Finally decided on hotels in Oz!

[ukdiva]

Okay, after much trawling around the net, i think i've finally chosen some hotels in Australia! I just need to run them past my friend but i think it could be our first finalised decision for our trip! Hotels are as follows, any opinions are welcome!

Melbourne - Saville Park Suites
Cairns - Shangri-La
Sydney - Holiday Inn Darling Harbour for 5 nights and then the Four Seasons for last 2 nights

Booking my flight next month, so it's all go! :D

[scottfeltham]

darling harbours a good choice lots of bars and resturants
its nice sitting outside one of the bars having a drink watching the world go by,
plus the steakhouse there is probably the best steak weve ever had,and weve been to a few places
if you can do the harbor bridge climb its brill
scott,ali
scott

[ukdiva]

I am definately interested in the harbour bridge climb, but i want to get down the gym over here first and see if i feel fit enough by the time i go! *lol*

Darling Harbour was always our first choice of location in Sydney, but my friend wants to stay at the Four Seasons overlooking the harbour too, so we comprimised and went for a few days at each! :)

[Hal]

For an extra special treat I can recommend the "VIP Aussie Gold Tour" of Taronga Zoo in Sydney. See here http://www.zoo.nsw.gov.au/content/view.asp?id=77

You get up close with lots of the cute Oz wild life. We fed kangaroos, and wallabies, had our feet licked by echidnas, and my then 4 year old DD bottle fed a baby wombat. Plus having a hawk/eagle pick a coin from my fingers, and meeting some safe snakes (at my option). A great experience.

[Sooty]

Hiya we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Adelaide really nice hotel, bet your so excited about going :grin:

Christine

[MichelleP1]

I'm sure it was the Holiday Inn in Darling Harbour we stayed in in 2000!! It was really nice. Darling Harbour is lovely, lots of really nice waterfront restaurants nearby. Also you don't really have to be very fit to do the harbour bridge climb, it's not very physically demanding, so don't let that put you off. A word of warning though - everyone is breathalised before doing the climb, so go easy on the alcohol the night before!

[ukdiva]

I'm sure it was the Holiday Inn in Darling Harbour we stayed in in 2000!! It was really nice. Darling Harbour is lovely, lots of really nice waterfront restaurants nearby. Also you don't really have to be very fit to do the harbour bridge climb, it's not very physically demanding, so don't let that put you off. A word of warning though - everyone is breathalised before doing the climb, so go easy on the alcohol the night before!

Thanks for that, Michelle.. we will have to remember to not go too wild on the town the night before we do that then! *lol* Glad to hear you don't need to be that fit to do it as it's definately one of those experiences of a lifetime. :)

Hal - how far is Taronga zoo from Sydney? That package that you mentioned looks really interesting.

[Hal]

Hal - how far is Taronga zoo from Sydney? That package that you mentioned looks really interesting.

Taronga Zoo is Sydney Zoo. You have to get a ferry from Circular Quay - its about 30 mins or so on the Ferry. The Ferry is a great way to view the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge too. You get a great panaroramic view of Sydney from the zoo. One of the photos below shows DW in the cable car up to the zoo with the view of Sydney over her shoulder - look closely and you'll see the Harbour Bridge by her forehead (the Opera House is hidden by the bushes). The other shows my DDs with the baby wombat.

(Image removed)

(Image removed)

[ukdiva]

Cool, thanks for that, i've added it to my 'things to do' list, although i have a feeling the list will be about a mile long by the time we go so we'll have to really ruthless and scale it down! I can't see either of those 2 photos, it may just be my computer at work tho, so i'll see if i can view them on my home one later.

[scottfeltham]

most important
dont forget the neighbours tour:d: :d:
and puffing billy
scott:wavey:

[ian180]

Stayed in the Saville Park Suites in Darwin and impressed with the suite itself. We had 2 different rooms (as we were 'in the bush' a night in between on a tour and we came back to a different room). One had 1 King bed, the other had 2 Kings with a slightly larger sitting room area. Both had a microwave, fridge, tumpble drier and washing machine, cooker etc. Very impressive and spacious rooms.

Have also stayed in the Shrangli-La's in Singapore and Sydney - both high class hotels with fantastic service, rooms and restaurants; the Sydeny one with it's sweeping harbour views is one to back to again and again (been twice) and with a new 45th floor restaurant, it is the one to go to.

[ukdiva]

most important
dont forget the neighbours tour:d: :d:
and puffing billy
scott:wavey:

Don't worry, the Neighbours tour is definately on my list, and is DEFINATELY staying there! *lol* That is the one thing i'm doing no matter what! :thumbs-up

Ian - What hotel do you think will be best for our last 2 nights in Sydney - The Four Seasons or the Shangri-La?

[ian180]

Don't worry, the Neighbours tour is definately on my list, and is DEFINATELY staying there! *lol* That is the one thing i'm doing no matter what! :thumbs-up

Ian - What hotel do you think will be best for our last 2 nights in Sydney - The Four Seasons or the Shangri-La?

I have to say they are both extremely nice hotels. FS is a US orientated hotel, quite near Circular Quay, a bit further away from the shops than the S-L, though still within walking distance. The S-L being higher up a hill (and more nearer the shops, further though from the Quay, but all within walking distance) gives you a more all round view.

Interestingly enough comparing room sizes of a 'Grand Harbour View', the FS is only 26m square/280 feet compared to a more spacious S-L room at 45m square/500 feet. We loved the size of the S-L room, so that is something else to consider.

Any more Q's - please ask!!

[ukdiva]

Thanks for all your help so far, Ian! It's much appreciated, i'm sure i'll have more questions for you further down the line! ;) *lol* I'm going to compare hotel prices, amenities and rooms for the FS and Shangri-La and then make my decision.

[Bozza]

Sydney Harbour bridge climb possibly one of the most over-rated 'tourist experiences' in the world, IMHO.

[ukdiva]

Sydney Harbour bridge climb possibly one of the most over-rated 'tourist experiences' in the world, IMHO.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion! But i think i'd like to do it so i can form my own. :smile:

[scottfeltham]

while i was there the bloke who played tod in neighbours,was one of the bridge climb guides
scott