Central Studio Hotel Sydney

The reception team made us feel welcome, especially one staff member whose name I never caught. He greeted us with a smile every time. Our room was serviced daily, with fresh towels and shampoo, conditioner, and body wash supplied. The location worked perfectly for us, and the whole stay made Sydney such a happy memory. I’m honestly surprised this hotel gets such low reviews.

I’ve stayed here several times, back when it was the Rendezvous and now as Central Studio. The rooms are spacious, the reception staff are lovely, and the location is great. I’ve always felt safe here on my own, so I disagree with the reviewer who said it was unsafe for solo women. But the building is clearly not being maintained properly, and it’s starting to feel dangerous. There was mold in the bathroom, and a large patch of carpet on my floor stayed soaked and smelly for days, even after staff were told. The hot water also failed for half of my two-night stay, leaving me to take two cold showers. Breakdowns happen, but management made no offer to compensate guests who went without hot water for a night and a morning. We were told too many people were showering at once. If that’s what happened, the owners need to upgrade the boiler so it can handle a full house. That’s no excuse for a four-star hotel, and I felt sorry for the reception staff who had to deal with the complaints. I haven’t hated staying here, but the state of disrepair needs attention.

Being right across from Central Station was a plus, and the staff were friendly. The rest of our two-night stay was disappointing. The buffet we paid for was poor, with cold food, messy service, and dirty dishes. Our room didn’t look clean, the sheets had stains, and damp smells hung in both the hallways and the room. Mold was visible on the air conditioner. Housekeeping never came during our stay, so the beds stayed unmade and nothing was changed. The facilities are in very poor shape, and I wouldn’t stay again.

The bed was comfortable, the room was clean, and it had the amenities I expected. The hotel is old, but the location is superb, close to transport and food. The manager and staff were friendly, though they didn’t manage to help with the problems I raised. After my one-night stay, I mentioned them again at checkout and got a brief apology and a promise to tell maintenance. That didn’t mean much. The air conditioner squeaked so badly I couldn’t sleep with it on. It wasn’t a very hot day, so I ran it very cold until bedtime, then had to switch it on again in the early hours when the room got warm. Between that and the curtains, I didn’t sleep well. Only half the window had a blackout curtain, and the room faced the apartment building next door, so the sheer curtain didn’t give much privacy or block the light. I told the manager before going out to dinner. There were no other rooms to move me to, and they couldn’t look at it until morning. The location and comfortable bed are about the best things I can say.