Nesuto Woolloomooloo Sydney Apartments

We had one of our best home-away-from-home holidays in Sydney! Regina and Kristen made us feel like family with their warm smiles, heartfelt hospitality and wonderful support the whole time. Thank you both.

The beds were good, but the apartment had only the bare essentials, with barely enough cutlery for all four of us. After staying in AirBNBs for a while, I’ve come to appreciate basics like coffee, salt and sugar, foil or glad wrap. Having those would go a long way. For such a good location, I’d expected a view of the harbour or Navy docks. Instead, we looked out at an alley and bins. I understand not every room can face the same way, but I was disappointed. The internet also took me back to the dial-up era: charged at dial-up prices and just as unusable.

The front desk staff were pleasant and helpful, and the location in the CBD was decent. The rooms are simple and have a small kitchen, but the Wi-Fi was unusably slow. The beds had old spring mattresses that squeaked when you sat down, and I could feel the springs in my back. There were no sheets for the pullout bed. There’s a bar next door, and people in the neighboring building yelled and screamed all night, despite signs asking guests to be considerate of residents by keeping noise down and not cooking smelly food. Those signs also threaten removal without a refund. Guests are told to take out their own rubbish and leave the kitchen tidy, with possible extra cleaning fees if it isn’t. I don’t usually leave a mess, but being charged over clean dishes left out or a coffee cup in the sink seems unreasonable. You wouldn’t expect to wash dishes after paying at a restaurant, and cleaning up shouldn’t feel like part of a vacation. The washing machines take coins, but there’s no coin machine. Who carries cash, especially $20 in coins?

The rooms are a little worn but clean, comfortable and reasonably well equipped. It’s a great area to explore on foot, with the botanic gardens, NSW art gallery, woolloomooloo’s bars and restaurants, and the wharf all nearby.