Furama Hotel, Darling Harbour
When is a new hotel not quite a new hotel? When it is rebranded by an international group, zhooshed up to meet the demands and wants of guests and given a total personality transplant. Sounds about right?
The Furama Hotel Darling Harbour, Sydney is a welcome addition to the Furama family as this is the first of its brand in Australia – watch this space for more. The Singapore-based hotel group also manages 40 hotels, villas and resorts across Asia Pacific including, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Bali in addition to its two Singapore properties.
Previously the Holiday Inn, and a regular stay for concert goers to the defunct Entertainment Centre, the bones of the old hotel left the grand legacy of spacious rooms and a fabulous location.
Furama Darling Harbour offers a choice of 370 guestrooms and suites (and there are eight Deluxe Accessible Queen). And as said, the rooms are big, especially spacious for a family (Superior, Deluxe and Premier). All rooms and suites have been upgraded and if you’re fussy about bed linen and pillows – be pleasantly surprised at the luxurious quality.
All Premium rooms have king beds and a flat screen TV plus all modern amenities that you would expect – internet broadband, work desk – if you must – local TV entertainment and Chromecast, coffee and tea facilities and iron and ironing board – again – if you must.
But there’s a nice touch here that you don’t find in hotels these days, a laundry room with washing machines and dryers, and after a few days sightseeing, the clothes may need a refresh without the hefty fees of hotel laundry collection.
There are two sides to the Furama story, one half of the building is heritage listed (originally part of an old colonial wool store) and the other side, seamlessly added. One part of the heritage side is where the gym is – various machines lined up against the olde wall and the atmosphere almost, almost. . .. encouraged me to do some exercise. The lighting here is gentle and there is no wall of intimidating mirrors.
Visitors to Sydney can revel in this amazing location of this solid four-star hotel.
The property is on the edge of Chinatown, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. In fact, the heart of Chinatown is Dixon Street, running parallel behind where the hotel is in Harbour Street.
Come out the front door and turn left for a shopping extravaganza in Market City and the always reliable Paddy’s Market. And there you can walk to the Capitol Theatre for a world-famous show (book before you go), stroll up into the city of Sydney and all she will offer you.
The Convention Centre is nearby; a five-minute walk away as is the serene Chinese Gardens. Darling Harbour is dotted with restaurants of all nationalities and calibre – bring your appetite.
Cross the road from the hotel to Darling Park and walk down a lane lit with fluoro art installations and lined with specialty eateries. This branches out to a little park overlooked by the stunning ‘birds nest’ building housing a variety of great restaurants and the area is surrounded by wonderful food places – top shelf Asian food – such as Chinta Ria and Hello Aunty. For a cheap and cheerful ramen head to Hakatomen Ramen
And before you waddle back to the hotel, pick up a cake – a dream of a cake – in Kurtosh to have as a late night snack.
The light rail close by in George Street will trundle you through the city all the way to Circular Quay. Or, you can light rail it to Central Station – five minutes away or explore the inner west suburbs.
The Furama Darling Harbour
68 Harbour Street, Haymarket
NSW 2000
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