Who doesn’t love a good food court? Most of us are familiar with food courts filled with fast food chains dishing out greasy pizza, burgers and sandwiches. Walk into any mall in America and you’ll find a Wendy’s, McDonalds, Subway, Sabarro, Manchu Wak and other traditional food court staples. In Sydney Australia, however, there’s a very different kind of food court at the Westfield Sydney Pitt Street Mall. On level five and six you can find just about any type of food you desire from anywhere around the world and there’s not a single McDonalds or Subway in sight!

Want a hot-dog? You’re not going to find a Nathan’s or Hot Dog on a Stick here; instead, you’ll find Snag & Stand – gourmet sausages and haute dogs. There’s a haute dog for everyone on the Snag & Stand menu. Try the traditional Aussie Wagyu Beef Dog served on a rustic roll w/butter, garlic mash, herbed gravy & sautéed onions. Looking for a little spice with your dog? Check out the Beef & Horseradish served with spicy horseradish mayo and beetroot relish or the Spicy Spanish Chorizo with sun-dried tomatoes, chipotle aioli, baby rocket and Spanish goat cheese. They also have the classics – the American Classic is a wood smoked frankfurter with American Yellow Mustard, Onion and Sweet Relish on a toasted Brioche Roll. It was a very good take on the American Classic I must say it was delicious.

In the mood for some dim sum? Check out Din Tai Fung outpost in Westfield. The original Din Tai Fung Taiwanese restaurant has been awarded one Michelin Star and ranked as one of the world’s Top Ten Best Restaurants by The New York Times. The food court out posts serves traditional steamed Pork Dumpling Xiao Long, Bao Steamed Shrimp & Pork, Shao Mai Fried Rice with Egg topped with Black Pepper Beef Cubes, Vegetable Wonton Noodle Soup with Spicy Sauce and Shrimp & Pork Wonton Noodle Soup to name a few. There’s always a long line here.

Looking for a great deli sandwich? Look no further than Reuben & Moore. Chef Michael Moore has brought the New York Deli to Sydney and offers up gourmet sandwiches, salads and hot rotisserie bar fare. Reuben & Moore is home to the famous Rueben sandwich and here Moore serves it with prime Wagyu beef, Swiss cheese, homemade dill pickles, sauerkraut and mild mustard & mayo on freshly baked rye bread. If you like the Rueben, trust me, you’ll love Moore’s version. It was amazing and made me feel like I was in any NYC deli enjoying a classic.

In the mood for a burger? You’re in luck, Charlie & Co Burgers is just the place. Justin North, of the renowned Sydney Becasse restaurant, has designed a menu that maintains the integrity of premium, top notch, fresh produce, all locally sourced to create a flavorful and juicy burger – and I can vouch for the flavor, it’s awesome. Probably the best burger in Australia that I found. I would suggest the Wagyu & Co. Burger made with Wagyu beef and topped with beetroot relish, pickled gherkin, lettuce, aged cheddar and aioli on a sesame bun. No visit to Charlie & Co would be complete with an order of Parmesan and truffle fries. Here’s a tip: 1 order is enough for 2-4 people, but ask for some extra aioli or sauce on the side.

Looking for a Middle Eastern favorite? Check out Dergah Grill which offers traditional and modern Turkish fare. I could have eaten at Degrah Grill at least a few times a week. A combination of a Gyro and Shish Kebab, the Donner Kebab was amazing and quickly became my favorite. The Donner Kebab layered thinly shaved beef, humus, lettuce, spices, onions and your choice of sauces in a pita which was then grilled so that all the flavors melted together. I’m hungry just thinking about it.

Have a sweet tooth? Stop by Becasse Bakery (you guessed it, also the brain child of Chef Justin North) where you’ll find a huge variety of beautiful and delicious pastries. You could also check out Cupcake & Company or Max Brenner Chocolate Shop where you can indulge in chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. I recommend the Peanut Butter Chockie – a frozen drink made of peanut butter, chocolate and ice.

Becasse Bakery

Max Brenner Chocolate Shop

Cupcake Company

Other gourmet eateries in the Westfield food court include:
Cloudy Bay Fish Co. which displayed the most beautiful seafood from Australia and New Zealand – plus the staff uniforms added to the vibe.

Crust – a gourmet pizza bar with hundreds of gourmet and premium toppings cooked to order.
Guzman y Gomez – a fresh take on tacos, burritos and black beans. This Mexican Taquaria focuses on quality and flavorful food for people in a hurry.
Iku Whole Foods – Iku produces food as close to its natural state as possible and serves up brown rice sushi rolls, soy burgers and more.

9 Marys Modern Indian – 9 Marys hand grinds their spices and uses fresh produce to create modern Indian food.

Pie by Mick’s Bakehouse – traditional savory pies are produced by renowned baker, Michael Di Salvatore.

Ragu Pasta & Wine Bar – Ragu serves fresh pasta and antipasto with a large selection of wines.

Sassy’s Red by Chinta Ria – Sassy’s Red serves traditional home-style Malaysian food.

Spuds n Crepes – find sweet and savory crepes cooked fresh to order with your choice of filling and toppings.

Sushi Hon – serves up classic sushi rolls off of a sushi train and makes made to order Japanese dishes.

Thairiffic Noodle Bar – Thairiffic makes authentic Thai food, made-to-order noodles, curries and stir fries. The Pad Thai is delicious!

The food court is a place to find cheap and fast food. Sometimes it’s okay and sometimes it’s really bad. With an astonishing variety of quality outlets (many headed by famous chefs) the food court on level 5 & 6 of the Westfield Sydney Pitt Street Mall is a ground-break food court concept.

Back in December one of my bosses recommended I try a Thai restaurant in Melbourne called Longrain. I work for a tech firm, so it’s pretty rare that I get phenomenal restaurant recommendations from people at work – I’m more likely to get great pub recommendations.

I took the recommendation and visited Longrain for the first time in early December. I went on a very busy Friday night. We had to wait for over an hour for a table (at 7:30pm), but the bar was great – very trendy – and the time flew by. By the time we were seated at the communal style dining tables, it was late, very dark inside and very noise.

We ordered the seared yellow fin tuna with watermelon, mint, ginger and black vinegar. It was good, the tuna was fresh and the flavors worked well together. It wasn’t my favorite dish, but certainly not bad. My friend actually really enjoyed the dish and ate most of it. The second dish we ordered was the spiced Sher Wagyu beef stir fried with snake beans and caramelized chilies. I loved this dish. The Wagyu was amazingly tender and so flavorful. The dish was moderately spicy – just enough kick. We couldn’t get enough of this dish.

After that visit, for the next month, I couldn’t get the spiced Sher Wagyu off my mind. I literally could have eaten it at least once a week. So, for my last dinner in Melbourne, we went back to Longrain tonight. This time, there was no wait (at 6:45pm)

We started off with the betel leaves topped with smoked trout, chili, roasted galangal (a Thai ginger), garlic and trout roe. There is one leaf per order and the presentation of the dish is stunning. You’re meant to eat the entire dish by rolling the contents in the leaf. The dish was delicious, but very spicy. I downed an entire glass of water after eating one. Of course, we ordered the Wagyu and it was just as good as I remembered. This time, it was a bit spicier, but not scorching. The Wagyu was cooked perfectly and was so tasty. We also ordered the red curry spiced pork belly and trout with snake beans. It was incredibly spicy – more spice than I cared for – and I found the pork belly a little tough. The trout was very well cooked and I enjoyed that.

Longrain has two locations, one in Melbourne – which I visited – and one in Sydney. Longrain’s executive chef is Martin Boetz. His food is modern Asian with Thai and Southern Chinese influences. In Australia, Australian Good Food and Travel Guide awards Chef’s Hat’s to the best restaurants which continually distinguish themselves from the competition. Boetz has 11 chef hats.

Next time you’re in Sydney or Melbourne, you must stop at Longrain for an incredible meal you’re not soon to forget.

P.S. – turns out my boss who made the recommendation is a formally trained chef and foodie. He’s since recommended several other restaurants resulting in some of the best meals I’ve had in Australia.

betel leaves topped with smoked trout, chili, roasted galangal (a Thai ginger), garlic and trout roe

Spiced Sher Wagyu beef stir fried with snake beans and caramelized chilies

Australia & Fiji Trip Review
I’ve spent the last five weeks on vacation in Australia and Fiji and will spend the next 3 weeks working in Australia. I’ve enjoyed my trip – from the Sydney New Year’s Eve Fireworks to the amazing cafés in Melbourne and seeing Matisse in the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane, to the relaxing beaches and pools of the Gold Coast and Fiji.

General Tips:
Australia is a very, very expensive country. I’ve been to Europe – Switzerland, Italy, and England – and none of them compare to Australia in my mind. Sydney has to be the most expensive city I’ve ever been to.

Tipping – most Australians don’t tip. I felt very awkward about this, given that everyone expects a tip in the US, and I asked many people and was told tipping just isn’t the norm. However, at fine restaurants, 10% is customary. It took me a long time to get used to this concept.

Taxis- all taxis take credit cards. This is very helpful.

Credit Cards – unlike taxis, credit cards aren’t widely accepted at most cafes and using your credit card is discouraged by most places that do accept them. Many places charge a fee to use a card – Subway restaurant charged me .50 cents to use my card on a $12 transaction. Hotels charge somewhere between 1% and 3% of the total bill if you pay by credit card at checkout. So, try to avoid unnecessary fees by using a card that doesn’t charge you an international transaction fee on top of everything else (Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Platinum).

ATMs – Find out if your bank has an international banking relationship with an Australian bank. I bank with Bank of America and they partner with WestPac, so I could use the ATM without getting charged any fees. This was very helpful because you need a lot of cash in Australia. In fact, I would suggest only exchanging a small amount of cash at an Exchange location and then getting cash out of an ATM if you can avoid the fees.

Day 1-3 – Sydney, Australia
I arrived in Sydney at 8am after flying from Atlanta to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Bangkok and Bangkok to Sydney. The trip took 36 hours (that included an unfortunate 8 -hour layover in Frankfurt) but I flew first class on Lufthansa and Thai Air, so it was worth it, in my opinion. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Potts Point Hotel for my first three days. The hotel was okay. I had a spectacular view from my room of the Sydney Opera House and Bridge, but there aren’t many great amenities at the Holiday Inn (see full review) Potts Point is less touristy, and therefore, a little less crowded and easy to get around and it offers a lot of café and restaurant choices. Potts Point is a nice area, but at night, it turns into the red-light district and there are a ton of nightclubs.

I spent the first three days recovering from jet lag and getting a feel for the city. I knew I was returning to Sydney at the end of the trip, so didn’t really do too many tourist type things these days.
Sydney is a very busy and crowded city with a heavy Asian influence. I found the people in the Central Business District (CBD) to be very pushy – especially on trains – and not overly friendly. Of course, there are always exceptions and I did encounter plenty of nice people, too! More on Sydney later in the report…

Day 4 – 13 – Melbourne, Australia
Nine days is way too much time to spend in Melbourne. It’s a great city, and there’s a lot to do, but I think 4-6 days would have been plenty. Melbourne is a much more European type of city with café lined streets and green areas. The city is Australia’s second largest and expected to outgrow Sydney within 10 years.

I stayed at the Melbourne Marriott and really loved it (I’m headed back during the Australian Open in mid-January) (see full review http://www.verygoodpoints.com/2011/12/melbourne-australia-marriott-review.html). The hotel was located a few blocks beyond the center of the city, which I enjoyed because it was a bit quieter.

The city is easy to get around because there are trolleys – they actually call them Trams – trains and plenty of taxis. I found the trains and train stations confusing. The trams are easy though, and the hotel was very helpful with directions.

There are many great museums in Melbourne and the Botanical Gardens are wonderful. I highly recommend a stop there. There are also some great restaurants – Longrain Melbourne – a Thai influenced restaurant on Little Bourke Street – was incredible and I could literally have eaten there a few times a week. I already have plans to go back. There were also great Asian restaurants in China Town – Spicy Fish is one of them – and dozens of dim sum restaurants (though they don’t call it Dim Sum, they call it Yum Cha). We also ate at Maze by Gordon Ramsay; however, the night we ate there was Gordon Ramsay’s last night affiliated with them. It was very good, but incredibly overpriced and the portion size is very, very small. Surprisingly, one of my better meals came at the restaurant in the Marriott Hotel.

There are many neighborhoods surrounding the CBD each with a different theme or cultural feel. There’s a huge Greek population, but surprisingly, my only Greek meal was very disappointing. Stalactites was recommended to me, and it was packed inside, but I found the food to lack flavour overall and all the meat was very, very tough. There’s an Italian area just north of the CBD and I had great food there. Lygon Street, north of Victoria, is lined with cafes and restaurants and I didn’t find a bad meal. Michellinos and Sergio Place were good. There’s also a Thai Restaurant there called Lemongrass and it’s great too.

Melbourne is worth a visit, but travel prepared – it can be cool in the summer and the temperatures can vary from day to day. Temperatures can be as high as 100 degrees or as low as 50 degrees for the high.

Day 14 – 20 – the Gold Coast and Brisbane, Australia
I spent half of my time on the Gold Coast at the Sheraton Mirage and Resort and the other half in Brisbane’s CBD. The drive between the Gold Coast and Brisbane is about an hour to hour and a half (depending on traffic and where you want to go) and can be an expensive trip.

The Gold Coast is a vacation destination for many Australians. I found it to be very similar to Hilton Head, SC, or the Daytona Beach/St Augustine, FL, area. Surfers Paradise is the most famous beach on the Gold Coast and the most touristy. There’s no doubt, the waves are spectacular and the beach is busy, but there’s not much more beyond the endless shops selling flip-flops, surf gear and beach trinkets. If you go to the Gold Coast, expect to spend your time either on the beach or by the pool, or at the amusement parks.

There are three major theme parks and a few water parks as well. Sea World is closest to the Sheraton and offers a different experience than Sea World in the US. I would have loved to take a Whale Watching trip from Sea World, but the season had just ended (early December). It’s expensive and much smaller than you’d expect. Dream World is a park that features characters from Sherk and the Wiggles and looked to be a combination of Universal and Six Flags. Movie World is Warner Brothers’ answer to the amusement park. They have rides and entertainment that feature The Green Lantern, Batman, Scooby-Doo and all of the WB characters. I didn’t make it to either Dream World or Movie World, but they looked like typical amusement parks.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any great recommendations for the Gold Coast. I spent 99% of my time there at my hotel pool. The bus system in the Gold Coast is not safe (or was not safe when I was there in Dec 2011) and the hotel recommended not using it. There are no trams like in Melbourne or Sydney, so you’re limited to taxis – and that can get expensive. If you don’t have a car, make sure you’re located centrally so you can walk! I was stuck up near Sea World at the Sheraton with few options – although there was an actual Hermes store in the Marina across from the Sheraton – I didn’t do much shopping though.

Getting from the Gold Coast to Brisbane without a car is challenging. Your options are the train – great if you’re not alone with a ton of luggage; taxi – not a great option if you hit traffic because it’s a metered fare; a rental car – could be good if you can get a decent one-way rental and are comfortable driving Down Under; or a town-car service which is a flat fare, but expensive. Taxi quoted me $200-$245 approximate fare from Sea World area to Brisbane CBD and the town car flat fare was $210. Guess which one I took? Turns out, the Town Car driver was very lovely and told me a lot about Australia and Brisbane and even drove me around the Brisbane CBD pointing out key sites before dropping me at my hotel.

Brisbane is a beautiful city situated directly on the river. Brisbane is much like Melbourne, very European feeling, and easy to get around. I visited the Gallery of Modern Art which had a Matisse exhibit and walked around the city and along the river. There is a hop-on/hop-off sightseeing tour that is a great value. You can get on at any stop and ride the bus from attraction to attraction getting off where you want, visiting the attractions, and then reboard on the next bus. It was a great way to see the city. Tip: save your receipt for a discount on a tour in another city. There was also a lovely outdoor shopping area with a pedestrian street filled with cafes.

While I was in Brisbane, I stayed at the Brisbane Marriott. (see full review) . It was in a great location, beautiful building and offered great view of the city and river.

Day 21 – 28 – Fiji
I departed Brisbane for Fiji on Air Pacific. Air Pacific offered the cheapest flights from Brisbane to Fiji. It turns out that the cheapest return was on Virgin Pacific. So I mixed and matched fares and airlines – which posed no problems for me with security or customs. I wouldn’t recommend Air Pacific. They fly very old planes that aren’t well maintained inside.

Upon arriving in Fiji, we were greeted by a Fijian band and directed to Immigration. The airport is small, and the line can be long at Immigration – however, I found that it didn’t really matter because we still had to wait for our baggage at baggage claim – first sign that things move at a different pace here. Once your bags finally arrive, you then have to go through security, where they scan your bags, and the process is very slow. My suggestion is to remember you’re in Fiji now and things just run slowly – because that’s how they like it.

I arranged a taxi through my hotel. The taxi was very inexpensive and the driver very friendly. On the ride from the airport to the resort, I was shocked by the level of poverty we saw. I’ve seen severe poverty in Thailand and other countries, but this was pretty startling. Once you arrive at the resort area (we were at Port Denarau), you’re in another world surrounded by million dollar homes, resorts, yachts and no sign of any poverty.

Fiji is a very quiet and laid back country. The air is fresh and the beaches are tranquil. The exchange rate is favorable for almost everyone –it was about $ .53 USD to 1 Fiji Dollar when I was there in Dec. So your money goes far. Fiji is definitely not as cheap as Thailand, but a great value nonetheless.

We spent most of our time by the pool, reading a book or just relaxing – that’s what you’re supposed to do in Fiji. But you can arrange for day tours to the islands or Fijian villages. I highly recommend participating in some sort of traditional Fijian experience. We went to a Fijian Cultural Show and Dinner on Christmas Eve and it was an marvelous way to spend the holiday. We got to see Fijian Fire Dancing while they cooked in a fire-pit dug into the ground.

The Fiji airport departures area is filled with duty free shops where you can buy just about anything. The waiting area is small and hot so don’t get there too early.

Day 29- 34 – Sydney Australia
I flew Virgin Australia back to Sydney on Christmas Day along with 30 other people. The huge plane was empty, the flight attendants were in a great mood and gave out free soft drinks (not something that usually happens on Virgin!) and the flight went pretty quickly. Upon arrival, I was shocked to see how empty the airport was. I walked right up to customs without any wait. Flying on Christmas Day has its benefits!

Unfortunately, the city was pretty much closed down for Christmas and Boxing Day. I stayed at the Westin Sydney (a remarkable hotel, see the full review) which was about 1 block from the Pitt Street Mall. On Boxing Day, I decided to check out the Pitt Street Mall – wow, was that a mistake. It felt like the entire city had descended upon the mall area and it was a wall of people everywhere you looked. Every store had lines formed outside with people waiting to get in. I have never seen anything like it in world.

There are a million things to do in Sydney. I would recommend taking the hop-on/hop-off sightseeing tour. I used my receipt from Brisbane to get a discount on my ticket. For $35, I had 24 hours to see the city from a double-decker bus. Tip: If you’re going to visit the Aquarium or Wildlife Center, get your tickets on the bus. They’re slightly discounted and they offer express passes so you don’t have to wait in the large lines at the Aquarium. (I wish I had done that! I waited for about 35 minutes in line at the Aquarium to get tickets.)

You can’t visit Sydney without going to the Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge. The views are astonishing. I would also suggest visiting the Rocks – if you are there on a weekend, there’s a great street fair. The Aquarium and Wildlife center are okay – personally I think the Atlanta Aquarium is better – but all the kids there seemed to be having fun. I did enjoy seeing the sharks and penguins at the Aquarium. The Wildlife Center – directly next door- had all of Australia’s indigenous animals – Kangaroos, Koalas, Kookaburra and more.

I had the chance to visit a few incredible restaurants and some other pretty good ones. There’s an endless amount of food options in Sydney. In Surrey Hills, we went to Monkey Magic for sushi and it was some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. We also had some of the Japanese main dishes and they were marvelous as well. I highly recommend it. We went to Soy in Bondi Beach – also Sushi – and while not as good as Monkey Magic, it was still enjoyable. The best part of Soy is the view – it’s directly across from the Ocean. There’s also a Longrain in Sydney – just as popular and busy as the one in Melbourne. Wagamama on Kings Warf in Darling Harbor is a great low-key Japanese Teriyaki and Noodle Restaurant –even though Wagamama is a chain restaurant, it sure doesn’t feel like one.

One of the other best kept secrets of the city, in my opinion, is the Westfield (yes, as in the malls) food court. It’s not a food court like you’re used to – it’s a high-end, boutique type of eatery. I found Dergah Middle Eastern Grill to be delicious. There’s also Din Tai Fung Express. Din Tai Fung is a famous dim sum restaurant and this location offers the same great dumplings! Loved it!

I had the opportunity to stay in Sydney through New Years and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had. Watching the fireworks in Sydney Harbor and Darling Harbor was extraordinary. You have to get out early to get a good viewing location – or pay a high price to get into a hotel or restaurant with a great view- but seeing the fireworks in Sydney from a great location is an opportunity you shouldn’t pass up.

Day 35 – this is where my vacation comes to an end and I return to work.

Australia is a huge country and there are a lot of things to see and do. It’s a relatively young country, and it felt like it was missing some of the history you can find in Europe or Asia or other parts of the world. I found it more similar to the US than I thought I would – aside from the accent – and even though I had a good time, probably wouldn’t return for vacation again. Whereas I’ve been to Thailand twice on vacation and would go back again, have been to Alaska & Hawaii twice and would go back again and can list about a dozen other places I’d like to go to for the first time rather than come back to Australia.

Photos

Gold Coast Australia

Fiji Fire Dancers at Westin Denarau Resort

Fiji Sunset

Fiji Beach

Syndey, Auatralia Architecture

Sydney Aquarium

Sydney Wildlife Center – Koalas

Sydney Wildlife Center – Crocs!

Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks

Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks

I booked the Four Points by Sheraton Darling Harbor for several reasons. 1) I’m an SPG Platinum member – free internet and breakfast. 2) I needed a hotel for NYE and they had availability 3) I’m on a business trip with a budget and they came pretty close (except for NYE and NYD night).

When I booked, the only room type they had available was a city view room with two double beds. I was banking on my Platinum status for an upgrade upon arrival (I don’t think I missed out on an upgrade at all in 2011.) Well, this was where my luck ran out. It was NYE after all, and upgrades aren’t guaranteed, blah, blah, blah… but I was paying $465 for those two NYs nights. That’s a lot, I mean a whole lot, for any room at this hotel. I was given a room with a king bed (or more like two beds pushed together – that seems to be standard in Australia – instead of a room with two twin beds. I was told that I could change rooms after NY day.

The Room
The city view room with king bed was exceptionally small and looked directly at a parking deck. The room was dark (poor lighting) and because it looked at a parking lot, I had to keep the blinds closed frequently which reduced the natural light. At night, it was actually so dark, that I chose not to work. The room had a desk with plenty of plugs/outlets, wired internet access (no wireless), 1 bedside lamp, a mini-bar and TV and small bathroom.

The bed really left me perplexed. It had a fitted sheet and comforter – no flat sheet between the fitted sheet and comforter. Now, like everyone, I’ve heard the rumors about hotel comforters and so I called housekeeping to request another sheet. They were happy to oblige. I also read about this on Trip Advisor, seems like it was a pretty common complaint. I just don’t understand why a hotel would leave that off the bed, get complaints about it (they respond on Trip Advisor, so someone’s seen the comments) and not make a change.

The bathroom, while I’m sure it was clean, had a few issues. The shower/tub had some mildew around the ceiling and the shower curtain was very old and tattered. The tub itself was scraped and had black marks in it , which gives such a bad impression – no matter how clean housekeeping gets it.

When I moved rooms I was upgraded to a Harbor View Suite on the 12th floor. I requested a high floor after reading reviews. I’m glad I did. The plus side to a harbor view room is – the view. The downside is that a highway runs directly behind the hotel – in-between the hotel and harbor (don’t worry, there’s a walkway over the highway.) Most reviews noted how noisy rooms on the harbor side were when close to the highway.

The suite was just as dark as the city view room – they really need to work on the lighting – but offered much more room. I had a living area with couch, chair, desk, TV/entertainment center and mini-bar. The bedroom had a king size bed, a separate dressing area with large closet and bathroom. The bathroom was much larger than the standard room bath room, but the shower/tub was no better.

The views from the room were spectacular though. My room looked directly onto the Harbor and Sydney Aquarium.

The Restaurants & Food
The hotel has room service, The Corn Exchange Restaurant and Dundee Arms Pub. The Corn Exchange is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since breakfast was included for me, I did eat there a few times. The buffet was large and had many options, but was a pretty standard breakfast buffet. The eggs were runny (though you could order made-to-order eggs), the bread selection was not exciting, they offered lox, but no bagels. There was a lot of fruit, cereals, fresh honey and other healthier choices as well. At $35, not something I would pay for if it wasn’t included.

I also tried the Corn Exchange twice for dinner – once because I was lazy and it was late and the second time because it was a public holiday and raining and I didn’t want to search out places that may or may not be open. I would not return to the Corn Exchange for lunch or dinner after those experiences. Apparently, the hotel is known for its seafood buffet – or so it says. I was told that the buffet was $65 for in-house guests. WHOA! $65, that’s expensive. So my first dinner was a la carte! I ordered the Tiger Prawn Ravioli with leeks and champagne citrus crème sauce. It was not good. The waitress was unfamiliar with many of the ingredients in the dishes and had to ask the kitchen for information several times.

My second dinner at Corn Exchange was on New Year’s Day. The buffet was only $40 for in-house guests – for some reason – and so I opted for the buffet that night. That was a mistake. There was tons of seafood on the buffet – it’s advertised as a seafood buffet – but it didn’t look appealing to me. I opted for one of the many hot dishes – a roast beef with peppercorns – and was very disappointed. None of the desserts on the buffet were good. I tried several of them and quickly set them aside – in fact, the restaurant manger asked me about it. Later, I found myself very sick and regretted having the buffet.

The Dundee Arms pub is located directly in front of the hotel. It’s in a historic looking building and offers plenty of outdoor seating. Unfortunately, all of the outdoor seating allows smoking. The Four Points runs the Pub, so sadly the food is no better than the Corn Exchange. I ordered a burger – which by the way, you order and pay for at the counter – and specified no tomato or tomato sauce (sort of like ketchup) because I am allergic. They also asked if I wanted butter – uh, no thank you. When the burger came, it took about 20 minutes, it had tomato on it. Since I’m very allergic, I sent it back. It took about 45 minutes to get a new burger. It was dry, overcooked and tasteless. I requested mustard, and what I got was so hot and spicy (reminded me of what you get at Chinese Restaurants) my eyes teared up for the next hour. I wish someone had warned me about the spice & heat. The food at the Dundee Arms Pub was about what I’ve come to expect in Australia, $22 for dinner and a drink.

Luckily the dining choices at Darling Harbor are abundant and easy to access.

Overall
Since I will be in Sydney for business many times over the next several years, and I’m SPG Platinum, and I certainly can’t afford the Westin Sydney on my business budget, I will likely stay at the Four Points by Sheraton again. It’s certainly wouldn’t be my first choice, or even my second choice or even third choice (those would be, in order, The Westin Sydney, The Marriott Sydney and the Holiday Inn Potts Point. Yes, the Holiday Inn. However, since I don’t collect Priority Club points, and they really don’t offer many perks for their Platinum members (which I currently am, but don’t plan to renew in 2012) I’ll likely be back at the Four Points next time I’m in town – January 21st to be specific.

It’s very disappointing for Starwood and I hope they can find a way to improve the hotel.

PHOTOS

The Marriott Sydney is located on Sydney’s famous Hyde Park and just miles from Sydney’s CBD. The hotel has recently been refurbished and looks more like a boutique hotel (think W or Kimpton) than a major chain. The high floors of the hotel offer spectacular views – my room looked out onto the Harbor and Sydney Football Stadium.

Check-in
The hotel was very welcoming and my check-in very quick. I was upgraded to an Executive Floor Room and given access to the Executive Lounge. I had several pieces of luggage with me and a box waiting for me at the hotel, and so the concierge assisted me with bringing my bags to my room (that was a real treat for me! I usually never ask for help.) The bags arrived in my room within 5 minutes and the concierge answered questions about the internet, local area and in-room amenities.

The Room
First, let me describe the hallways. They caught my attention immediately because the walls were gray and the carpet was gray. They were well maintained, but it made the hallways seem dark. Until I got into my room, I really didn’t understand the hallway décor choice.

The room was very modern – dark gray/light black carpet, 2 black chairs, a white leather headboard behind the bed and a red accent wall. The bathroom was quite large and had a large tub and combine shower.

While I liked the color scheme in the room (it could work well in my own home), I could see how some travelers might find it a bit dark. There were also a few oddities about the room. First, there was no clock in the room – no bedside clock even – so I found myself calling the operator. I also found the desk set-up a bit hard to work with. There were no plugs within easy reach of the desk, so I had to stretch my power cords behind me to the “refreshment center” – which made working a little awkward.

The “refreshment center” as I’m calling it had a mini-bar, a microwave, coffee pot and other typical amenities. The microwave was a nice touch, not that I used it though.

The Executive Lounge
The Executive Lounge was small, much smaller than the Marriott Brisbane or Marriott Melbourne’s lounges, and both nights I was there, it was full. The selection of food choices wasn’t so great. In the evening they offered canapés – the canapés looked like they’d been ordered in bulk from Costco (yep, there’s a Costco in Sydney) and the breakfasts were typical hotel breakfasts (eggs, sausage or bacon, breads, muffins, meats and cheese) but nothing like I had in Brisbane or Melbourne (guess I got spoiled by Marriott Australia.) They did have a great selection of drinks – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. They even had my new favorite drink, Schweppes Lemonade!

General Overview
I was only in the hotel two nights, so not really long enough to try the restaurant or many other services. I did however stop by the concierge desk. She/he wasn’t there, so a bellman offered to help me. I wanted to find a day tour and asked about city tours, boat tours and other options. The bellman gave me a brochure for a whale watching excursion. I LOVE whale watching! I’ve done it in Hawaii and Alaska (twice) and would go anywhere, anytime. I noticed that the brochure said the season ended Dec 10 (this was Dec 28th) but the bellman assured me that there were still trips and to ignore the date. I was very excited to say the least. Unfortunately, I guess the bellman was wrong because about 5 minutes later he called to let me know that there were no whale watching excursions available. I was disappointed. So I guess the lesson here is to wait for the concierge to get back from his/her break.

I would return to the Sydney Marriot if I was back in Sydney. The hotel was clean and modern. Offered free internet to Marriott Rewards Members and was very conveniently located.

The Westin Sydney is a magnificent hotel located in the heart of the city. The exquisite architecture and warm interiors are mixed with modern and luxurious amenities. The hotel is built upon the landmark Sydney General Post Office constructed in 1886. In 1996, the building was sold, and refurbished, and turned into shops, offices and the Westin Hotel.

The Lobby & Check-in :
The lobby is grand and welcomes travelers from all over the world with traditional and comfortable furnishings. I was greeted as soon as I arrived by the bellman and felt very welcome. He took my bags and showed me to the Starwood Preferred Guest Check-in line. The check-in process was simple and quick. I had two reservations – one paid and one reward reservation – and the hotel combined them for me and ensured I could stay in the same room the entire stay. Upon checking in, I was told about the Executive Lounge, free internet access (due to Platinum Status) and Westin Workout options.

The Room:
Wow! What else can I say? I was upgraded to an executive room with a king bed and it was spectacular (I’m not sure the pictures do it justice!) The room was modern and bright and made me feel at home. From my room, I could see the clock tower, which is beautiful, and had a great view of the city. The room had a king sized bed, desk and gigantic bathroom. The bathroom had a large soaking tub and separate shower. The wall separating the bathroom and bedroom was glass and had an electric curtain that could be raised and lowered as needed. I absolutely could have moved in and felt right at home. The room had wired internet connection – no wireless in the rooms. The room was very clean and housekeeping came by in the evening for turn-down service refreshing the towels and bottled water.

Executive Lounge:
The lounge was very nice, but very crowded. There was free wireless internet in the lounge and therefore there were always people (including me) on their phones and iPads and other devices. The appetizers were plated and served by the staff – so you were stuck with what they gave you. The appetizers were pretty, but not to my liking. There was cheese and veggies available for self-service. All drinks were complimentary and also served by the staff (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). While the staff was very friendly and very accommodating, it was a little odd to have to ask for a bottle of water or apple juice every time I wanted one.

The hotel:
A block from Sydney’s central shopping district (Pitt Street Mall and Queen Victoria Building), close to all major attractions and with easy access to public transportation the hotel is in the perfect location for visitors (business and holiday alike). The hotel’s restaurant is overpriced and service is poor. I arrived on Christmas Day, and there weren’t many dining options. I had a Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken and a coke and with taxes my bill came to $48. The salad was good, but expensive (I should note that the coke was $6.)

Under the hotel are a variety of restaurants and shops – however none of them were open during my stay since it was Christmas Day, Boxing Day and then everything was closed the day after Boxing Day because it fell on a weekend. I found myself walking down the street to the Pitt Street Mall and enjoying the restaurants and Westfield Food Court for most meals.

Overview:
I loved the Westin and will stay there any chance I get. The hotel and the staff are amazing.

The Marriott Brisbane is located at the end of the CBD and adjacent to the river. The hotel is beautiful – both architecturally and design wise.

I had a room on one of the executive levels – the 24th floor- which offered an amazing view of the river and city. The room was small, but very nicely decorated and comfortable. There was a king bed, chair, working desk and large TV. The bathroom had both a shower and tub, and was very clean. The executive lounge is very large and offers breakfast and appetizers/desserts 7 days a week .

All Marriott’s in Australia offer free wifi to al Marriott Rewards Members – such a great perk. And the internet speed was very good (unlike many of the hotels I’ve reviewed so far in Australia.)

The staff was incredibly helpful and went out of their way to make me feel welcomed. In fact, one of the waitresses at the restaurant, Motion, noticed the tour brochures I was looking through. After asking me a few questions , and learning that I was on my own, she recommended a different tour. She went downstairs – to the concierge – and brought back a brochure. And she was right – the tour was great.

Motion, a restaurant and Bar, was a very popular spot – not only for guests, but locals as well. The bar was packed every night and the outdoor patio was booked with special events each night. The food was very good – surprisingly good for a hotel. Separate review to follow.

I am very pleasantly surprised with how great my stays at Marriott’s in Australia have been. I was a loyal Platinum Marriott Rewards Member for many, many years and recently dropped to Gold (as a result of my switch to Starwood Platinum) However, after the last month in Australia, I am reconsidering that decision and may switch back to Marriott for 2012! That’s how impressed I have been with the Marriotts.

I highly recommend the Marriott Brisbane.

Photos:

Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa Gold Coast

I choose the Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa because the pools looked beautiful on the Starwood Website and because there was a spa. Two things required for any vacation. Being directly on the beach was a bonus.

The hotel has become notorious for its snake fence – yes, that’s right, I said snake fence. A thick glass wall encircles the resort – theoretically keeping the poisonous Eastern Brown Snake, the second most deadly snake in Australia – outside of the resort. The snakes nest in the sand dunes located outside of the resort. Thankfully, I did not encounter any snakes on this trip.

The Room
The hotel is currently undergoing renovations to its rooms and common areas. I was not lucky enough to get a renovated room, however I was “upgraded” to an Oasis Room on the first floor which included a small patio overlooking the oasis pools. The room was very large and had a king size bed (well, actually it was two double beds pushed together,) a small sofa pull out and a chaise lounge. There was also a small breakfast table with two chairs and a work desk with Ethernet cable. The bathroom was definitely the highlight of the room – a large marble bathroom with a soaking tub and shower.

There were some drawbacks to the room – first, there were no blackout shades or privacy shades on the windows or sliding glass doors. The sliding glass doors were covered by wooden slat blinds and when the sun rose at 4:45 a.m. the room was filled with light (so wakeup calls weren’t necessary). Second, my room faced the restaurant and conference rooms and main walkway to the reception area, so I constantly had to close the wooden blinds for privacy, blocking the lovely oasis view.

One thing to note is the speed of the internet connection (wired and wireless) at the hotel and in the room. It was painfully slow and had I been on business, wouldn’t have been workable.

The Restaurants
The hotel has 1 restaurant, a bar and a swim-up pool bar. The restaurant, Terraces, is a buffet but also has an a la carte menu. When I arrived late on a Sunday evening, I tried to go to Terraces, but was told that reservations were required and there was a two hour wait for a table. I was directed to the bar, Oysters, where they served food as well. I was not impressed with the sandwich I got there. Room service was another option for food at the hotel. Overall, I was shocked at the prices – $26 for a club sandwich, $28 for a burger, $28 for a margarita pizza, $19 for a cup of soup (though it did come with bread) $25 for a Caesar salad, $35 with Salmon, Chicken or Prawns, $45 for the beef filet, $43 for Asian duck. A side of garlic bread was $10. For dessert, you could get a chocolate brownie with butterscotch sauce for $21. At the pool bar, all cocktails were $18 and non-alcoholic beverages were $6 (no refills.) The other options were to walk across the street to the Mirage Marina and dine there (good choices) or to take a bus or taxi to Surfers Paradise.

The Pool & Beach
The pool looks huge on the website, but the majority of what you’re seeing on the website are the oasis pools and not the swimming pool. On the first day of my stay there were not enough lounge chairs (or any kind of chairs) at the pool. After about 20 minutes of wandering, I finally got a chair.

On my second day, the situation was much better and on the third day, the pool area had a makeover (I assume part of the renovations) and there were dozens of new chairs, new chair cushions and umbrellas added. The pool bar staff spent most of the time I was at the pool moving the chairs and tables around (it was entertaining) I guess they were excited about all the new chairs and tables too.

The beach was very private and looked nice, but unfortunately during my stay the weather wasn’t great and the ocean was very choppy. I didn’t venture in.

The Spa
The spa is not part of the hotel, but directly next door and does allow room charges. The spa, which is connected to the gym and next to the tennis courts, is very nice. It provides a very tranquil atmosphere. I got a manicure and pedicure and was very happy – though as with everything in Australia – it was very expensive. This is not a spa destination – rather a hotel with a spa next door. If you’re looking for a spa retreat –this isn’t the right location.

Overview –
Australia is very expensive and the Sheraton is extremely high priced – be prepared. I would love to see the Sheraton after the renovations are completed – I think it will significantly improve the hotel. What I saw on my visit made a great difference. In addition, as with most Australian hotels, a credit card fee of 1.5% will be added to all transactions settled by credit card, so be prepared for that fee. I wouldn’t rule out another stay at the Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa, but I would probably try the hotels closer to Surfers Paradise first.

Pool

Room View

Pop restaurant describes itself as a Modern Australian Cuisine with European flair. Located on Hardware Lane, I was drawn to Pop because they offered Kangaroo on their menu.

Hardware Lane is two city blocks full of cafes and restaurants and full of energy. Each restaurant is competing for dinners and as such, offers great specials. Pop offered us a complimentary glass of wine with each entrée and the house tapas – on the house.

We dined outside at Pop and the only drawback is that smoking in Melbourne is very popular and detracts from an enjoyable experience. I was intrigued by the Kangaroo and inquired about it. When we inquired with the host about the Kangaroo, he said, “It’s good, if you like Kangaroo.” That wasn’t particularly helpful. Our server wasn’t familiar with the Kangaroo either, but she called someone over who highly recommended and so I went for it.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the Kangaroo. It was a bit to charred on the outside, but the meat was extremely tender and very flavorful. It came with truffle mashed potatoes and a blackberry sauce. I would highly recommend the Kangaroo, it was delicious (I would describe Kangaroo as similar to venison, but more tender and less gamey.)

I would certainly go back to Pop, but I’d also like to try many of the other restaurants on Hardware Lane and discover what Australian delicacies they have to offer.

Kangaroo at Pop

Hotel rates in Sydney – and all of Australia for that matter – are shocking during high season (Australian Summertime = US Winter) and so I ended up at a Holiday Inn Potts Point paying $198 AUD/night (about $203 USD at the time of this posting) – pricy for a Holiday Inn!

Before my trip, I called Priority Club (the rewards program for Holiday Inn and the Intercontinental Hotel Group) and asked if they would match my Starwood Platinum Status. They were very happy to match my status for a trial period to Priority Club Platinum Status.

After more than 38 hours of travel, 1 day in Germany and a 4-hour layover in Thailand I arrived in Sydney at 7am and discovered was rush hour down under really meant. An hour in a cab – without air – and I was at the Holiday Inn. My keys were ready when I arrived at check-in and oddly enough, no one asked me for any identification or credit card.

I inquired about what my newly acquired platinum status got me, and I was told that it ensured my keys were ready at check-in. I asked if it got me free internet, and I was told no – internet was $27.50 AUD per 24-hour period with a maximum of 250MB of data (after that, there was an additional fee). I asked if I got free water in my room with my platinum status and I was told no, but that the tap water in Sydney was drinkable (US tap water is drinkable too –I just choose to drink bottled water) . There was no executive lounge/concierge lounge and no free breakfast (breakfast was $29 per person for a continental buffet)

I arrived to my room which had a spectacular view of Sydney Harbor and the Opera house. It was actually breathtaking – and I presumed that may have been a benefit of Platinum Status. The room was large with one king bed and a small chair. The carpet was old and had an odd smell about it (like they had cleaned it, but I never really dried properly) but otherwise, the room was very clean. The bathroom looked like it had been redone recently. It was large with a large bathtub & shower. The water pressure was great in the shower. I was pleasantly surprised by room – it was much better than I had anticipated it would be.

The hotel proved to be quite conveniently located and was directly next to the Kings Cross Train Station. I was only in Sydney for three nights – and so the Holiday Inn was adequate. I am not sure what the real benefit of Priority Club membership is. Compared to Starwood Preferred Guest (I’m Platinum) and Marriott Rewards (I’m gold) Priority Club seems to be the least rewarding program. This is my only Holiday Inn or IHG hotel during my 5 week trip – and I have to say – I’m kind of happy about that. I’ll stick to Starwood and Marriott.

View from Holiday Inn Potts Point Room

The second leg of my Australia/Fiji vacation brought me to Melbourne, Australia and Melbourne Marriott. After a very pleasant experience on Virgin Australia (they make all US airlines look third-world air carriers!) I arrived by Taxi at the hotel. The lobby is very welcoming and smelled wonderful (I learned the smell was something they called Vivid Orange..I thought about buying some)

Check in was very easy and since it had been a while since I’ve stayed at a Marriott my status had dropped to Gold. I wasn’t quite sure what I should expect. I was very pleased to learn that Gold status got me free internet – something I have since learned is rare in Australia – and access to the executive lounge. The executive lounge, on the 9th floor, offers complimentary breakfast, appetizers and wine during the dinner hour and dessert and cocktails following that. Everything is free and well stocked.

My room was a large king room with a working desk, wet bar, and large bathroom. My room had no real view of anything. The bed was comfortable with lots of pillows (soft, medium and firm pillows to choose from)and there was a very large screen TV that swiveled to face either the bed or desk. The bathroom was very clean and had a shower only (no rooms have tubs since the hotel caters to mainly business travelers.) One of the nice perks was of course the free internet, but also the room had converters so I didn’t even have to break mine out.

The hotel has recently undergone a refurbishment and it shows! The rooms and lobby and lounge are all very up-to-date, clean and modern. The restaurants are surprisingly good and reasonably priced – compared to the average price of a meal in the city.

The hotel is located one block from China town and a three-four blocks from the Bourke shopping mall (an outdoor shopping street filled with small and large retail outlets.) Public transportation is readily available in the form of trams, trains and taxis. The Southbank area, filled with restaurants, shops and offices for most major corporations, is accessible by tram or taxi (about $6-10 by taxi each way depending on traffic) or $11 for an all day train ticket.

The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful. The front desk helped me several times throughout my stay. Murray at the front desk was especially helpful. And, on day 3, he remembered me by name – that always goes a long way! The hotel concierge was hit or miss though. Some days the person working the concierge desk was very knowledgeable and other days you could tell the person wasn’t really a concierge. The worst meal I had in Melbourne came at the recommendation of the concierge. The same concierge also made a very poor recommendation for a salon offering manicures/pedicures. I quickly learned to visit the concierge desk while the female concierge was working (she was very helpful and knowledgeable).

On my fifth night at the hotel, I received a complimentary bottle of wine from the hotel as a thank you for staying 5 nights. It was a very nice gift – even though I don’t drink – I appreciated the gesture. I would absolutely return to the Melbourne Marriott (if the rate was reasonable..it can get very expensive in high season.)

I have to say, this trip has made me think seriously about staying more frequently at Marriott while traveling abroad (I think Starwood will remain my #1 chain because the corporate rates are better usually, I am defiantly looking forward to more Marriott stays in 2012.)

Hotel Room:

Hotel Executive Lounge