Hotel bargain in Sydney

[jeffejo]

My wife and I will be visiting AU for two weeks after arriving in Sydney on 12/23/04 on the Sapphire Princess. Just wanted to pass on that I recently booked 5 nights (12/23 - 12/28) at the Sydney Harbour Marriott thru Priceline.com for $75/ngt plus tax.

[2dogcarol]

I agree with you. I booked the Westin in Sydney 1/16 to 1/18 through Priceline for $150/night for our cruise on the Sapphire. This is the same hotel that Princess uses and I'm getting it for about 1/2 the price. I have always been more than pleased with my Priceline hotels.

[mlymd]

My husband and I will be in Sydney for two days prior to our Princess cruise and I have booked a room at the Holiday Inn at Darling Harbor. I would love to stay at the Four Seasons but I have never used priceline.com and am very nervous about trying it. I understand that you do not know which hotel you are booked at until your reservations is complete. What happens if you are not happy with the hotel or the price you received? Can you change it?

Marcy

[Globaliser]

No, you can't. Once confirmed, you have paid for that space at the hotel that you're confirmed at. That's the whole point of Priceline - for giving up control of your booking to the system, you get access to whatever distressed inventory is available that's going for low prices.

[Jane110]

If you're going to Sydney, it would be a shame not to have a hotel room with a view of the harbour with the Opera House and the Bridge.

 

The best hotels for those views are the Four Seasons (formally the Regent), The Shangri-La (formally the Ana) and the Park Hyatt. I THINK that some of the rooms at the Marriott have Harbour views. Those of you booked in there, I'd suggest contacting the hotel and requesting one. If there's a surcharge for it, trust me, it's worth it. Generally speaking I'm not one to pay more for a view, but for Sydney, I do....I've been there 5 times and have stayed at the Four Seasons for 3 of those visits. The other hotels I've stayed in are the Sheraton on the Park (lovely hotel, just no view) and the InterContinental, which didn't "wow" me much.

 

Though Sydney does have a lot of fine 5 star hotels, I'd personally not gamble with Priceline. If it's your first time in Sydney, you really do want that harbour view!

 

That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it! :-)

 

Jane

[Aussie Gal]

I fully agree with Jane. Sydney has the most wonderful views and I would definitely ask and pay for a "room with a view".

 

Jane I do disagree that there are no views from the Sheraton on the Park. We have always had a room facing the Park and high up and we have been able to see the harbour and the Heads. Not Sydney Harbour bridge or the opera house though but still a great view by world standards.

 

For a first time, I would stay down by the Harbour in the Four Seasons, the Shangri la, Hyatt or Sir Stamford which is a lovely boutique hotel that used to be the Ritz Carlton. The other possibility is to book into Quay West and have a small apartment for about the same money.

 

Jennie

[Jane110]

Jennie,

 

Yes when we stayed at Sheraton on the Park, we did have a gorgeous view....of the park.

 

Sorry if it sounded like the Sheraton doesn't have lovely views, it certainly does. And lovely rooms as well. I thought I was clear about meaning views of the Opera House and/or the Harbour Bridge. Sorry about the confusion.

 

Jane

[jeffejo]

Ref. using Priceline

Go to http://www.biddingfortravel.com. This site allows you to determine what hotels are available through Priceline by location and star rating and has postings by bidders listing what hotels they got for what price and dates.

I've used priceline on several occations and have have always been satisfied. After you have made a bid and it has been accepted you can contact the hotel directly and make special requests, such as type of bed etc, just like any other reservation. This is a way hotels sell unbooked inventory not distressed inventory. Go to http://www.triipadvisor.com to see reviews on hotels from people who have actually stayed there.

[lamwnfa]

We stayed at the ANA Harbor Grand (which I understand is not the Shangri La) and it was a beautiful hotel. The bathroom was so beautiful and I loved soaking in that nice deep tub after that LONG flight. Our room overlooked Circular Quay and the Opera House something we didn't really expect but where thrilled with! One thing to point out was that the hotel is on the hill. The walk down to Circular Quay and the Opera House is really easy but after a full day of sightseeing, the walk back up isn't as easy. Would stay there again in a NY minute though!

 

Lori

[Globaliser]

We stayed at the ANA Harbor Grand (which I understand is not the Shangri La)

Well, yes and no. The ANA became the Shangri-La recently.

 

And horror of horrors, the Horizons bar is closed for "re-imaging" at the moment. Just as I'm about to visit. Fie!

[lamwnfa]

OOPs I meant NOW the Shangri la not NOT the Shangri la...sorry!

[California<=^==^=>Cr]

Thanks for the tips. We're presently looking for a hotel in Sydney pre-cruise. I'm hoping to get a decent rate through Princess with the Cruise Plus option at the Four Seasons, if not, you've given me many other options.

[Jane110]

Tips for walking uphill to the Shangri-La (formally ANA) hotel:

 

Walk into the front door of the Four Seasons and take the elevator up one level to the restaurant level....or you can walk up the flight of stairs in the lobby.

 

Walk to the back of the hotel and exit through the back door. BTW, there's a cyber cafe on that street, if you need one.

 

This will save you a bit of the hill to the Shangri-La. :-)

 

Jane

[barrymoore]

Another good site to find cheap hotels in Australia is http://www.quickbeds.com

[Globaliser]

And horror of horrors, the Horizons bar is closed for "re-imaging" at the moment. Just as I'm about to visit. Fie!

If anyone's interested, the bar is now something called blu horizon. The views are as good as ever, but it has become a modern (actually post-modern) pick-up joint for thirty-somethings, which is rather a disappointment considering what it used to be.

 

The Japanese restaurant on the same level has, however, now become a good modern Oz restaurant called Altitude, which is well worth a visit.

[Aussie Gal]

Here is another good website for cheap beds in good hotels in Australia.

 

http://www.wotif.com/

 

Jennie