W Sydney [Master Thread]
 

Offical property landing page - W Sydney | Marriott Bonvoy

Opening October 2023. According to their on 7/5, bookings will open next Wednesday for November and beyond.

UPDATE 7/12:
W Sydney Bookings Now Live. Stay From 1 November.
W Sydney will bring its unique take on modern luxury to the city when it opens in October 2023, igniting the waterfront location with energy, style, and creativity. Ahead of its official October opening date announcement, W Sydney is now open for bookings for stays from 1 November 2023.

The exterior is looking pretty good.

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Booked over Christmas! The point value for stays so far is pretty good compared to the cash prices, IMO.

Drove by it the other day. The only problem is that it's right by a pretty busy road so low floors could be very noisy.

Close to 600 rooms, I can't wait to enjoy my quiet time on the Wet Deck.

Staying Dec 27-29 and will report back!

I can't see them selling even half of those rooms with rates upwards of $700 a night .

They've gotten off to a really rough start based on reviews on both Tripadvisor and Marriott's site. I wrote expressing concern regarding my upcoming stay and got a personal email back from the GM - I'll monitor things but I've never seen a hotel of that caliber get almost all one-star reviews. That's bad.

Looks like the TripAdvisor reviews are improving - not sure if it's the staff begging for 5 stars or what. I have a booking Dec 27-29 on Cash + Points. Any tips?

We”re there Dec. 23-26 so I’ll let you know.

I'll be there next week. I know Craig from his long tenure in Bali so I reached out and he was able to confirm me into the Wow Suite for the week. There's only 1 EWow on property so he wasn't able to confirm it this early but hopefully I'll get a night or two in that and I'll take pictures if so. It's 200sqm vs just 120sqm for the Wow level so it's a significant upgrade. They also have 2 and 3bdrm apartments with bosch ktichen appliances including an all in one washer dryer. My friend got the 2bdrm as a titanium a couple weeks ago and mentioned it was nicely appointed if plain but less spacious than the online pictures provided by the property made it seem. The room did have a clothing steamer which was a nice touch to release wrinkles while pulling clothes out of the luggage and a pleasant surprise as it's not mentioned on the room's furnishing list. Mentioned a confusing elevator system but I wasn't clear exactly what was meant by that but will report back.

My dates are 900 per night aus dollars I assume it’s a very high end 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Worth it?

I doubt it unless you are really a fan of the W brand. That rate would get you a very very nice room at another SYD hotel - before any upgrades. Mind you SYD hotel prices have been all over the shop the last two months. SO it is hard to say without a comparable.

Here for the week. I'm not someone who loves the W aesthetic but I've found this place comfortable. Paid around $130/nt for 7 nights so I found it good value but certainly wouldn't pay $600/nt. Not the most convenient hotel to get in and out unless you're just going to the convention center. Lots of car traffic it took over half an hour just to go up the road to the Crown but that happens sometimes in Sydney. A majority of guests seemed to be convention goers so probably very convenient for them. The breakfast was good quality and they have made to order eggs coffee similar to a lot of hotels in town. Good selection as well, and they have ice cream and Portuguese tarts that were great. Also had black cherries like the Park Hyatt. Not a ton of hot items but they had your typical hashbrowns and sausages. There was a rotating soup item that rotated between things like miso soup and congee. Also had some indian curries and hot dishes with naan. A good selection of fresh danishes and pateries smoothies as well. There’s also a chef making pancakes and waffles but no stevia or almond milk like Pier One. Not a huge fan of their chinese made Momo toiletries but they are the W brand standard so you know what you're getting. Nice views of the harbor that still has a 10 minute firework show every Saturday at 9pm. Welcome amenity of a few bottled cocktails and W branded hat, socks and wall adapter with a few chocolates. The building gets wider so the higher floor suites are slightly larger than the lower floor Wow suites. They have 1 E-wow but it is committed this week so won't be able to check it out and there are no pictures online but did have a look at the 3bdrm apartment. The bedrooms are quite small - as is the living room. Some of the pictures online are taken of the room before the walls went up so they look bigger than they really are. Kitchen had bosch appliances. In the Wow suite there's a long bar with wine cooler, butler's pantry, and the powder room has dyson hair that came in useful since the misses brought the same model but it ran out of battery so was able to use theirs to charge. Also had a clothing steamer that worked well. The top floor has an infinity pool but it's open air and it's been raining so haven't used it as much as I'd like. The room has a tub in the bathroom as well as bedroom which we’re both only big enough for one, and the shower in the bathroom is open to the whole room so you have to be careful not to get water all over the bathroom and even into the hallway. Both TVs had sound bars and there was a tablet to control music in all the rooms but I couldn’t figure out how to connect it to a device so the audio options are just whatever is in Tidal. Overall it's a nice new property but not one I'd rush back to.


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Thank You talking point for the great post and photos :tu:
Quite jealous of your rate however I thought the breakfast looked sensational
Not sure why the rates are so high next year when I look at my dates :confused:

Rates seem all over the board. May is really high but most of the year seems to be around 400AUD/250USD which is reasonable for a public rate. There are some good corporate rates especially right now due to low occupancy, probably due to poor reviews and being new. I haven't noticed anything that would warrant the surprisingly low reviews on the internet but haven't bothered to read them to see what the complaints are. If you have mobility issues and are trying to get into town, despite being close you will be waiting for a lot of elevators. The lobby is on the first floor and you have to take a single elevator to get out, but there are escalators that go up to it when you return to the hotel. Once you walk out there is a lot of construction going on if you turn right, so don't go that direction or you'll get stuck. I saw a lot of people go that way and get confused and have to walk back. You'll need to turn left and then walk along darling harbor until you find the overpass bridge to get into town - not fun in heels is what I was told :) We ubered alot but if you're not going far it would be a lot faster to walk anywhere in the evening due to the traffic. If you like the design of W it's not a bad property it's just not very convenient. It's more of a convention mega hotel - I think the largest in sydney now. Didn't see many families at all - mostly convention goers. They do close the pool at 6pm and turn it into more of a party bar area like a typical bar so locals did come in the evening but it's just not convenient to get to in high heels unless you drive in but it's a quite congested spot and you'd sometimes see drop offs backed up 10+ cars in the evening.

My only minor issue so far has been asking for late housekeeping as I'm working during the day. I asked them to come back at 4 or 5 and they never did two days in a row. I've had turndown show up once - so they are not consistent with that either. I just had them replace the bottled waters so don't know what the normal turndown service is supposed to be. I expect it at a new property but I could imagine these issues being annoying - especially if you were paying 900AUD and in a base room. I do agree the breakfast was very good - the closest comparison I can think of is Pier One but the W has a larger selection. We only had so many items on the table due to arriving right before breakfast ended that morning because I was in calls. They promptly shut down at 10:30am and I think 11am on weekends which is later than a lot of hotels here which is nice. If the price isn't too much more expensive than the HR it is a much nicer property - just less convenient to get to and no balconies or club. There are quite a lot of larger rooms/apartments so your chances of an upgrade are much better but that might change when occupancy is higher.

Wow you are quite informative have to watch for more of your posts in the future!
Hyatt Regency previously was considered the largest in SYD to my understanding
I may just stay elsewhere and dine at the W as I can stay at the Kimpton or InterCon for far less with 4th night free
May just do one night at the W to test and go to The Sheraton Grand which is my normal go to.
Now about those high heels lol I'll def remember to keep them in my closet ;)
I was in NYC and housekeeping asked me when I wanted my room serviced
and she said I go home at 1:30 PM so I said buh bye have a nice day :)
Nothing is like it used to be sadly but abroad better than most in the US.
Find it incredible folks put up with inferior experiences and pay top dollar
The younger one is perhaps the expectation is lesser as some may not have a past comparison to see how low the bar will go.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...key-valet.html

Not a good look..

I'm checking out this property in a few days, just to use up my last SNA, and got upgraded to a 2-bedroom apartment from the base Wonderful Room. The room was booked using some points that Pier One compensated me for a 1* stay experience earlier in the year. The hard product 2-bedroom looks bland in the photos, and we do not need the space for a short visit. We would have preferred a Marvelous Suite - whose looks and style are much more W-appropriate - over the 2-bedder, but the said suite does not look available.

That said, the reviews from various sources do not inspire or encourage us to stay comfortable. I will not lower my expectations because of these reviews and will call it out when I am on the property.

Luckily we live close to the hotel and will walk back home if we have a terrible time. Let us see what happens shortly.

Stayed one night, Dec 27. Was upgraded to a Fantastic Suite (Lifetime Titanium here) which was really Fantastic actually! Room had views of One Barangaroo, as well as Sydney Tower, and south/east/north views due to the shape of the room.

Breakfast - excellent. Good benefit selection value, as it's $55+ AUD.

There were problems:
- Check-in. I was upgraded to Spectacular on the app and she said it was "only" a fantastic room. Check-in agent didn't know the room was significantly better (neither did I) so a bit of confusion. Lucky I stayed with the room she saw on her system as it was amazing.
- Rooftop Pool: disappointing. The view is great, but it's virtually indoors and gets full quickly.
- Access: As noted above, getting in and out of the hotel by foot or car is ridiculous. Seems like a major design flaw, or something hasn't been opened yet. Either way, sub-par.
- Shower: No screen, which I understand, but water everywhere when you take a shower. It evaporates throughout the day but still, moving the floor towel around so you don't constantly get wet is annoying.
- Location: If you have a family, and want to visit the Aquarium etc this may work, but it's just too far from everything, in my opinion. I know the area and regret the choice. Chinatown is very close, for those interested.

Pluses:
- Amazing W Bed
- Excellent Views
- Breakfast
- 4pm late checkout honored, no issues
- Excellent gym with new equipment
- Price can be hard to beat. $300-380 AUD is pretty good for central Sydney for a property of this caliber.

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Entrance & Work Desk, Room 2204
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Bathroom
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Bedroom
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View (North)
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Welcome Drink
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Bed

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Breakfast
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Rooftop Pool
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Gym

Totally agree. My biggest complaints are the accessibility and shower setup. During rush hour it's impossible to get in/out via car and we also had issues not getting the whole bathroom wet due to lack of glass. Your room at least had a little glas separating the shower area and toilet. The Wow suite has no glass divider in there at all.

The W Sydney is a hotel built for influencers and those who want to be influencers.

There is a host of issues with this property - some can be fixed with training; others are due to building design. But given the clientele staying on site, I'm not expecting changes.

Booked one night using a 35k voucher plus points when bookings first opened up. Kept an eye on the initial reviews and saw how bad things were, so my partner and I went in expecting a real shitshow. Things weren't that bad, but not what you'd expect from a high-end hotel. Due to weather in Melbourne, we arrived fairly late (7pm) and end up having a super smooth check-in, taking the breakfast amenity and a 4pm check-out. The check-in agent hands us a A4 sheet explaining the hotel and its amenities and makes a point of telling us to arrive early for the breakfast as it can get busy later in the morning. Room was upgraded from a city-view Wonderful to a Darling Harbour Spectacular, and the sequence of opening the door and having the blinds automatically open to reveal the view of Darling Harbour and Sydney was quite impressive. A welcome card, a gift of a bottle of wine, and an invite to a Bonvoy cocktail tasting sit on the table. The in room wet bar looks fantastic and room design is unique and appealing. So far, not the shitshow we were expecting! I take advantage of the pillow menu and order some extra pillows to the room, then my partner and I freshen up and go out for dinner.

Things start to change when we get back from dinner around 10. We decide to head to the rooftop bar (29/30) and grab a nightcap. We're told that the place is busy by the host, but they have two lounge seats near the pool. We are taken there.. and they are entirely impractical for sipping cocktails, effectively padded banana lounges. The view after dark isn't much either, with a non-functional pool in front of the deep darkness of night. My partner and I decide to leave, but the host wants to re-seat us. She leads us past a bunch of mainly empty tables and people taking selfies, around a corner, and then to two side by side seats overlooking the highway. We look at the menu and all cocktails are $32 each. We leave and go downstairs to The Living Room. It actually is busy, and it's unclear if it's open seating or we have to wait for a table. A frightened looking host walks approaches us and asks if we're here for wine or cocktails. When we respond with cocktails, he tells us that they are actually closed. We go back to our room.

I still feel like a cocktail but need ice. My partner notes that the additional pillows didn't arrive, so I call and re-request them along with an ice bucket. About 30 minutes later, the doorbell rings and it's a runner with the ice bucket. I ask about the pillows. "Another guy is bringing them" he stays while walking off. At this point, we're both starting to fall asleep but decide to give it some more time and watch TV. Eventually, the doorbell rings again. It's another runner holding four bottles of water and attempting to hand them to me. I state that I was waiting for pillows. He responds no, that the order was for two bottles of water and two dental kits, then pulls out his phone and shows me his Whatsapp which has this listed with my room number and name (why are they using Whatsapp? how did they get the order wrong in two different ways?). I tell him that I don't need four bottles of water, that it's almost midnight, and to cancel the order. Comical. We activate the DND and go to sleep in the illuminated blue-green light of the smart light switches (don't expect complete darkness - the chrome wet bar reflects all and any light).

The next morning, we get downstairs for breakfast around 8:45. There's a short line to put our name down, then we're told to wait in a different line to be seated, but we're seated within five or so minutes. Everyone eating looks slightly miserable due to the tables and chairs - couples sitting next to each other with linked arms, groups of four at the bar. As we're seated, we're asked for coffee orders. A man at the table next to us says to his wife "I waited 45 minutes for this coffee and it's terrible." Fortunately, our coffees come somewhat sooner but he's right - it's push-button espresso, made even stranger given the manual espresso machine sitting unstaffed behind the bar. The variety of the breakfast is quite good, and all food on offer is fresh and tasty, especially the pastries and bottled juices. Staff swoop like hawks to clear plates, but never refill water glasses or ask if additional coffee is wanted. On leaving, the line to get a table for breakfast is easily 20 groups long.

Next, the pools. We decide to check out the indoor pool first. It is uncomfortably hot inside, and a couple trying to have a quiet swim together are getting the life story from an employee dropping two large bags of pool salt into the water. He invites us to have a swim, we decline. We head upstairs to the WET Deck and Infinity Pool, grabbing one of the last lounge seats in the place. This pool is impressive with great views of Darling Harbour. Despite all the selfies being taken in front of the W sign, this is not an adults only pool - kids are doing cannonballs while dads have swimming races. The glass roof is not UV coated either, which makes it perfect for getting a tan or a sunburn. Pool staff hand out sunscreen and guava slushies. My partner and I order cocktails off-menu to our room (they only have two cocktails on menu), and the server tells us that he has to translate our room number from English to French so he can understand what to write. The drinks are bad so we decide to cut our losses with one each.

Prior to check-out, we head back to our room to shower and pack. Housekeeping attempts to enter several times despite DND being marked on the door. I check the folio on the TV and see that they have charged us for the breakfast along with a strange $127 charge for "amenity". We leave the room and attempt to check out and are met with a check-in line at least 40 people long. There are people and bags everywhere, multiple lines for checking luggage or checking-in, and the Living Room is filled with arm-crossed folks waiting for their rooms. There's no space to walk due to how small the check-in area is. Staff are walking through the lines asking people if they have the Bonvoy app and if they can check-in online instead. Eventually, a staff member asks us if we need help. When I explain that I'm trying to check out and there's issues with the folio, she grabs my details, replies "Let me see if a manager is available", walks into an office and disappears. She returns ten minutes later and thankfully was able to remove the incorrect charges. My partner says "let's get the hell out of here" and I agree and high tail it.

All in all, an unsatisfying stay. The things that are meant to look good, look good - the view of Darling Harbor from your room, the infinity pool on the top floor, the teacup bathtub and chrome wet bar. All things that can be set up prior to you even arriving for your stay, and they look great in your next Instagram or TikTok post. But anytime I needed something that needed a near-immediate attention - an extra pillow, an extra glass of water at breakfast, the ability to check-out in minutes - it wasn't possible. All things that you won't see on Instagram and TikTok. It made me realize that while the W Sydney could train their staff better or make fundamental changes to the flow and layout of their building, they don't have any need to. People want to stay there to get their selfie in the pool in front of the W sign and to show off how large the breakfast spread is. I wouldn't pay $400 Australian a night for here based on what I experienced, but I also wouldn't get to brag to my friends that I stayed at the W Sydney.

I just want to agree with you on a few things:
- Indoor Pool: I was staying on this floor. I accidentally walked past it, went in and thought "what a waste of space". It's on the South side of the building (in the Southern Hemisphere) so it's dark, and uninviting. I thought maybe it's more for laps but it doesn't look like that. I don't get why this even exists (for the rain?)
- Outdoor Pool: You nailed it - Chaos & Kids. I don't think kids should be banned but make one of the pools adults only? (the outdoor one please)
- Coffee: I didn't think you could mess up coffee in Australia, but the W Sydney manages to.
- Whatever / Whenever (and your pillow / cocktail situation): The hotel is so massive, I don't know how they are going to get a handle on this. This is where smaller W's such as Rome & Istanbul are much more enjoyable.
- Instagram/Influencers: I don't get it. The arrival area / turn-in is unimpressive, then you get great Tik-Tok-worthy escalators, which dump you into a check-in area that is chaos, with a long wait for elevators, etc etc. Either go all Instagram destination or not at all. It's like they gave up in parts of the hotel.
- Breakfast: I thought that line up to see the Host, who then puts you in a second line / holding pen just weird.

I think I'll give it one more go if the price is right, but the annoying parts outweigh the stylish rooms and beautiful views.

I stayed for a week in November. I had reached out the GM in advance with a question, and he upgraded me well in advance to a full one bedroom apartment (my preference over a suite, as I wanted the full size fridge/freezer and washer/dryer). Definitely still some early things going slightly awry, but overall, I was pretty pleased.

Breakfast:
WOW. So many good things to say about the lineup, clearly a lot of care was put into curating the vendors used, and it's incredible to see so many local artisans featured, rather than generic foodservice distributors. Everything is well labelled, and attractively displayed. Great to see the variety from day to day with some of the hot sections too. I'm fairly certain my eggs benedict one morning was the best I've ever had in my life, execution of the egg and the wilted spinach was flawless, and I can't get over how good the crumpet was! Excellent on all these fronts. Do not miss the Portuguese egg tarts or gelato at breakfast either!

Where the breakfast experience wasn't as smooth was the service. My first morning, I was there at 6:45am, and it wasn't particularly busy, yet it took about 10 minutes for me to flag someone down to place a coffee order, and another 15 minutes for it to arrive. Service most days seemed a bit haphazard and awkward, with different staff stopping by to ask if I wanted to order coffee or eggs, and me telling them I already had many times. Overly attentive at times, and neglectful at others. Some days it took a long time to get seated, even when pretty empty.

Housekeeping:
A few little things.

• My bathroom trash can went missing after the first day. They must have emptied it and then forgot to bring it back?
• When I got back one day, my fridge door was open, and there was an ice cube tray sitting on top of my own things in the fridge (not the freezer, the fridge). It seems that someone opened the fridge to put the empty ice cube tray in (why? I had removed it from the freezer to make room for my own items, put it in the cabinet, and the ice cube tray was empty. Also, why put it in the fridge, not freezer?) and they didn't close it completely. I had a bunch of food in the fridge, so this was concerning.
• When my room was serviced one day, the coffee pods were not restocked. I called down to Whatever Whenever at 5:45pm to ask for some, and was told they'd be right there. An hour later they had not arrived, so I used the chat in the app to ask about status. They said they'd be there in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later, they still had not arrived, so I followed up on chat again. *Then* they were finally brought quickly.
• I like to sleep with a top sheet, which I requested after my first night (I know, very American of me). It was added with no problem the next day. When my linens were changed out on the 3rd day, the top sheet was removed and not replaced. I used chat the next morning to ask to have it added again. It was not added. So that evening I asked for it again over chat. It was delivered and set on the dining table when I was out of the room, not put on the bed.
• Turndown Service - This was a weak point. The first night, I walked in to find two staff members in the room, who looked very startled, blurted "turndown!", asked if I needed anything, I said no, and they wiped down the counter, and took the cup that was in the trash can out. The second night I think a water bottle was added bedside, but nothing else seemed done (no trash emptying, etc). After that second night, I never saw any signs of turndown service - no fresh waters, no trash emptied, no curtains pulled. I definitely don't need turndown service, and don't expect it generally, but it was strange to have it that first night and then not again. Very unclear what the service standard was supposed to be for that.

Apartment
I loved having a full apartment. It wasn't huge, and it wasn't extravagant and furnished for Instagram, but it had absolutely everything I needed. Washer / dryer with laundry pods, full kitchen with fridge, freezer, pots, pans, dishes, knives, dish soap, dishwasher, dishwasher tablets, nspresso machine, etc, etc. Soo much storage space throughout. Stunning views over Darling Harbour.

The Titanic of Hotels
 

TL/DR: It is the Titanic of Hotels


Full story: Embark on a journey with me as I share our escapade at the W Sydney, which boastfully announced “its bold design and electric energy will transform the Darling Harbour precinct and turn traditional luxury on its head” said the GM in 2021. Fresh from our December 2023 stay, we anticipated a colossal experience – the largest W hotel globally, almost 30 years of W brand and lifestyle glory, and many rooms with uninterrupted water views. Combined with their Whatever/Whenever service vow, we were poised for a spectacle Sydney had not witnessed before. Little did we know, we were in for a rendezvous with an unexpected iceberg.

Our arrival mirrored Jack Dawson's daring escapade onto the Titanic – a whirlwind. The broken-down IT system turned the lobby into a theatre of dimly lit confusion. Guests, bags in tow, loitered in a chaotic dance between the lobby and The Living Room bar, making us wonder if we had stumbled into a chaotic film set. Imagine those patrons in the bar paying $30 for a drink, only to be surrounded by frustrated adults and their boisterous offspring. Barman, I will take the check, please?!

When life handed us lemons, some people made lemonade, so we snuck off up to Level 29, hoping for a tranquil moment at the rooftop pool. Of course, before we left, the front desk staff took our names and promised to call us when their computers were up and running. With only 10 cabanas and 15 lounges to cater to guests, I anticipate upwards of 97% disappointed guests when the hotel is at capacity with almost 1,200 guests. But nothing is more tragic than those poor souls on the Titanic when they were told that there were not enough life rafts to save them all.

We did secure the last two seats by the pool – a stroke of luck reminiscent of Jack Dawson’s winning hand at poker, enabling his ill-fated voyage on the Titanic. When the official check-in time passed, and the hotel failed to contact us, we ventured into the online chat realm, only to discover that the system was back up. What happened to that promised call? Sadly, things did not start well either. Rewind the clock 72 hours, and I had reached out to someone with a manager in their title and only received a reply after we had departed the hotel. And you’re very welcome, W Sydney.

I did read a Google review by the name of ‘Connie’, who was celebrating a wedding anniversary, and that the hotel screwed up so badly on arrival day that they asked for a refund and left the property, never to return. It reminds me of those two German chaps in the Titanic movie who lost their poker game to Jack Dawson and their tickets to board the Titanic. Sure, it left a bad taste in their mouth, and one of the friends got punched in the face, but once news broke out about the disaster – I am sure both chaps were counting their lucky stars. Good old Connie-girl would have felt the same!

Finding myself back at the Welcome Desk Lobby – remembering that I would like to think a genuine luxury hotel would have brought my room key to the pool deck, asked if I needed an escort to the room and even a room orientation - we faced a queue of epic proportions of about 12 guests. It looked at capacity with 12 and can only imagine the chaos that could ensue with an enormous influx of 20,30,80 guests at 3 pm check-in time. Rubbing salt into the wound, elite members found no respite being forced to join the only queue with those in steerage cabins.

Despite the look of flustered staff, our Titanium status likely sparked some excitement with our check-in agent, and he made the process efficient and jolly. Kudos to him. However, the absence of an escort to at least the elevator or a more comprehensive room orientation was a departure from the expected norm of luxury hotel offerings in other Sydney hotels.

Our Suite Night Award upgraded us to a 2-bedroom apartment with Darling Harbour views, and while this may be envy-inducing for some, it lacked the panache of the W vibe. The Titanium amenity, two chocolate sticks and a 20ml non-alcoholic whiskey shot felt like an uninspired afterthought.

In pursuit of a last-minute lunch cruise to witness the start of the iconic Sydney to Harbour Boat Race, we contacted the hotel for assistance 24 hours prior and were met with a completely wrong answer. Should I have followed their suggestion, I would have booked onto a 4-day Royal Caribbean cruise ship from Sydney to Hobart. I politely advised that this suggestion was incorrect, and my request was referred to their Concierge Team. Sadly, no reply was ever forthcoming, which left us yearning for the promised Whatever/Whenever service expected from this brand.

Exploring the hotel's offerings revealed an indoor pool that flirted with gimmickry. Nighttime vibes bordered on eerie, reminiscent of Jack and Rose's descent into the icy waters after being chased by some guy with a menacing weapon. Daytime revealed limited seating, maybe three lounges, but this space could have been more memorable. Onwards to the gym, though generously sized, it lacked the enchanting harbour view offered by its nearby competitor, the Sofitel Darling Harbour. And breakfast time chaos ensued on a supposedly quiet day, begging for improvements from long queues and slow service delivery. The variety of foods was good but lacked any Asian options, and how dare they advise guests that your omelette is only restricted to three toppings? I like ham, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, fresh-cut chills, and cheese, thank you. However, I digress with my negativity. The view of the motorway was surprisingly enjoyable and contrary to my original apprehension of the BTWN views.

From a service point of view, this hotel has too many little faults. Turndown was weak. I do not know if it was done because I had reminded them via online chat or on their own steam – I have heard of frequently missed turndown services here, Google, Tripadvisor and more. Placing only water beside the bed and doing nothing else is not a turndown service FYI.

Despite the Titanium perk of a 4:00 pm checkout, our afternoon peace was disrupted by an unexpected visitor delivering a phone charger we had never requested. Regrettably, this person had also ignored our Do Not Disturb sign. So, congratulations, W Sydney.

At checkout, the same chaotic film set view we felt on arrival was again in full swing. It is the same one line, full of guests, snaking its way around the limited arrival space. As nobody was present to assist, I left my room key with a barman at The Living Room bar and departed hastily from our underwhelming experience – no fond farewells or goodbyes.

This hotel sure seems to inspire...something...in its guests ;-)

Were you actually attacked by someone with a weapon at the pool, or did I read that wrong? Seems like something that should cause compensation.

I think the OP went a little overboard with the Titanic analogies and were referring to the scene where Jack and Rose were chased through the ship by Lovejoy with a gun, rather than an actual altercation with a guest by the poolside.

I had high hopes for this place, but the design looks a bit too plasticky and hollow for my liking, and there are just way too many issues with service and the general layout of the property [i.e. the destination pool and its minimal loungers] to consider. Knowing what else is out there in Sydney's thriving hotel market? No thanks.

khabah

Dear alanslegal,

We are sorry for the unpleasant experience you have come across. If you can send a private message to us with below information for verification purpose, we will be pleased to share your feedback with the hotel management team for further follow-up.

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- A past stay already posted in your account (hotel name and stay date)
- The confirmation number or stay date at W Sydney

Please feel free to contact us if we can be of any assistance.

Best regards,

Carrie L
Specialist Social Media Care
Marriott International
[email protected]

I'm getting cold feet for my trip in April:eek: TripAd has the hotel between 3 and 3.5 stars
That is def not good! It Should be @ 4.5.No question they are failing on many levels
The only thing rated that bad in America for a brand new massive hotel is Resorts World In Las Vegas.
Think it may safer to go to the Kimpton Park Hyatt Sheraton Grand etc then risk a bad stay with organized chaos.
I don't have the patience I had decades ago especially after such a long flight
Even the one Yelp review says teething pains and more about a hotel to be seen in
Breakfast sounded like the best thing here.May be better to stay elsewhere and just try breakfast here?

I'm staying there now for my second stay (previous one was in November). Definitely still a number of small little issues - missing a trash can, the "good morning"/"good afternoon"/"Good evening" floor mats in the elevators not actually changed out (so it says morning at night), long lines at reception at most times of day, getting told my room was ready via the app/email and then when I finally got to the front of the check in line told it wasn't, very loud music blaring in the gym and no way to adjust even though everyone is wearing headphones and trying to hear their own things, etc. Nothing major, but, definitely not smooth sailing yet. The property really is stunning though.

The breakfast is high quality, but I wouldn't go just for breakfast - its great if you have status and pick it as your amenity, or if you get a package with it, but at $55/per person, definitely not something I'd seek out if I wasn't staying there (Sydney has soooo many great cafes!). Sheraton Grand is a classic, and has withstood the test of time. It isn't as stunning, but they have high standards and well trained staff, so far less likely to have minor things go wrong. If you have status or splurge for the Executive Club access, it really is a class apart and absolutely worth it for breakfast and evening canapes (which, really are often far more than canapes!). That said, they've really stopped recognizing elites well the past few years, which is why I started considering other properties in Sydney myself.

So, I wouldn't be spooked by the W, but it really depends what you are looking for.

Excellent well stated post.:tu:
I’d rather tour the property and stay elsewhere for now
I think the sheer size of the hotel and the cost of running and getting the proper Human Resources probably
will create an enormous challenge to offer a premium experience.
Many hotels understaff these days and hope for the best
Ownership and management are clearly failing the property with these numbers
Run down flop houses are scoring better no matter how attractive the property may seem
Enjoy your stay!

Recent stay as a platinum
- Booked cheapest city side room, upgraded to darling harbour view with larger room
- Room ready for 10am checkin, 4pm checkout provided no issues
- bottle of reasonable wine in room - reasonable in that it was from a vineyard and not some references to bushrangers, koalas or kangaroos.
- Breakfast as plat amenity is brilliant - nice spread of hot and cold items, not too busy
- Checkout was very busy - but easily handled in the app, lots of issues with people claiming they had been over charged for the room rate. That said, you know checkout is before 11am for most people, so staff the desk well so you do not have a queue snaking around the lobby, Help people with express and e-checkout.
- If you want to be near ICC then it is great with probably only the sofitel being better placed.
- But it is Darling harbour, so connected to Sydney via a footbridge, which unless you are reasonably familiar with Sydney is not overly obvious - around 10+ mins walk to Town Hall station.
- For location if Sydney is the aim then the Sheraton or Marriott CQ would be better
- You have to really really really like the W brand for this hotel, esp. as it seems to be a price premium over the others.

The perception in America by many insiders is that Marriott is overpriced on revenue or award (no denying that)
and too often of poor quality due to may sub par low end brands and weak elite recognition in a massive program
with too many Plat members (Thanks to American Express handing out free status )all chasing the same upgrade
The last round of devaluations has me firmly at other programs for hotel bookings now within US
Award prices now in Australia are now more than paying revenue.The same could be said for North America
Luckily I booked the rest of my stay prior to the massive Bonvoy devaluation at the Sheraton Grand.

I avoid Bonvoy generally as the program has become almost abusive to members in North America with elite breakfast benefits.
Now frequently I buy on price and location and order in Door Dash or dine out of the hotel.Or Stay
elsewhere where I may also hold higher tier status

That said I took one night at the W Sydney and had mostly a positive experience :tu:
Was upgraded as a LT Titanium to a very nice large suite.
The US dollar is strong so all hotels were of good value Down Under.
And the W Sydney breakfast better than any W or for that matter any Marriott i
n the last 30 years within Australia or most elsewhere.
Its so generous and of high quality it makes me never want to
stay in any Marriott in the US as I know I will almost always be likely disappointed.
I think Marriott would shut it down in the US
as it would make their other properties seem like welfare soup kitchens with their elite benefits.

Where the W Sydney is failing.
The front of the house: No surprise there we kind of suspected it on the large volume of negative reviews
We pulled up to the hotel in a taxi as we gave up walking as we could not figure out how to get there on foot
with luggage and the hotel had no idea where they are located from Sussex Street when we called.
Our maps showed us driving directions
and we had too much luggage.
I feel as dumb as their Whenever Whatever folks that had no idea where they are located.

Once in front of the hotel in a taxi no one appeared at all or assisted us with luggage.
So the driver left the luggage in the driveway and took off
As we made our way to the lobby via elevator wheeling our bags in a bellman approached us
but the gentleman could barely speak English.
Certainly understood as we are in Australia where English is not spoken ;)
Didn't understand we wanted assistance at the time of arrival :confused:

My only reason not to go back is it is hundreds more per night and unless empty/less busy service
may very well be limited.
The reviews reflect that and from conversations with other GMs elsewhere in Sydney and Melbourne
hiring is an enormous challenge for hotels
Though the Sheraton Grand has a weaker breakfast its still has a perfectly good one anyway.
As previously stated the service @ the Sheraton is 100% better, more polished with a team of professionals.
And for that reason you gain a proper experience almost always.You also lose the Instagram crowd
snapping photos till you are blind
in both eyes.Its a younger crowd and older folks like myself wanting to feel under 40 again!

Despite my service issues at the W Sydney they do try even when they fail and as an American
with our exchange rate a fantastic value
Even with the service defects we experienced we would be much bigger customers in
the US if the hard product and breakfast could
compare to the W Sydney.However even in luxury brands like the St Regis
the breakfast is simply inferior to what the W Sydney offers guests.
I left impressed with hard product and breakfast but uncertain
if I would return based on service levels (they are aware BTW) and location

And at the end of the day its to much of a good thing however at my age service kindness
and experience trump the latest gimmicks and
trendy 300 dollar stuffed W whale toys on the beds :p Even my younger non trendy cousins
said we like the Sheraton better and Hyatt service experience as its more personal
Like the W despite my comments.I might just stay elsewhere and just pay to eat breakfast there occasionally.
But never on a weekend when they will be mobbed!Its a Sunday to Thursday hotel IMO @ present

Okay, I went into the W Sydney with low expectations - what I will say is that I would consider returning, but darn, they have some work to do. Here was my experience:

Cons:

• Upgrade - they only moved me to a Spectacular Harbour View room - on check-in, I got a bunch of nonsense about how it was a triple upgrade, how suites were restricted to NUAs, blah blah - at some point, they told me they thought I would really want the Harbour view (okay, put me in a suite or studio with a Harbour view) - they had to talk to the Loyalty Manager, but I ended up with a Fantastic Suite that the check-in lady seemed really keen to try to talk me out of
• The front desk - the lady that checked me in was one of the most confusing hotel employees I have interacted with - she was constantly saying things that were confusing - unclear answers on when the room would be ready - once my keys were ready (they texted me), she told me to sit down and disappeared in the back for multiple minutes (she wanted to get the loyalty manager to greet me, but didn’t say that - so I thought she was just ignoring me) - at check-out, there were two associates standing at separate computers - I went up to one who told me he couldn’t do anything and then walked away (so was he training? If so, why did he leave?) - ended up with the same lady (at least she remembered my name) - probably the most stress-inducing front desk I have dealt with in a while

Neutral:

• There were already a few spots of wear in my suite - including on the carpet, etc - nothing terrible

Pros:

• I actually liked the room design - even with the stark white of many of the surfaces
• Bed was comfortable - medium-firmness mattress, plush covers, plush pillows - slept well
• Shower pressure was not bad and provided a good shower from the rainfall head
• Living room couch was comfortable
• The dolphin with koalas on it was cute
• So many towels in the bathroom
• Welcome gift had a handwritten card from the GM that talked about how they knew I liked sweets, and the coconut raspberry cake was very good
• Given two cocktail vouchers (each good for up to 30 AUD - cocktails at the Living Room were 29 AUD) - these said Ambassador on them - Asian inspired cocktail menu - both were unique and tasty
• Breakfast, as discussed, was delicious - lovely 65% dark hot chocolate, the eggs Royale were perfect (the crumpet was really good), great omelet, bacon and sausage had very good flavor, good waffle, good banana bread and cinnamon roll - service was quick enough at 6:30 - though, they tried to sit me with the teenage football team - guess I look like an athlete!

I would give them another chance.

Photos:

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Thanks for the photos and level headed write up about your experience .... :idea::star:
If you read google reviews it seems that there's still some drama

In full disclosure I had someone I know that works for Marriott let them know I was coming
Don’t think I would have gotten the upgrade on my own but could be wrong
They actually have a few strong team members but the majority are green who can’t do much of anything without approval and a bit robotic

My other thoughts it’s a sexy hotel with a beautiful hard product however I hate dark bathrooms with poor lighting
and the W lighting is a fail unless you go to have sex and want an erotic vibe
I think they could have taken it to the next level if they dropped some of the theatrical night club flair
That said as my Ozzie friends like to say it’s Over the top
and despite the service snafus
I still think about the memorable breakast as one of the top 3 breakfast standouts of my month away
Reminds me of how Hyatt used to be back in the day exciting to dine with

You might already know this, but you can brighten the bathroom lights by holding down the touch button - it will turn from the dim default to something more practical.

Hmmmm 🤔 Not sure I had it up full 🤷‍♂️
Thanks in case I go back!

Yes, the default is ridiculously dim, but this tidbit of holding is hidden in the Room tips section of the hotel information sheet.