AnnaG

Hi there, <BR>Bit slow on here the last few days? Is the summer rush over and the forum less in use now? I hope not, our trip is 5 weeks away and I still need loads of help!<BR><BR>We arrive in Sydney straight from a 20 hour flight from London, 36 hours after our wedding. I'm guessing we will be ready for some good sleep, and since this is the start of our honeymoon, we'd like to make it a nice start. Wotif have great deals and the plan is not to book until the last 2 weeks. However, I'm just looking for some help on what should be on our wishlist of hotels, so that I can be checking out their rates a couple of weeks in advance, and ready to snatch up something good when it's on offer.<BR><BR>View from the hotelroom is important, but otherwise in terms of location we don't mind walking a bit to the sights.<BR><BR>Bedroom and bedroom facilities must be well above average, if we're going to waste the first few days asleep, let it at least be in nice surroundings.<BR><BR>Our budget is up to AU$250 per night, maybe we could get a better deal for the 4 nights. We'd like breakfast included for that price.<BR><BR>So which hotels should we check out? I see ANA comes highly recommended, as does the Observatory, but considering the criteria above, I'd love to hear your personal recommendations too.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Anna

ebrener

Hi Anna:<BR><BR>I just returned from our honeymoon and we stayed at the Sheraton 4 Points. The room was very nice, king bed, desk, decent size bathroom, and we had a view of Darling Harbour, plus it's a very short walk from there. I've heard very good things about the Sheraton at the Park as well.<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR><BR>Enrique

margo_oz

I had a look at wotif.<BR><BR>Of the hotels offered, with your requirements, ANA sems the pick. I have stayed there. The upper floor rooms have good views of either the main harbour or the harbour to the west. The room I had wasn't especially spacious though (although was at conference - so may have been cheaper room!)<BR>The Intercontinental may be worth looking at. Medina Grand Harbourside, and Medina Grand are close to Darling Harbour, which is not the Opera House / Bridge view. They are also a bit away from the main tourist area of the Rocks/Quay.<BR><BR>Quay West Suites would be worth looking at - may be my pick. But you would need to check if the room has a view, and of what?<BR><BR>The main hotels with views, Park Hyatt, and Four Seasons, don't seem to list here.<BR><BR>Have fun in Sydney!

Alan

Hi, Anna!<BR>Before you book a hotel in Sydney, make sure you know exactly what they mean by &quot;harbour views&quot;.<BR>I have seen this happen time and time again, with hotels around the Darling Harbour area. They correctly advertise &quot;harbour views&quot;, but neglect to point out that the &quot;harbour&quot; they are talking about is not beautiful Sydney Harbour, with its bridge and its Opera House, and its white sailboats and green foreshores -- the stuff of picture postcards -- but DARLING Harbour, which is &quot;around the back&quot; of the Bridge, and is, to be honest, nothing more than a river-width of water (called &quot;Cockle Bay&quot surrounded by ugly freeways, an Imax complex, a couple of convention centres that have much in common with airplane hangars, and a few of the ugliest and most ostentatious hotels built in Sydney in forty years. If you're high enough in one of these &quot;harbour view&quot; hotels, you might be able to see the smoke-stacks and factories of the Rozelle-White Bay area to the west. Some view!<BR>I recommend that you tell the hotel that you simply MUST have a view (for religious reasons, or whatever) of Fort Denison. This is a small island smack in the middle of Sydney Harbour. If you are looking at it, chances are you will be looking at the Opera House and the Bridge, and from the RIGHT angles. Don't be fooled by hotels like &quot;Southern Cross on Harbour&quot;, which is in Chinatown and looks only at Darling Harbour, and that other hotel (Four Points? All Points?) in Sussex Street which advertises &quot;harbour views&quot; without, significantly, specifying which harbour.<BR>This is not very ethical behaviour, and it's certainly not the Aussie way! These are all well-reputed INTERNATIONAL companies!<BR>Some hotels that will have genuine Sydney Harbour views (although you could easily get a room looking the wrong way) would include the Renaissance, the ANA, Quay West, the Regent (which has a new name now -- help, other posters!), the Quay Grand, and the Park Hyatt. The Old Sydney Holiday Inn doesn't have much in the way of views, but it's in such a honey of a location that you will be looking at great views every time you step out of the hotel.... all those other hotels will be looking at you! Same goes for the Russell, which is great value owing to its lack of air conditioning.<BR>Hope this is some help!

Lucy_of_Oz

Happy to oblige Alan - the Regent is now the Four Seasons.

Shultzy

Hi - Hard to know what you are looking for in terms of luxury so I can't really help in recommendations. I have a large data base of site for everything in Australia but if you have plans to travel a bit (or not) you may find www.nrma.com a very useful resource. I know I did.<BR><BR>FYI - Regards Canada

AnnaG

Thanks everyone! It's great to log on in the morning from Ireland and have all your replies waiting. This is a real help, thanks again.<BR><BR>Anna

Travelnick

We stayed at the Westin after checking out room quality - you do not get the views of ANA (Views from high up are OK - you can see harbour but a little bit through the gaps in buildings) but I think rooms are the best in Sydney - but you should have preference for cream as the dominant colour. (we checked out about 6-7 of the top hotels, most mentioned here including the ANA, Observatory - quite chintzy if that is your taste). The hotel itself (going to their reception desk) gave us the best price A$265 for deluxe room incl breakfast (was not available on their website).

mpoll

Apart from wotif, you might also try www.needitnow.com.au and www.lastminute.com.au