Happy

No offence here, but I found most travellers from UK have much higher expectations on hotels, airlines and cruiseships. Too often when you check reviews on Tripadvisor, many complainers were complaining little bitty things, especially when comparing what they paid for such, especially when they obtained it from the outfits like Priceline or Hotwire.

Marriott SYD Harbour definitely is not a 5 star hotel. It is more a 3+ star at best. The only selling point of that hotel is the location.

If you are looking for 5 star experience in SYD, especially in the waterfront location, then you need to book Park Hyatt (about 400 AUD?), or IC...

If you want value and good location, then try Holiday Inn Old Sydney at The Rock - just before the turn of street corner from the front entrance of Park Hyatt on the other side of the street. (Park Hyatt's "back door" - entry from the restaurant, right on the harbour edge.)

I never understand how people can have such high expectation when they got their rooms from Price Line.

While the 2nd post responding to OP seems harsh to many - it is not too far off line imo.

simong

I guess perception is everything, I tend to look for people from the UK/Aus and Europe rathe than Americans on tripadvisor as I find they are more realistic to my mind. Especially if it is to do with walking distances!

markis10

The hotel was rebranded from a Renaissance in 2002 and refurbished, its porbably getting a little long in the tooth now and as others have mentioned there are other properties that offer better value. I recently enjoyed the HI Rocks for $99 a night and often get loyalty program discounts that bring the nearby IC down to $200.

holtju2

The problem is that people should get consistent product when they choose a Marriott. As you pointed out most of them are 3 to 4 star properties even when some of them are marketed as 5. Today if you choose a "Marriott" you never know what you will actually get.

Considering what the "elite" benefits at Marriott chains hotels nowadays are I normally fully utilize my SPG PLT and IC RA benefits when traveling. No need to put up with inferior Marriott product.

Oh well. My corporate rate at the Sydney IC is less than that I have never received anything else than a corner suite with a Sydney opera view + all the RA bennies.

graraps

I usually am happy to stay in a 3+ star hotel (which I will agree with you is probably the most appropriate rating for the property in question), but what is wrong with expecting something approaching a 5-star standard when having booked a hotel rated as such?

Whether you book a hotel on Priceline, pay with loyalty currency, utilise a negotiated rate from a TA or make a reservation at full rack-rate doesn't matter.

Or are you suggesting that paying the normal Marriott website rate of $306 (which had been substantially more than virtually every single 4-star hotel in Sydney that I came across) would have yielded a better experience?

jsfr

This weekend I booked two rooms in this hotel for the end of March through Priceline and was about to start a thread to ask my queries before I saw this one!

Normally I stay at the Hilton in Sydney on business, but this time it's leisure with Mrs FR and a friend, so I thought I'd try elsewhere (the Hilton is in a boring location), I was about to book the holiday Inn Old Sydney before seeing that on Priceline Opaque you're almost certain to get the Marriott by the Harbour so tried it, and we got it.

Here is my (pro-active) question: As a Marriott Gold Elite Member (mostly from Airport hotels in Europe), will I get any recognition at all even though I booked Priceline? - I know I won't get points.

In my previous two experiences with PL (one Westin and one Hyatt in the US), they have always been happy to provide us with an upgrade for cash to a room with a view (which Mrs FR wants) - would they offer this here? Does anybody know how much would it cost?

Am I better off waiting until I get there, or can I somehow get in touch with them beforehand? Mrs FR is often worried that we will be treated like second class citizens if we book through PL - but hey, this one is leisure after all (i.e. my own Bank Account)...

graraps

I got a room with a view for free, and with early check-in, so I guess it's not very busy nowadays (I was there on a Saturday, so that may have played a part, too).
It's not a *bad* hotel per se- but the 5-star rating is about 1.5 star too high.

Happy

I dont know why Marriott would be considered a 5-star chain. JWM and Ritz would be, but no way a regular FS Marriott would be considered a 5-star for most. As someone has posted, the Marriott SYD Habour may be classified as 5 star by PL, but frankly, who the discerned travellers would use PL ratings?

I use PL a lot, especially in US big cities or popular destinations. However, I have my expectation on PL hotels - one of the golden rules is, PL customers usually get the crummiest rooms in the whole property, since PL customers normally paid 50% of the "normal channel" rates. However, given I pay much less, I wouldn't ask for a whole lot - unless the room is really really bad.

In OP's first post, even he admitted those are small things...

Regarding your Corporate Rate on IC - that is not fair to compare a retail rate versus a negotiated corporate rate. Since the corporate rate is, 1) negotiated based on volume business with the said chain or said hotel. 2) Not accessible by public. So that is a pointless statement when your corporate IC rate is lower than $200.

Happy

If you refer to the rating of PL then, you ought to understand that PL rating "standard" has nothing to do with the overall quality of a hotel, but the "amenities" offered by the hotel, from gym to restaurant to conceige to whatever PL used to throw in its rating system.

Frankly, even at true 5-star hotels, I wouldn't expect the Concierge folks stay past 10pm to cater for the guests whim. You may get a butler type, 24/7 services at some truly high hign end properties, but Concierge desk closes at 10pm is very reasonable imo.

Using PL rating as a standard is the mistake you made, to set your expectation upon.

This Marriott has not marketed itself as a 5 star hotel. The 5-star hotels in SYD are Park Hyatt, IC, FS, Westin, Observatory, even Sheraton on the Park, is a better hotel than Marriott, abeit the location may be not to most tourists liking. A little research on several review sites would tell you this hotel is definitely not a 5 star, although PL classified it so.

Frankly, I dont know why anyone would even use PL ratings as a measurement, given it is a "bargain-seeker" booking mechanism. (nothing wrong with bargain-seeking, I PL hotels frequently in US but I have my expectation adjusted when I PL rooms.)

Nope, I would not pay the Marriott rack rate. In fact I would not consider Marriott at all for my stay in Sydney, be it paid regular rate, PL bid, or using pts. In fact, this would be a Waste to me to use MR pts. Like I said, if you are for value, HI Old Sydney is a far better choice.

Regarding why Marriott is priced much higher than your other names, such as Clarion (which is a lowly motel chain in US, fwiw), Mercure, Novotel etc, you do not see the fact that Marriott is a major US chain that largely target business travellers. For whatever reason, US business travellers going aboard, tend to stay in US chain hotels that at home, are being used by business travellers. They would rarely go for any of the names you mentioned, when they are in SYD (or elsewhere) for business.

Your disappointment largely stems from "misidentity" of the hotel - it is not what the perception you have in mind - 1) Not a 5 star. 2) Not for value-seeking customer. A total mismatch if you will.

graraps

I didn't put any trust in the Priceline rating. Tourism NSW use the standard 1-to-5-star rating, and have the Marriott listed as a 5-star.

I know this is also based on things like staff/guest ratio, gyms and concierges etc and consequently can't be all-encompassing, but how do you set your expectations when staying in a chain (or, better still, individual property) with which you're unfamiliar?

trekkie

I am currently here at this property.

I'm a bit unhappy but won't post further details until i hear back from bdschobel on an enquiry i made.

craz

after a long search off FT found my answers

DesertSailors

We recently stayed at this hotel and enjoyed everything about our stay. We were there for 4 days and it provided us the best of what we have come to expect from a FS Marriott. The accomodations and service were good and the location was fabulous. Our expectations, though, were what we know to be a FS Marriott and that suits are needs.

Delta3MM

These may be covered in other threads, but this one seemed to be the best to update.

1) Wireless in the lounge is now free (has been for quite a while). No more annoying pass codes or anything, just free.

2) It seems during winter months, management *may* close the lounge on Sunday evenings and Monday mornings. This is what my letter, given to me at check in (which I almost never read), said. I called at your service, and they said I should have been issued breakfast coupons. I said I had not, and she said she would check and call back. However, when she called back, she say that this Sunday/Monday they would be open. She implied that most Sunday/Mondays in "winter" they would close.

Although a full breakfast in the restaurant is MUCH better than the lounge (and shame on those of you who think this is a great lounge - go to the JW Bangkok - I mean, really!), what I would miss most is INTERNET access from Sunday 10:30AM until 5:30PM on Monday. That's way more than a 24 hour period.

Glad the lounge WAS open the Sunday/Monday I was there - not having internet access (for free) would have forced me to BUY it. You don't know how loathe I am to do that!

Billy

gorgi_flyer

wifi is free.

Food often varies. If you visit during may/june period, this hotel like many in sydney are in cost cutting mood and it is often reflected in the food offerings.

Like maybe one less hot dish and so forth. The desert is taken out at 7.30pm each night with fruits and flavoured water such as orange and watermelon taken away together. The hot food and other dishes are also taken away at 7.30pm.

You can get good views of the harbour bridge in the lounge.