Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Sydney areas where to stay

We visit Sydney for the first time in March and stayed in the CBD. I think it was a great choice for the first visit, easy to walk to the bridge, botanical gardens and opera house, and some shopping nearby.

We will be in Sydney again in late January and I would like to stay in some other area. What would be an active area to stay in? Restaurants, areas to stroll around, perhaps something extra to see would be nice.

the main hotels are in either Kings Cross - sleazy night life but interesting shops and places to eat and drink as well,.

darling harbour nice walkings - lots happening

the cbd - enough said

the beach's

coogee , bondi or brighton le sands

maybe double bay

manly or north sydney/milson point

homebush bay - or even parramatta , or even the Blue Mountains

google and if you have any questions - feel free to PM me

the main hotels are in either Kings Cross - sleazy night life but interesting shops and places to eat and drink as well,.

Kings Cross is not sleazy these days....


the beach's

coogee , bondi or brighton le sands


Coogee yes, Bondi sleazier than the Cross on a Saturday night. Brighton...yes if you enjoy suburbia.

I would suggest that the OP look at maybe Woollahra. There are plenty of smaller hotels around there it has some great pubs/restaurants and is the art gallery/antique centre of Sydney, if that's your thing. It's also within easy reach of the Eastern Beaches, right next door to Paddington.

You could try Double Bay, but in fairness outside of Knox Street and the Golden Sheaf there isn't particularly much to do there. Especially after the opened up the Westfield in Bondi Junction.

Kings Cross is not sleazy these days....
Coogee yes, Bondi sleazier than the Cross on a Saturday night. Brighton...yes if you enjoy suburbia.


Hmmmmm, I think to declare Kings Cross not sleazy is a bit much (especially compared to Bondi).

I think a lot of people would find Sex Shops, Strip Clubs and Street Walkers sleazy, all these things still exist openly in the cross (and they actively encourage your patronage as you walk past). None of these things would you find in Bondi.

Not saying there are not some good spots in the Cross but to make it sounds like its all changed is not near the truth and could cause a few shocks.

EAST

How is East Sydney (let's say the area not far from the original Marriott) these days? Lots of food options, close to transport and a walk away from all kinds of action, without being in the middle of an inner-city ghetto. Or maybay it still is. :eek:

It might be a little more convenient than KX, though I'd not mind staying around Potts Point and there are lots of places to hang there, too. How about the hotel beside Rushcutters Bay?

NORTH

Sydney's north shore, especially Crows Nest, has a ton of restaurants and bars, if you want to get out of the city rat race and still enjoy the finer things, with only a short ride to the city.

Getting slightly further out, to the northern beaches, you can get a nice beachy lifestyle with perhaps lesser crowds at one of the beaches, starting with Manly and heading north. Tons of food options and activities if you're outdoorsy. Definitely not inner city. :)

Either option has hotels. Either would be fairly convenient and give you a taste of Sydney, though not that much different from if you were staying next to the CBD.

[I enjoyed my time living in the East (close to KX/Rushcutters Bay) and then North]

Hmmmmm, I think to declare Kings Cross not sleazy is a bit much (especially compared to Bondi).

I think a lot of people would find Sex Shops, Strip Clubs and Street Walkers sleazy, all these things still exist openly in the cross (and they actively encourage your patronage as you walk past). None of these things would you find in Bondi.

Not saying there are not some good spots in the Cross but to make it sounds like its all changed is not near the truth and could cause a few shocks.

It's all relative. I have never met a tourist that thought the Cross was that bad when compared to "red light" districts around the world, it's small fry. Maybe Bondi was a bit of stretch....but it seems IMO that the touts who try and get you into the nudie bars generally seem to hang out in Bondi on their nights off.

It's all relative. I have never met a tourist that thought the Cross was that bad when compared to "red light" districts around the world, it's small fry. Maybe Bondi was a bit of stretch....but it seems IMO that the touts who try and get you into the nudie bars generally seem to hang out in Bondi on their nights off.

It is small I grant you but my GF who has to pass through there for work, in her work suit in the day regularly gets hassled to go into the clubs! That's sleazy.

It is small I grant you but my GF who has to pass through there for work, in her work suit in the day regularly gets hassled to go into the clubs! That's sleazy.

Granted that is definately sleazy. The only reason I said it's not sleazy is that it needs to be put in context. For Sydney it is sleazy for the rest of the world not so much. :)

CBD and Darling Harbour are likely the only places to consider - with Circular Quay included in the "CBD" definition.

The Cross is a dive - full of smackies, povs, skanky hoes, etc. Blech.

The Crows Nest area is packed full of great restaurants (Pinos for solid Italian, Borderland Mexican, La Grillade for pretentious bistro fare) but the accommodation there is utterly sub-standard.

If you want to get out of the tumour with 4 million cells, make your way to the civilised environs of the Hunter Valley - Crowne Plaza & Mercure offer great accommodation.

If you want to get out of the tumour with 4 million cells, make your way to the civilised environs of the Hunter Valley - Crowne Plaza & Mercure offer great accommodation.

And then throw yourself off the balcony when you realise that aside from sweeping panoramas and ok wines there is nothing to do after 6pm.

Kings Cross is not sleazy these days....



Coogee yes, Bondi sleazier than the Cross on a Saturday night. Brighton...yes if you enjoy suburbia.

I would suggest that the OP look at maybe Woollahra. There are plenty of smaller hotels around there it has some great pubs/restaurants and is the art gallery/antique centre of Sydney, if that's your thing. It's also within easy reach of the Eastern Beaches, right next door to Paddington.

You could try Double Bay, but in fairness outside of Knox Street and the Golden Sheaf there isn't particularly much to do there. Especially after the opened up the Westfield in Bondi Junction.

It took less than 1 minute 30 seconds before I got propositioned in the Cross while walking from the subway to a restaurant in Darlinghurst. Walking from Estacao Cardeal Arcoverde (near Copacabana) in Rio de Janeiro, I wasn't propositioned that quickly. Trust me, it's still sleazy, even by world standards.

I own an apartment in Rushcutters Bay, which isn't too far from Kings Cross. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rushcutters_Bay,_New_South_Wales Presently, my 21 year old daughter is living in the apt. and occasionally walks to the K. Cross train station. She's never relayed a problem with any denizens of the street while in the Cross neighborhood.

*

So smack-riddled street ho's and trannies aren't busting their guts to proposition 21yo female punters?

Who would have thought?

So smack-riddled street ho's and trannies aren't busting their guts to proposition 21yo female punters?

Who would have thought?

I would guess she's not trying that hard, or going to Edgecliff instead ;)

So smack-riddled street ho's and trannies aren't busting their guts to proposition 21yo female punters?

Who would have thought?


I guess that a possible explanation is in order... Her mother, my spouse, is a career LAPD official and mentored our daughters. Even though my 21 y/o is a ballet dancer and easy on the eyes, she tends to walk differently in the Cross then when she's in the CBD! Especially when she may be approached by street players, Libertarian Facists and the Like!

*

I guess that a possible explanation is in order... Her mother, my spouse, is a career LAPD official and mentored our daughters. Even though my 21 y/o is a ballet dancer and easy on the eyes, she tends to walk differently in the Cross then when she's in the CBD! Especially when she may be approached by street players, Libertarian Facists and the Like!

*

Meh, I've already got a ballet dancer.

First she'd dance on one leg, then she'd dance on the other.
Between the two, she made a good living! :p

Boom boom!

Bondi sleazier than Kings Cross?

Sure, you get plenty of what we yanks'd call guidos there (think wobs), but they're relatively harmless.

As a tourist, unfortunately, I'd stay in the CBD, especially being carless.

Bondi sleazier than Kings Cross?

Sure, you get plenty of what we yanks'd call guidos there (think wobs), but they're relatively harmless.

As a tourist, unfortunately, I'd stay in the CBD, especially being carless.

Yeh, you know it's funny I know 3 people who have been put in hospital after being bashed by a gang, all in Bondi, I don't know anyone who has had any trouble in the Cross.

the main hotels are in either Kings Cross - sleazy night life but interesting shops and places to eat and drink as well,.


Uh, main hotels in Kings Cross? Now which would those be exactly?

While there are still lots of backpacker places in the Cross, there really isn't much in the way of hotels left, let alone "main hotels". After the 2000 Olympics, many of the hotels in the Cross eventually got converted to condos (the Millenium, the Gazebo, the Rex, and on and on). While the Holiday Inn Kings Cross still exists, most of the other hotels (main or not) remaining in the area would be better described as in Potts Point.

We visit Sydney for the first time in March and stayed in the CBD. I think it was a great choice for the first visit, easy to walk to the bridge, botanical gardens and opera house, and some shopping nearby.

We will be in Sydney again in late January and I would like to stay in some other area. What would be an active area to stay in? Restaurants, areas to stroll around, perhaps something extra to see would be nice.I suspect this thread has not left you too enlightened as to where to stay. The sleaze in the Cross definitely exists but is rather modest and contained; it is tamer than San Francisco or London, as points of comparison. And a block later there are interesting neighbourhoods, good for walking. I chose to stay at Woolloomoolloo Bay for this reason (so that is one choice, out of the CBD but next to it). Sydney has lots of hotels but they are not very good outside of the CBD and tourist areas. The hotels at the beaches are generally a big disappointment, for example; certainly Bondi would not be my choice as a place to stay though it is fine for lunch. Just be aware that in the suburbs the hotels are not so good, and maybe a B&B is a better choice (but hard to find good ones).

I suspect this thread has not left you too enlightened as to where to stay. ..

Well put ;-) I think we will play it easy and stay in the CDB & neighbourhoods and explore the city a bit further with the public transport.

I once lived at the corner of red light district in Amsterdam so I doubt King's Cross would be any shocking..

Hey all, I wonder if the OP is self-restricting to HH/SPG (or other) chains or is just interested in what is out there.

I suppose FT is ALL and ONLY about miles & points.
However the regional forums like this one are fairly OT in the sense they focus on the destination.

Hence, why not consider the Taj's Blue Sydney (http://www.google.com.au/search?rlz=1C1CHMI_en-USAU295AU304&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=taj+sydney) (ex Dubya for a few years)?

As an ex-resident of the area I agree this area can be a handy spot if the OP wants to live the cafe and nightclubber life like some locals. Though it's probably WAY OT, the GLBT FTers probably have a wealth of info on the area, too. Just search Sydney there and you might also find something.

How about the hotel down at Rushcutters Bay? Is it still running or has it also been converted?

If the OP is around for a while, there is the serviced apartment option as so many places like the Gazebo (Sebel etc) and others are ex-hotels. If that is an option you have the option to metaphorically sleep in the bed of The Beatles. :p

Plenty of options if the OP can think outside the square(s)! ^