One of the best places to stay in Sydney is around Darling Harbour but the price is also extremely high. Another place to consider is the city centre which is only 10 – 15 mins away from Darling Harbour by car and 30-45 mins by foot.
Just within the radius of 20km, there is at least 3 -4 Novotel hotels so when you take a taxi, it is important to tell the driver which Novotel is your destination. The building itself is quite dated and is just next a school. The surrounding areas is quite peaceful but yet there is a Woolworths just 5mins walk away and a 7-eleven convenience stall 5 mins away as well.
The lobby itself is huge with a large reception area and sofa area for big groups to sit and wait for their registration. The check in process itself is very fast and professional like the Accor standards although we had some issues connecting to the WIFI. The counter staff immediately provided us with another service login.
There is an area of the lobby which is dedicated to families where the kids can watch the cartoons on the TV as well as play with the puzzles and games provided together with their parents.
The hotel lounge and bar is just to the side of the lobby with low lounge sofas.
The lift lobby was spacious with 3 lift servicing the entire hotel
The corridor is plain and brightly lit and it is generally well maintained.
I had a corner room which was right next to the swimming pool. The room was huge with more than enough space to prance around the room. The double bed was hard and provided good support. The room looked dark due to the brown furnishings.
Just from the entrance, there is an area for the wardrobe and for luggage as well as a little bar counter with a small fridge. There was a bottle of complimentary mineral water provided as well.
Contrary to the bedroom, the bathroom is considered more bright and cherry. The size is typical of a business hotel and is neither small or big.
The shower area is rather spacious with a rather old looking shower system.
The huge let down came immediately once I started to shower as the area started to flood. The water would not subside as I continue to shower and there was a point that I had to switch off the shower and stand at the side to wait for the water to clear out. I did not put in a comment as I was only staying for the night but will do so on trip advisor soon.
The little balcony I had actually opens out to a weird small corner with a table and chair which I gather would have been great for smokers.
The swimming pool was very small and can get crowded with 4 or more guests swimming in it. There is also very limited sun decks or chairs. With such close proximity to the next building, the swimming pool is not the ideal place to hang out.
Overall, Novotel Sydney Central presents you with the comfort of a basic Novotel hotel and the standards of a 4 star hotel that does not disappoint on your business trip. No doubt the building is dated but the facilities are still quite well maintained. The breakfast provided was quite limited in terms of selection and the breakfast area was too small so during the peak morning period, they can run out of tables.
Address: 169-179 Thomas St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Rooms start from: SGD 178
Bear Travels . Bear Eats . Bear Cooks 