Description: Even though I’d booked my trip in February of 2005 for New Year’s Eve, my travel agent was having difficulty finding me a room for only one night on the night of all nights in Sydney. Most hotels wanted a two-night stay, and $300 a night on top of that.
In an effort to find some hotel names to email directly and plead for an exception, I came across the Rydges Jamison Sydney on Expedia.com. They would allow a one-night stay and the cost was $279 a night. I couldn’t believe it! I even called Expedia to make sure I was reading things right. They said it was an honest deal, so I booked it on the spot!
The hotel is on Jamison Street, right off of George Street – a main road down to the harbor. It was only a three-block walk to Circular Quay (pronounced “key”) which took about 5 minutes. It was a 20-minute walk to Darling Harbor, which is where I had to catch my New Year’s Eve cruise, which was a longer walk, but turned out to be a non-issue. I was able to catch a cab there, and the walk back was safe, as there were a million other people out as well, and no cars as the roads were closed.
I was also impressed by the security on NYE. There was a bellman posted at the front door checking to make sure that anyone who entered the hotel was a registered guest. Bravo!
The hotel was listed as a 4-star, but I’d venture it was on the verge of 5. The rooms were beautiful, and mine had a view behind some buildings into the harbor. The room had black out shades, which came in handy when sleeping in after a long New Year’s Eve, and all the amenities you’d expect.
The staff was wonderful, making me feel like I was the most important guest everywhere. They were quick to answer questions, and the concierge was a fount of information.
There was a business center available as well, charging $5 for 20 minutes of Internet time. I will say that the hotel gave off more of a business-traveler vibe, but I was never treated as unwelcome as a tourist – just the opposite.
I was very pleased with my luck on getting to stay in this hotel, and would highly recommend it to anyone venturing to Sydney!
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