Four Points by Sheraton Sydney Darling Harbour
The Four Points Sydney is located at Darling Harbour and near the city centre of Sydney. The most major tourist attraction could be easily reached by food. From the airport one could either take a taxi to the hotel or the train to St. James Station and walk from the station in direction Market Street to the hotel, but I would only recommend this if you are travelling with hand luggage only
or have luggage easy to roll. Market Street is downhill from the station what makes carrying luggage a bit of a hassle. A stop of the airport bus service is also near the hotel.
The hotel is a 14 storey building shaped like an S with both ends having a few floors less than the central part of the hotel.
The hotel entrance is set back a few steps from the street and the lobby is not that spacious as one could expect from the seize of the hotel. Check in area is right hand, while the open styled restaurant is opposite the entrance. Check in area is spacious and there are lines for people checking in and out and usually there are five persons working a check in and out desk of this hotel. Thus is necessary since the hotel has more than 600 rooms and many people check out in the morning. I have liked the fact that
every counter was able to check guest in and out. I have seen quite a number of hotel where a person could either check-in or out guest but not both.
The hotel has the “Corn Exchange Restaurant”, where in the morning breakfast is served and where a lunch buffet is available as well as dinner in the evening. In an older restored building in front of the hotel is the “Dundee Arms Pub” where light snacks and drinks are served from lunch time to the evening.
The gym is located on the first floor and offers the usual equipment like treadmills, ergo meters, rowing machines and body training facilities. The equipment is in good condition, but not state-of-the-art. You have a nice view towards Darling Harbour from the gym. A restroom is in the gym, but no locker rooms. Towels are provided as well as water. Seize of the gym is average, looking on the number of rooms of, I would say, it is more of the smaller side. But during my stay is was never packed and since it is
open 24 hours you will have not much difficulties to find time for training if you are a bit flexible in your timing.
A business centre is available as well as meeting rooms; some meeting rooms are on the higher floor offering views to Darling Harbour or the city.
W-LAN is available in the lobby and the first floor, I was told. I am not sure about other places, since I have not connected my laptop to the internet. I have had no wireless signal in my room on the third floor.
visited on USA + AUS
stays 24 Aug 2006
Arrival Date: 24 August 2006
Departure Date: 25 August 2006
Room type booked: Standard
Rate Plan: Internet Prepaid Rate
Room Number: 315
Room Rate: 169.00 AUD
Status of Guest Program: Gold
I arrived early at the hotel – it has been a round about 8.00 am in the morning. There were some people queuing for check-out, but since there were five agents working at reception I waited less than five minutes before it was my turn. I was friendly greeted by check-in staff and addressed in German language, since the Indonesian check-in agent had worked in Vienna and wanted to practice his German. Somehow strange to talk in Sydney
to an Indonesian check in agent who speaks German with a strong Austrian accent. I was asked if I would wait until my upgrade room was ready – it would be a room with harbour view or get a standard city view room right now. I opted for the last one and had my Keycard just seconds later.
The room had the standard hotel room design. After you entered the room you find yourself in the small hall with the entrance to the bathroom on the one and the wardrobe on the other side. The safe was in the wardrobe but too small for a laptop. In the standard room category no wardrobes and slippers are offered.
The bathroom was small, but had a bath, toilet and sink. The shower head was not adjustable in the height and for an average seized European like me a bit too low. Otherwise everything was fine, bathroom amenities (shampoo, bath gel and lotion) were available and towels were provided for two persons.
The room was a bit small and had two single beds with a bedside table between the beds. Opposite the bed was a sideboard with TV, minibar and tea-and-coffee facilities. In front of the window was a lounge chair. A small working desk was between bed and wall (to the bathroom). The desk was really small, but with some difficulties one could work with a laptop, if you place some items on the bed. Only the chair was a bit uncomfortable.
The furniture was modern and remembered me a bit of the style one finds in newer Westin Hotels. While the furniture was in good condition without viewable scratches or damages, the wall had some scratches, especially where the luggage rack could be placed. Pictures at the wand gave the room a nice person feeling, only the furniture was a bit dark and making the whole room a bit dark.
Air condition was really good, without noise. However since this was Australian winter, one really did not need air condition.
Check-out was again fast and convenient.
I would definitively stay there again. The location is very good and value for money is quite good. Unfortunately this means the hotels is more expensive and sometimes even sold out in peak time. Even during my stay, the hotel was really full. Especially guest from Japan prefer this hotel over the other chains – no wonder, since this was a former Nikko Hotel. There is no pool but all other thing one needs during a stay are available. If you are looking for a hotel, where you have a bit of comfort and could reach
every major point of interest in downtown Sydney by food, this is an ideal hotel. The nearest stop of public transportation to the airport is a ten minutes walk, which could be seen as a downside.
