Hotel in Sydney

[Globaliser]

Convenience might be the bigger concern...since we're only planning on one night in Sydney and will have no car, which location has more to do and see around it and will be easier logistically is the greater concern.

If this is your first time in Sydney, you only have one night there, and if by "Holiday Inn" you mean the Holiday Inn Old Sydney (rather than one of the other three in Sydney), then I would go for the Holiday Inn for location. One bonus of that (but not the most important thing) is that if your ship departs from the OPT at Circular Quay, you can just walk over there in about three minutes.

[Grumpy100]

Thanks for this info Grumpy. We're staying at the Four Points pre cruise and post cruise this Feb/April. Hope that we are upgraded to their executive floor - got this at Heathrow and it was really nice. We should arrive around 8 or 8:30am so hope we can check in early too. Was there a charge for the buffet or was it included in your upgrade.

 

When we booked the room it included the breakfast. It was an awesome buffet. Even better than the cruise ships.

[Willsot]

Might any of the Aussie contributors have anything to say about the Simpsons of Potts Point small boutique hotel? I see that it is very highly rated on the TripAdvisor site. I understand that the location is not as desirable as many of the other hotels being discussed, but it does look quite inviting.

[MMDown Under]

Might any of the Aussie contributors have anything to say about the Simpsons of Potts Point small boutique hotel? I see that it is very highly rated on the TripAdvisor site. I understand that the location is not as desirable as many of the other hotels being discussed, but it does look quite inviting.

 

Potts Point is my favourite place to stay in Sydney, as it has everything a visitor could want - atmosphere, proximity to harbour, city, restaurants, parks, public transport (bus and rail), walk through Botanical Gardens to the Art Gallery, the City and Circular Quay for the harbour ferries. Easy to hail a taxi, if you prefer to be driven.

 

As I will be staying in Potts Point next week, I'm happy to check out Simpsons and its neighbourhood for you, if you wish.

 

BTW January is our long summer school holidays, so hotels, used by business people, often have very good specials during that period. You don't need to book far ahead for these hotels.

[Willsot]

Potts Point is my favourite place to stay in Sydney, as it has everything a visitor could want - atmosphere, proximity to harbour, city, restaurants, parks, public transport (bus and rail), walk through Botanical Gardens to the Art Gallery, the City and Circular Quay for the harbour ferries. Easy to hail a taxi, if you prefer to be driven.

 

As I will be staying in Potts Point next week, I'm happy to check out Simpsons and its neighbourhood for you, if you wish.

 

BTW January is our long summer school holidays, so hotels, used by business people, often have very good specials during that period. You don't need to book far ahead for these hotels.

 

Thanks very much for your quick reply. I understand that Simpsons has perhaps as few as a dozen rooms, more like a Bed & Breakfast situation. For that reason I thought I should reserve early. If you happen by it next week I would love to hear your impression.

[MMDown Under]

Thanks very much for your quick reply. I understand that Simpsons has perhaps as few as a dozen rooms, more like a Bed & Breakfast situation. For that reason I thought I should reserve early. If you happen by it next week I would love to hear your impression.

 

OK. It is not far from where I stay.

[sueknirk]

We stayed at the Four Seasons in the Rocks area. A great hotel and a great location. Loved it.

[Acrusa]

We stayed at the Four Seasons in the Rocks area. A great hotel and a great location. Loved it.

 

We are thinking of the Four Seasons or the Park Hyatt.Are there good views from the rooms of the Four Seasons?

[moyaroo]

We are thinking of the Four Seasons or the Park Hyatt.Are there good views from the rooms of the Four Seasons?

 

The Four Seasons has rooms with Harbour View and Opera View as well as City View. You will pay a premium for the Opera House, of course.

[MMDown Under]

Thanks very much for your quick reply. I understand that Simpsons has perhaps as few as a dozen rooms, more like a Bed & Breakfast situation. For that reason I thought I should reserve early. If you happen by it next week I would love to hear your impression.

 

Simpsons looks a beautiful place to stay, in a nice quiet street, yet close to all the action of Potts Point. Has a lovely big lounge area, with lots of books on a big low table, plus a nice breakfast area, with lots of light, where the continental breakfast is served. As it was fully booked, I couldn't look at any of the bedrooms. However, I'm sure you'd be happy staying at this beautifully restored B&B.

 

http://www.simpsonshotel.com

 

At the end of the short street, there is a school and a nice little park, which is open from dawn to dusk. From here you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and you can walk down stairs to the wharf area, past the famous pie cart, a finger wharf where Russell Crowe lives, to the Art Gallery, Botanical Gardens, the Opera House and the City.

 

There were lots of people eating at tables on the footpath in restaurants at the top end of the street.

 

The local bus is 311 - one way to Circular Quay, the other way to Railway Square and Central Railway Station. In addition, lots of buses travel through Kings Cross, so it is a great location for access to the beaches (Bondi, etc). Lots of taxis constantly cruise past this busy residential area.

 

BTW Potts Point is very desirable location. Kings Cross further up the street isn't. Yet I'm only extra cautious there at night on the weekends, during the week it is fine.

[Willsot]

Simpsons looks a beautiful place to stay, in a nice quiet street, yet close to all the action of Potts Point. Has a lovely big lounge area, with lots of books on a big low table, plus a nice breakfast area, with lots of light, where the continental breakfast is served. As it was fully booked, I couldn't look at any of the bedrooms. However, I'm sure you'd be happy staying at this beautifully restored B&B.

 

http://www.simpsonshotel.com

 

At the end of the short street, there is a school and a nice little park, which is open from dawn to dusk. From here you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and you can walk down stairs to the wharf area, past the famous pie cart, a finger wharf where Russell Crowe lives, to the Art Gallery, Botanical Gardens, the Opera House and the City.

 

There were lots of people eating at tables on the footpath in restaurants at the top end of the street.

 

The local bus is 311 - one way to Circular Quay, the other way to Railway Square and Central Railway Station. In addition, lots of buses travel through Kings Cross, so it is a great location for access to the beaches (Bondi, etc). Lots of taxis constantly cruise past this busy residential area.

 

BTW Potts Point is very desirable location. Kings Cross further up the street isn't. Yet I'm only extra cautious there at night on the weekends, during the week it is fine.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Sounds perfect for us and I am going to book a 3-night stay. Thanks again!

[abuela vicki]

What is CBD?

 

glad you asked the question. I was just going to live in ignorance.

[MMDown Under]

glad you asked the question. I was just going to live in ignorance.

 

Central Business District, which is downtown. This term is widely used here.

[jota]

An ex-Sydneysider's POV:

Four Points gets my vote. Book a harbour view room (well Darling Harbour that is , not the famous one) .

Walk to ship terminals (or taxi ride to OPT Circular Quay, walk to department stores, walk to Chinatown and little Spain (if you can find it), and a great seafood buffet at lunch and dinner. Nice on the budget too.

Stayed at Swissotel (pretty good but no views) on the weekend, and have previously stayed at Sheraton the Park (my favourite but pricey), and the Menzies (wouldn't choose this one again, not too clean and a little bit out of the way, stayed there post-cruise a year ago, maybe things have changed).

 

Have a great trip!

[northwestbear]

chloe kitty,

We stayed at the Sydney Marriott across from Hyde Park with easy access to the down town area. We got the Hotel on Priceline with a winning bid of $101. Our friends that went with us placed a bid on Priceline for $92 and got a winning bid at the same Hotel. I see on "Biddingfortravel" where someone has a winning bid for $155 (February date). If I were you and your not afraid to make a bid on Priceline I would only go for a Four Star Hotel. Bid low say $95 and see what happens. If you are declined wait 24 hours and bid again by raising your bid say $10 each try.

 

I believe we were the ones who got the Marriott for $155 in February. (We booked this through Priceline in October) This was the second time we'd stayed at this location. They actually remembered us at the front desk and made our stay really wonderful. We had no problem checking in early despite being there just off the ship at 9am. We were given a park view room that was just wonderful. I agree this is not a 5 star hotel - in fact I might venture to say maybe even a 3 1/2 star, but it is clean and we love the location. We usually Priceline, so don't know if we'd be lucky enough to get it a third time, but would love to stay there again. Just for comparison a friend who decided to join us booked in January for our Feb trip and paid just over $350 a night for the same hotel.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

If this is your first time in Sydney, you only have one night there, and if by "Holiday Inn" you mean the Holiday Inn Old Sydney (rather than one of the other three in Sydney), then I would go for the Holiday Inn for location. One bonus of that (but not the most important thing) is that if your ship departs from the OPT at Circular Quay, you can just walk over there in about three minutes.

 

 

Excellent location for a one night stay.

Perhaps getting a little "tired" these days, but very clean , roomy , and comfortable.

I recommended it to folk on our Roll Call when we cruised with Diamond Princess and several stayed there, and no one came gunning for me:D

Being right in the Rocks is amazing. You just walk out the door and its all there.

 

 

 

[General Max]

We enjoyed our stays at the Hyde Park Inn. The free downtown shuttle bus (Route 555) stops 100 meters from the hotel and runs every 10 minutes.

[lonig]

We booked with the cruiseline and they set us up at the Sheraton in the Park hotel. The rooms were a little less by letting the crise line do the booking. How is this location for getting around sightseeing? We have transfers to the airport and ship so am not worried about that. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[moyaroo]

We booked with the cruiseline and they set us up at the Sheraton in the Park hotel. The rooms were a little less by letting the crise line do the booking. How is this location for getting around sightseeing? We have transfers to the airport and ship so am not worried about that. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

that is the first I have ever heard of Cruise line hotels being cheaper than rack rate! Are you sure you didn't book at a per person per night rate? this is standard for cruise lines. $199 per night (per person based upon double occupancy) ergo $398 per night for the room!

 

That said the Sheraton isn't bad but the Circular Quay is the preferred location.

[lonig]

You are right, we were charged per person for the hotel. We cancelled and instead got a room at the Marriott at Circular Quay - $329 a night. You can also request for $10 pp breakfast, so we did that. Seems to be in a great location, and if we can walk to the Quay for the ship that is even better, no transfers. With roller bags for luggage it certainly makes things easier to get around. If we can walk to all the attractions, it will save on taxi fare too. Is it safe to walk around the CBD at all hours, or only in the day time?

[moyaroo]

Sydney is as safe as any city can be. (of course a certain group of free thinkers got through the steel curtain of security a couple years ago, much to the chagrin of the local constabulary, but that sort of thing is an Aussie tradition and has nothing to do with real security). I wouldn't walk everywhere at night, but your hotel is seconds from the ferries and a quick 10 minutes from the overseas terminal. We walked around the rocks after dinner with no real concern as there is plenty of foot traffic into the night.

[The_Big_M]

Just avoid Ivy nightclub, up George St. ;-)

[lonig]

Thanks for the heads up on Ivy :) - we will steer clear!!! Nice to know that in daylight we can walk around with no problem. Will use the ferries or taxi if we are going very far at night.

[jeanine]

We will be in Sydney for 2 or 3 nights prior to boarding our ship. Will be overnighting onboard in Sydney. My husband would like to stay at a beach area. What are your thoughts regarding Manly Beach. Or is there a beach area in Sydney itself?

[moyaroo]

Manly is a nice area, but I suppose we would be remiss not to mention Bondi Beach. Closer to the airport and world famous-though arguably not Australia's "best" beach it does get thrown into the discussion. Manly area has a lot to offer though I think it not as cool as it was in the late 60's early 70's, but then what is?