Family hotels in Sydney, Australia?

[Luxuriate]

We will be taking a cruise in January 2009 on Celebrity through Australia. Does anyone have any ideas on some good pre-cruise hotels for a mom, dad, and a 4 year-old boy? A beach would probably be the best bet. Just throwing it out to get ideas.

 

Thanks,

 

Cheryl

[Globaliser]

A beach would probably be the best bet.

How long will you be in Sydney? Why do you want a beach hotel? How much time do you think you want to spend sightseeing rather than on the beach? Although Sydney does have some nice beaches, it's not where I would think of going for a beach holiday as such. And if you're going to spend more of your time sightseeing, you might be better off getting a hotel in a more conventional city location, and then just going out to the beach when you want to go there.

 

A Google search threw up this page, which lists a variety of different places at different levels. This might be a start for your search. No endorsement intended of the site it comes from - just a useful list.

[Luxuriate]

I was thinking "beach" only because with a kid it seems like the easiest. What I'm most interested in is a hotel that will have an area that a kid (four-years-old) might like. Just a good pool area would be great too. I thought if there was something spectacular out there that would be perfect for a young-one someone might let me in on it.

 

We are planning to be in Sydney for about 5 days to a week, pre-cruise. I was looking for a place that we can settle in at but still be able to tool around and see stuff. My son is only 2 1/2 now so I don't really know what his tolerance level will be at 4 years.

 

Just looking for ideas now.

 

Thanks, Cheryl

[mochuck]

I totally agree with Globaliser. You won't see much of Sydney if you stay at the beach. If you're going to go to the expense of spending 5 to 7 days in a hotel in Sydney, you want to be somehere centrally located where you can maximise your time.

 

Going to the beach would certainly be a great day's outing for the family while you're in Sydney, as would going to the zoo and the aquarium. its not going to be much of a stay for you if it all revolves around your 4 year old son.

 

Kids that age just love going out and seeing things and doing things they don't normally do.:)

[alternateamber]

As January is our summer it may be too hot to spend ALL day at the beach... You really will only want to go there for a few hours in the morning or late afternoon... We try not to be out in the sun from 12pm to about 3pm as that is when the sun is at its hottest...

 

With a 4 year old you may want to take him to the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo... a bus ride from the city... he can touch things and make things and kids love it... Well all the kids I know do... The zoo is a ferry ride from the city... and depending on how long you have I may suggest a day trip on the train to the Blue Mountains... (some great little cafes down there as well)...

 

Hope this helps....

 

Meg