&storyid=2723725
STAFF at the luxury Shangri- La were yesterday frantically preparing for the arrival of two high-profile royal visitors who will pay $5000 a night to stay at the five-star hotel.

Princess Mary was expected to arrive in Sydney last night to join husband Prince Frederik for their first official visit to Australia.
The royal couple will stay at the Royal Suite penthouse on the hotel's 34th floor, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
The suite doesn't come cheap. But if money is no object, the view alone is worth it.
Measuring more than 320sqm, the Royal Suite encompasses the entire northern half of the 34th floor of the hotel, affording a stunning 270-degree panorama of the Harbour, taking in both the Bridge and the Opera House.
Among its special features are a dining room, lounge room, interview rooms, dressing rooms, a library and a music room complete with piano.
While the 36-floor hotel has recently undergone a $25 million modern Asian makeover, the most expensive suites on levels 30 to 35 are adorned with antique furniture, giving them a more classic feel.
Yesterday, suit-clad managerial staff and Stubbie-wearing electricians and other tradesmen rushed to get Mary and Fred's temporary home up to scratch.
Extra cabling was being wired in their rooms and several surveillance cameras were being fitted in all corridors leading to its entrance and on other key locations around the hotel.
Australian Federal Police secured the doors, while police cars and catering trucks filled the loading dock.
According to hotel sources, the royal couple have a 40-person entourage - including Mary's ladies-in-waiting, personal hairdresser and stylist - travelling with them to attend to their every needs for the official part of the tour, at least.
Although some of the entourage are likely to be staying on other floors, the royal couple are expected to stay ensconced on the 34th floor.
When they leave the hotel for their many official engagements, they are likely to have the lifts locked for them so they can move without fear other people - even guests who hold special key cards to their own suites - seeing them.
The lifts can be programmed to stop at the basement car park which would enable the royal couple to whisk away undetected.
Alternatively, they can enter the building via the car park on Cumberland St and access their suite via the locked lift.
This is the scenario played out by celebrity guests of the hotel, insiders said.
The Prime Minister of Japan, the Prince of the United Arab Emirates (who only checked out two weeks ago), Pierce "007" Bronsan, Drew Barrymore and Natalie Umbruglia are just some of the well-known and influential guests to have stayed at in the Presidential, Premier, Governor and Ambassador suites on levels 34 and 35.
Staff were tight-lipped yesterday about special preparations for the royal couple but one thing was for certain - no other celebrity couple have required so much attention.
Mary mania was in full swing, with word quickly spread around the fully-booked hotel.
"There are lots of preparations but everything is hush, hush," one staffer said.
Another bell boy, on the early morning shift, lamented how he was going to miss all the action.
"There's a lot under way but I'm missing it, damn it," he said.