Aerotec

Thanks for the advise you lot! It is great and looks like a good non touristy time will be had!

If I get a chance to meet any of you then the VB's are on me!

I am working on accomodation and want to know what you think of the following apartment...

Metro Hotel

At AUD$250-280 it seems a lot farer than the AUD$920 the IC wanted. I can then save the money to do the IC for the rest of the vacation in BKK/SIN and MEL and the 4 days I will be in SYD over Xmas.

Do these places get a bit rowdy or will it be a decent enough place to crash at night?

Ta!

Aerotec

Argh! Yet more Qs!

Which is better to fly into from SYD? Mel or MEL(Avalon)?

Also for the SYD to Cairns flight which offers the better lounge? T1 or T3!

I think T1 is international so might have an F lounge if they allow you to use it on Domestic flights?

Ta again!

Kiwi Flyer

MEL - avoid Avalon as that means deathstar.

For international QF flights (numbered less than 400) with domestic leg, uses international terminal and international lounges. At SYD I think the domestic lounge is better than international, but the meal and seat better on the "international" flight.

GoldFlyer

Never heard of that hotel, must be around Chinatown though. It would be a big step down from the IC. If that doesn't matter and you are only after clean and comfortable I'll think of some better 2nd tier hotels for you in a better location. Too early yet.

BTW don't swear at us with your VB's, we drink HP's on this board.

Aerotec

Guess I better go Google HP before I get flamed off!

Thanks for having a ponder on hotels. Can get the Hilton for $285 then $385 for day 2/3 of booking. But if it is not the IC with Club Lounge access then it starts to become just a decent place to crash as being more important.

If I splash for the IC over Xmas 23-27, then pop to Cairns then I am happy to go cheaper when we get back for New Year.

What goes on at the waterfront over New Year. Apart from the fireworks are there other outdoor entertainments laid on? We don;t need tickets do we? Edinburgh has to ussie tickets due to over crowding on the streets.

og

Whilst that part of Pitt St is handy for the business part of Sydney, I, personally, would prefer to stay around Darling Harbour (1 km west of the CBD). For about the same $ as the Metro, you can try the IBIS or perhaps the Mercure. The walk into the city from that side of the bay is stunning. There will be plenty of eating options at Darling Harbour as well. As for the walk down to Circular Quay (ie the Opera House and Sydney Harbour ferries), it's about 20 min from the Metro and about 30 min from Darling Harbour.

As for entertainment, you will see fireworks on NYE from 21:00 - view from Sydney Opera House waterfront or Darling Harbour (with 250,000 others). There is weekend entetainment at Darling Harbour. The Festival Of Sydney
http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/corporate/default.asp
will have high quality entertainment. Maybe too early for the 06 calendar, but last years was reasonably impressive - depends what you like.

Aerotec

Thanks for the input og,

The issue seems to be availability and overinflated prices. Most booking sites are not showing any availability on the medium priced chains.

The Ibis Darling Harbour prices at AUD$1198 for the 3 days! But if it offers a good location that that could be worth booking.

number_6

Ibis location is ok, facilities are typical ibis (2 star compared to 5 star for IC and Hilton), so you are mainly paying for the view at those rates. If the view isn't important to you, should be able to find better hotels for half that price. Try away from harbor views (e.g. Sheraton has no view of the fireworks but very nice view, is a luxury hotel, and prices at AUD 240 for 12/30, as a point of comparison).

In general you will pay double for Sydney over new year's, compared to the week before or after. In some cases triple. This applies to restaurants as well as hotels (at least the "in" ones). Much cheaper to go to MEL for NYE instead (and some would say much nicer). But the choice is yours, just don't go looking to save money with this schedule, it is designed to maximize cost.

og

Sorry Aerotec, I didn't realise that you were attempting to find a bed in Sydney at the peak time of the year - as number_6 said, if you want a Harbour view, you will certainly pay for it. This makes the Metro good value even if it is not in the most touristy part of the city (I am not familiar with the Metro, but know the area - it's quite OK).

Aerotec

The SPG.com site does indeed quote $240 until you click in to the hotel and it rates it at $580 upwards per night.

I do think it could be a good idea to "do" Sydney over Xmas then get out of town and go to Melbourne for New Year. Hmmm. Will have to ponder on it!

tinkybelle

If you do intend staying in syd for NYE I think you should secure soemthing now.
the metro is very ordinary.Id do the IC.

Aerotec

Yes I'm back again...still hotel hunting!

I now only want a hotel for the nights of the 31st and 1st so makes choice even harder.

I could get somewhere cheap out at Paramatta which I wouldn't normally mind apart from being in Sydney late on New Years eve. What transport runs after "the bells" on New Years Eve or what chance is there of getting a taxi on the street and how much would it be to Paramatta?

I can get the Swissotel (64 Market Street) for AUD$535 with Club Lounge access so this is probably the best option at the moment. Not up by Darling Harbour but literally all that is showing as available for those dates.

I could also get the Sheraton on the Park for AUD575 but no lounge access.

Any comments on transport to Paramatta or on the location/quality of above hotels appreciated! I am almost there!

EDIT: Oooh, Sofitel Wentworth Sydney letting me book 2 nights for AUD$820 which is good but food etc on top of that! Hmmm!

Rich

thadocta

You should not have any trouble getting out to Parramatta after a night of festivities on NYE - cabs will be a problem, they will be in extremely short supply. Trains will be running, all night long, and will have ample police and Transit Officer presenece, so safety and security will not be a problem. Only problem which I can foresee is if you choose to return to Parramatta at the same time as everybody else, in which case you may have to stand, but it is only about 25 minutes or so, so it will be bearable.

Dave

Aerotec

Dave,

Many thanks for that response. I am happy to stay out at Para as the rest of the trip will be ICs etc and though I would love to be able to stroll back to my hotel I would rather put the money to good use doing some diving etc up at Cairns!

If Para is so easy to get to then I can get the Crowne Plaza for about $200 a night which is much better! And happy to hang around till I find a cab or jump on a late night train.

Thanks!

MELSYD COMMUTE

On the Hilton, you mention its a trade down from the IC, but unless you're very focused on the club lounge then the Hilton has just been revamped. Not stayed there yet but the bar definitely rocks and the rest of the hotel looks great.