Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Airport Perimeter Hotels in SYD

If you had your choice of the Gemini Hotel, the Mercure or the Airport International Inn, which would you pick for just-landed/night-before/transit stays? Those are the three SYD hotels that pop up online over and over, and they all seem to come in around USD$100. Thanks for any input.

If you had your choice of the Gemini Hotel, the Mercure or the Airport International Inn, which would you pick for just-landed/night-before/transit stays? Those are the three SYD hotels that pop up online over and over, and they all seem to come in around USD$100. Thanks for any input.

The Mercure.

If you must stay near the airport, The Mercure

Just remember you are only fifteen minutes from the city by taxi

Also have the Holiay Inn. Ibis and the Stamford. Often less than US $100
Look at Wotif - Sydney airport (http://www.wotif.com.au/Search.jsp?region=1600&refine=simpleSearch&x=31&y=15)

It takes almost as long to get to SYD from the airport hotels as from the CBD, so there isn't very much reason to stay at an airport hotel there. Consequently the airport hotels are all hurting for business and are quite poor compared to the alternatives. As mentioned, the Mercure is the best of a bad bunch, but I cannot imagine any circumstance that would have me staying at the airport instead of in the CBD (and yes, I have had early morning departures out of SYD).

I'll agree with the comments posted by others here, that there's basically almost no good reason to stay at one of the airport hotels in Sydney, unless you had no intention to stay in Sydney at all (and were just flying in late at night and leaving early the next morning). The time saving is minimal, and cost savings aren't that large either.

Thanks very much all. I am putting my wife on a 2155 international departure and my son and I follow on an 0735 longhaul flight the next morning, so I expect that means we have to show up by 0600... it's only a few hours sleep, and I would like us to be able to wake up, shower, and run for it with minimal transit time back to the international terminal. I'll book the Mercure I guess -- it's close, and reasonable at USD$104 -- unless you think a 12-year-old boy would find anything fun or adventurous about the Formule 1 (not my cup of tea, but this is a boy who nurses an ambition to stay in a Tokyo capsule hotel :) ).

Mwenenzi, thanks for the Wotif link -- it's very informative.

The Mercure is the closest hotel to the International terminal, so it's going to be your best choice for minimising time lost heading between the airport and your room (it's a walkable distance from the terminal if you're so inclined - well without luggage anyway :) ).

The Formule 1 is certainly the cheapest option in the airport precinct, but unfortunately it's around near the Domestic terminals, so would be a bit of a hassle going around to the International terminal and back from there (and then back again in the morning).

You might want to check http://www.accorhotels.com.au/ for pricing on The Mercure as well, if you book a pre paid rate they have rooms from AU$129, so can save yourself a couple more dollars as well (just be sure to book the Hot Rates for the cheap prices).

Just a note on the Gemini I couldn't find the airport phone # at the area where you can call your hotel for free. I asked a teenager and he had never heard of the Gemini either. I finally was able to find the number after the kid asked a woman information agent. Took about an extra 60 minutes fooling around trying to find the phone #.

The Gemini was actually pretty nice. Rooms were pretty small but they were clean. A woman from Cananda swore by the hotel. SHe goes there every six month to visit her sister who lives in OZ. The shuttle driver was friendly and even put your suitcases in the back for you. He wouldn't accept tips either.

Just a note on the Gemini I couldn't find the airport phone # at the area where you can call your hotel for free. I asked a teenager and he had never heard of the Gemini either. I finally was able to find the number after the kid asked a woman information agent. Took about an extra 60 minutes fooling around trying to find the phone #.

The Gemini was actually pretty nice. Rooms were pretty small but they were clean. A woman from Cananda swore by the hotel. SHe goes there every six month to visit her sister who lives in OZ. The shuttle driver was friendly and even put your suitcases in the back for you. He wouldn't accept tips either.