Furama Darling Harbour

The breakfast selection was awesome, and the foyer and restaurant were tidy. Rooms were quiet and clean, the location was central, and the staff were friendly. But the pillows were really uncomfortable. There wasn’t any cutlery, a plate or saucer, or a microwave for reheating. Reception staff never acknowledged guests coming in or going out, though they seemed to make a point of being courteous to people in airline uniforms.

The location is the strongest point: Furama is right in Chinatown and Darling Harbour is easy to get to. Still, avoid a first-floor apartment if you can, as it can get quite loud. My first room smelled strongly of cigarettes, but reception sorted that quickly after I reported it. The rest of the service was disappointing. During my 7-night stay, no hotel staff greeted me once, and it seemed they gave priority to airline crews arriving in groups over individual travelers. I chose Furama partly for the breakfast, but that was another letdown. The choices were limited, the area was cramped, guests struggled to move around the tables, and staff seemed more interested in chatting with each other than helping. Room cleaning was also poor. It’s only done if you leave a sign outside the door. I did that for two days in a row and nobody came. Around 4 pm on the second day, reception said cleaning usually happened between 12 pm and 5 pm and that they’d send someone. No one showed up, so I had to find staff myself to get clean towels. The gym had an unpleasant smell, and getting to the laundry room meant walking through it. Service elevators are inside the gym too, with staff constantly passing through, which made exercising uncomfortable. I booked through an agency and have already asked them not to recommend the hotel anymore. I also found the hotel’s responses to other guests troubling. They disclose details about guests’ stays, raising privacy concerns, and tend to make excuses for poor service instead of acknowledging problems and addressing them constructively.

I was there for a concert recently. The room was clean and really comfortable, and the staff were very accommodating. I’d definitely stay again next time.

For our 5D4N stay, the room was a decent size and comfortable. I especially liked the breakfast buffet’s plain congee, served piping hot and great with the side condiments. The rest of the buffet spread was pretty decent too. Furama Darling Harbour is right beside Chinatown, so there’s plenty of Asian food around when you’ve had enough local Aussie fare. We also spotted the Singapore Airlines crew staying there, which was a nice bonus.