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After a stay in New Zealand at the Four Points by Sheraton Auckland, I decided to head to Sydney to try out the brand-new W Sydney, member of Marriott Bonvoy. The hotel overlooks Darling Harbour with its huge W logo and rounded shape imitating a wave. You can’t miss it!
To stay at the W Sydney with points, you can find a stay in a Wonderful room between 42,000 and 70,000 points. In cash, an night costs between 400 and 700 AUD (350 and 650 CAD).
The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to be a Marriott Bonvoy American Express* Cardholder (and/or Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express* Cardholder).
In addition to the great welcome bonus on both cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all purchases and 5 points per dollar at Marriott locations. And each year, you’ll earn a certificate for one free hotel night (35,000 point value) and 15 Elite nights toward your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
Here is some information about the hotel:
The W Sydney is ideally located in Darling Harbour. Some rooms offer a magnificent view of Darling Harbour.
Public transport is just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel, and Town Hall streetcar station is an 8-minute walk away, as is the magnificent Queen Victoria Building shopping center.
You can also walk to Circular Quay in 30 minutes or take the ferry from Pyrmont Bay station (12-minute walk) – allow 30 minutes for the ferry. I recommend taking the ferry once, as it takes you under the Sydney Bridge and gives you a great view of the Opera House.
If you arrive by subway from Sydney Kingford-Smith Airport, it will take you 35 minutes to reach the hotel, including a 15-minute walk from the Central Museum exit.
If you have a car, it will take 15 to 20 minutes. I strongly recommend that you contact the hotel to reserve a parking space 48 hours in advance, as the valet parking only has 20 spaces. You can also find various parking facilities around the hotel: First Parking – Darling Quarter, Car Park, Wilson Parking – Sussex Street or Wilson Parking – Harbourside Darling Harbour.
Normally, check-in starts at 3 pm. I arrived early in the morning and the room was not ready. I was informed that it would be ready in 1 to 2 hours and they would reach out to me. Unfortunately, I never received any communication from the hotel. Otherwise, check-in was fairly quick, and there weren’t many people there when I arrived. I was given a leaflet with information about the hotel.
Right next to reception is the Living Room, the hotel’s main bar, open from 10 a.m. until late. It is very busy from 3 pm onwards.
I had booked a Wonderful room and was upgraded to an Oasis Studio room overlooking Darling Harbour. As soon as you enter the room, the electric curtain opens automatically.
The Oasis studio room features a kitchen area with a large refrigerator, washer and dryer combo and dishwasher.
The living room area is equipped with a table for up to 4 people. It also features a sofa and two swivel armchairs. It’s very pleasant to spend time looking out over Darling Harbour. The large bay window lets light into the room.
The white-and-blue decor is reminiscent of water, as can be seen on the gigantic wall print in the lounge.
In the bedroom, there’s a smart TV right in front of the bed. USB ports (not USC-C) can be found on either side of the bed. You can choose your pillow by scanning a QR code. The bedding was very comfortable.
The bathroom is separated from the bedroom by a sliding door that can sometimes be a little temperamental to open. It’s nice to have a bathtub and a separate shower.
Although the shower was enclosed by a door, there was always plenty of water everywhere in the bathroom, which wasn’t exactly pleasant.
Technology is omnipresent in this hotel: the light switches are touch-sensitive, and you have to press for a long time for the light to come on and become brighter. There are so many buttons and switches that we sometimes end up trying to figure out how to turn off the lights. In the bathroom, a motion detector automatically switches on a light under the sink at night, but this option can be deactivated.
Breakfast is served in the BTWN restaurant from 6:30am to 10:30am on weekdays and until 11:30am on weekends and public holidays.
BTWN is also open for lunch (Wednesday to Saturday) and dinner (Tuesday to Sunday).
Breakfast is buffet style. If you’re a Platinum Elite member or above, it may be worth choosing breakfast instead of the 1,000 points as a welcome gift, since breakfast costs AUD 55 per person.
Someone will assign you a seat and take your order for hot drinks, omelettes and eggs Benedict.
The buffet offers a wide choice of ready-made meals, fresh waffles, ice creams, fruit syrups, raw vegetables, pastries and fresh fruit. There’s something for everyone, and we’re sure you’ll find what you’re looking for!
Choose between the indoor pool on the twenty-second floor overlooking the city, or the outdoor pool on the twenty-ninth floor overlooking Darling Harbour.
The indoor pool is open 24 hours a day, while the outdoor pool is open from 6 am to 6 pm. The 2 pools are heated and 1.20 m deep.
The Wet deck is a 30-metre open-air swimming pool, protected from the wind by its glass façade while still allowing you to enjoy the sun. There are plenty of deckchairs and cabanas to relax in. Music is played continuously throughout the day. From 6 p.m. onwards, the pool closes so that guests of Rooftop Bar 29/30 can enjoy the cabanas and the pool area in peace.
The FIT gym is open 24/7. It is located on the second floor next to the spa. It offers a wide range of cardio and strength-building equipment.
It would have been nice to have a view of Darling Harbour while running on the treadmill. The windows overlook another building and let in very little daylight.
The AWAY SPA is on the second floor, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hotel guests can enjoy the sauna and hammam without having to book treatments.
The W Sydney opened a few months ago: it’s brand new. The decor is breathtaking, giving you the feeling of entering another dimension, and it’s very easy to get lost, as some of the elevators don’t go to all floors, and what can we say about the very low lighting in the corridors with LEDs on the ceiling?
The hotel boasts two large swimming pools (indoor and outdoor) and modern facilities. While all the ingredients are there to make this a prime property for a stay in Sydney, the service is lacking. The room was usually cleaned not before 3 p.m. and although a note had been put on file for this to be done at 9 a.m., this was not taken into account.
Finally, the hotel mistakenly charged me for the minibar after I had checked out, even though I hadn’t used anything. A refund was made after notifying the hotel.
To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.
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