Mercure Sydney Potts Point

I stay here often, and it's a pretty average hotel. The beds are comfortable and there are a few Foxtel channels, but there's no gymnasium, and a guest pass to Fitness First costs $15. Street noise can be an issue, and some guests bring the party back to their rooms. The shower shifts between hot and cold. WiFi is insanely expensive at 10c per megabyte. Yes, really.

The room was clean and housekeeping did a great job each day. My bed felt a bit too hard at first, but I got used to it after a couple of late nights. I ate out daily, so I didn't try the restaurant. The lobby bar was a letdown: very basic and poorly stocked for an international hotel. The bar girl kept leaving to help the kitchen, and once I and others waited over five minutes for service. Some people walked away. The front desk staff were cheerful, friendly and followed my booking notes, which is unusual when you've booked through an agent at a discount. I'm used to opening the curtains on a dark room facing a brick wall for the price I paid, so 20 out of 10 for them. I got a great deal through trivago and had a perfect view from my window: harbor, opera house and city skyline. The location was handy for the train into the city via Kings Cross subway, with pubs, clubs and restaurants close by. I really enjoyed my stay and highly recommend the hotel. I'll stay again.

There were lots of loud guests partying at night, and we had to switch rooms twice. The carpet was wet in the first room, and the shower didn't work in the second. Staff then upgraded us. In the end, the experience was OK.

Everything felt too expensive. WiFi costs too much, the bath is broken, and when I asked about an airport shuttle, I was told it would cost $25.