Hotel Review – Radisson Blu, Sydney

Yes folks, I stayed at a pretty expensive hotel when last I visited Sydney, the Radisson Blu. A splurge is not always a bad thing, and I was only staying a night, and there was a slight discount on the room, which I think I paid around $270 for including breakfast for two. I also got a whole bunch of frequent flyer points as I booked through Qantas dot com, so that was another reason I chose this one.

But the main reason was, after my previous trip to Sydney, I really wanted to stay up near the heart of the city. Not the centre so much, but near the harbour, near Circular Quay, where all the action is at. And so I arrived at this choice on the basis that with the price and the name, it was going to be a sure thing.

But… it wasn’t really. But (again I start a sentence with a ‘but’) I will start with the positives. Friendly reception, location great, great bathroom, and the breakfast was a hell of a spread!

I really loved the bathroom and enjoyed a seriously good bath whilst there. It was spotlessly clean, with a separate bath and shower, white, …. I thought I’d be able to think of more ways to describe the bathroom but actually that’s pretty much all I can think of to say…

I adore a good breakfast spread, and it was in a pleasant room. A buffet breakfast rules! And there was SO MUCH to choose from. But honestly, I am very satisfied with bacon and scrambled eggs. And a sausage or two! And less than ten minutes walk from Circular Quay was also a prime location so no complaints there.

But then the room itself. I know it’s Sydney, but it was small. I paid nearly $100 less last time I was in Sydney for a more modern room. It wasn’t in the same location, it was a couple of minutes walk from Central Station. But that’s a decent location. Not as brilliant as the spot the Radisson Blu is at, but very well connected to transport.

The carpets were tired and needed replacing. Perhaps they were intended to be ‘vintage’. I don’t know. As I said, pokey room for the price too. Heating was okay. You could easily hear corridor noise and a little noise from adjacent rooms – primarily bathroom use and doors – also crept in.