pathetic service, rude and unpleasant staff, strange room layout, lack of communication between staff and complete ignorance of customer care.

My girlfriend and I arrived in Sydnet knowing the main hotels - all of which were booked out - I am so glad - we found a jewel that Sydney should stand up and applaud. Romantic, delightful, quiet yet close. This hotel made our trip - Well Done

My girlfriend and I arrived in Sydnet knowing the main hotels - all of which were booked out - I am so glad - we found a jewel that Sydney should stand up and applaud. Romantic, delightful, quiet yet close. This hotel made our trip - Well Done

My husband and I really enjoyed our stay here. It was nice, comfortable and within walking distance of the opera house, the rocks, and in the middle of downtown. The indoor pool was heavenly with jacuzzi and sauna. The staff was very courteous and helpful. It was quiet and comfortable. Rooms all seem updated and quiet. Great location with reasonable price. In all, I would highly recommend staying here. You can even bood your tours with the front desk

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!