Harbourside 49

The view of the Harbour Bridge is amazing, and the location is brilliant, with the ferry stop right at the front door. The staff were friendly, and the price was much cheaper than anything else in the area. There's no air conditioning, it's a bit dated, and the shower pressure is so-so. We totally loved our stay, though. It can take a few minutes to warm to the place, but then it grows on you in a really good way.

The after-hours check-in instructions were confusing and poorly written. When we finally got into the room, it was dusty, dirty, smelled bad and wasn't up to standard. The kitchen plates and glassware were unclean, the bedroom side lamps were broken with wires exposed, and the bathroom was covered in stains. This was after we'd paid in full before arrival, plus a ridiculous $133 cleaning fee. We've applied for a full refund because we believe this accommodation goes against NSW Fair Trading consumer policy. For $1,000, I've never been more disappointed. We refused to stay and moved to a hotel, where the money was $1,000 better spent.

We arrived at Harbourside Apartments and found a filthy room that wasn't up to standard. The key tag didn't work, and the instructions about which door led to our room were unclear, leaving us to guess and hope we'd picked the right one. Once inside, the smell was awful, like the windows had never been opened or the room aired out. On inspection, the couch was badly damaged, and a bedroom lamp was broken and snapped, a serious safety hazard. There was food residue on the plates, bowls and cups, urine spots and public hairs in the toilet, and the bathroom vent was caked in years' worth of dust and grime. The glass coffee table hadn't been wiped, and two pillows had mysterious white stains while another had a large brown stain. This was extremely unsatisfactory and downright disgusting. Paying almost $1,000 for four nights is disappointing. The room is a health and safety hazard.

The views through the wide windows are magnificent, taking in the Harbour Bridge, Sydney city and the surrounding bays. Check-in was pleasant and efficient, and although the hotel is a little old, it's well maintained. Our room was clean, comfortable and well ventilated. Restaurants and cafés on Blue's Point Road are only a 750 m walk away. If you don't fancy walking up the hill, the Route 265 bus goes to North Sydney railway station for $2.00. McMahon's Point ferry terminal is just a 50 m walk from the hotel entrance.