Glorious Sydney!

I hadn’t been to Sydney for over 10 years, so was delighted that I got to go last week for a Social Media Conference. I left work on Wednesday afternoon to catch a Qantas flight to arrive in the early evening.

My colleague and I took a cab (very clean, unlike the Adelaide one which was dirty and was driven by a Indian who talked on his mobile for most of the trip) to our hotel – The Grace – which was located in the CBD. The hotel was gorgeous, and this was my review on Trip Advisor:

I’ll admit it… I’m a very fussy traveller. But from the minute we arrived to the second we left, I felt very well looked after. Check in was smooth (be prepared to hand over your credit card details, though!). I was very pleased that I was on the 10th floor (which meant no street noise) and quite a distance away from the lifts.

The room was very clean, quite sumptuous and had all the mod cons (flat screen TV, deep bath etc.). Late night travellers be aware: I couldn’t get the lights to work, and it was only when I went downstairs and asked that I discovered I had to put my door key in the slot next to the lights (no signage to that effect). The room was very quiet… I could have been the only person in the hotel, and the curtains blocked out all light, which was great. Bed was super comfortable, and I slep exceptionally well. The only niggles were that the air conditioner was slightly rattly, the TV reception kept dropping out, and the bathroom looked a little bit tired (but it was very clean). Wi-Fi was pricey, so stuck to my iPhone internet.

We dined in the brasserie for breakfast and the offerings were extensive and reasonably priced ($22 for a full breakfast). I didn’t order room service, so can’t comment on service or pricing. All in all, I’d definitely stay here again. It was an excellent experience.

The first night I didn’t sleep well, despite the excellent meal on Darling Harbour, with beer and cocktails. My daughter texted me at 12.15am to tell me she missed me. I watched my sleep cycle fly out the window. I finally got to sleep, but woke up unsettled and a little homesick. Who knew I’d miss my cat that much?! Once I got going though, that feeling passed.

On the second night, I bought a bottle of red after dinner, took it back to the hotel, had a bath, watched TV and had a couple of glasses and slept like a baby. I woke up raring to go!

I loved being in the midst of a busy, bustling city. I found most people polite and helpful, especially when purchasing train tickets! It was wet, but not that cold, and I enjoyed the difference in weather.

I could have – no, should have! – stayed longer!

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