Novotel Sydney City Centre

Whenever I visit Australia and New Zealand, Novotel is my top choice, offering exceptional value for money. The hotel provides both self-service and assisted check-in options. We arrived early in the morning, and the front desk found an available room, allowing us to check in ahead of schedule and drop off our luggage. Although we were assigned a room at the end of the corridor, we didn't mind at all since we could get in early to shower and rest. The room layout was standard, but spacious enough for our family of three, with plenty of room to open all our suitcases. The service details were very heartwarming; after we'd moved our luggage and were quite sweaty, a staff member immediately brought us drinking water. Seeing the child with us, they also gifted two small kangaroo plush toys with the Novotel logo, which the child absolutely loved. The breakfast, as always, catered well to Chinese palates, and our child found it familiar and filling. The only minor drawback is that it's a bit of a walk to the main street, but it's not far, making it overall very suitable for family travel.

This hotel is truly problematic, and I'm not afraid to expose them. I only stayed for one night. On the day I checked in, my child saw a bag of chips on the minibar and wanted to eat them. I saw no price tag on the table or anything, so I assumed it was a welcome gift and we ate them. The next day when I checked out, I specifically asked the front desk if there were any extra charges, and they said no. However, that same afternoon, I received a charge of AUD 79.6. I was very surprised as I hadn't signed any consumption confirmation. I asked Trip.com to inquire, and they said it was for minibar consumption: nuts, white wine, and other beverages, totaling AUD 79.6. This made me so angry! Luckily, I had taken a photo of the minibar the moment I opened it. After Trip.com communicated with them, they admitted that not having me sign a bill was an oversight and acknowledged the overcharge. However, they still wanted to charge me for the chips. Even if they charged for the chips, they didn't reverse the previous AUD 79.6 charge, but instead charged a second amount of AUD 80.61, and then refunded both amounts to me, essentially charging me AUD 4.5 for the chips. This is an unprecedented operation! The AUD 79.6 remained on my credit card statement throughout my entire trip, even until today! Although Trip.com guaranteed a refund, my entire travel mood was significantly affected. What a garbage hotel to operate like this! Luckily, I noticed this charge immediately. Does having your credit card details make you so reckless? And this is supposedly part of the Accor Group? Are you trying to imply that we Chinese people are easy targets if we don't expose you? To all Chinese friends staying at hotels, please be careful!

The hotel's location is excellent, making it convenient to get to various city attractions and transportation hubs. There are also plenty of dining and shopping options nearby. The room was generally clean and tidy, and both check-in and check-out were smooth. The staff were also very friendly. The only downside is that the soundproofing is a bit average; you can hear noises from the hallway and adjacent rooms, similar to the soundproofing level of an Atour hotel in China. If you're a light sleeper, I recommend bringing earplugs. Aside from that, the overall stay was good, offering great value for money. I would consider staying here again.

Extremely subpar. I asked a front desk agent to store my bag, and he just threw it on the ground. I'm so fed up with him and his whole family! This was the male agent working at 12 PM on June 29th!

The room isn't huge, but considering its city center location, it's an excellent value for money choice! It's well-equipped, the service is thoughtful, and the cleanliness is top-notch. There are plenty of dining options nearby, and it's super close to the Opera House, Darling Harbour, and Chinatown.

Aside from the good location, everything else was a complaint. The front desk was often unattended, and there was no complimentary water. In the middle of the night, you'd have to take your kettle downstairs to get water. They don't proactively provide toothbrushes or slippers, claiming it's for environmental reasons. The shower is so small you can barely turn around, yet water still splashes out of the bathroom. All four pillows were high and unusable; I had to sleep with a towel under my head. The view outside the window was also quite a letdown. Sigh...