Metro Aspire Hotel Sydney

Hotel Description

I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to the Metro Aspire on Bulwara Road, I wasn’t expecting much. The building’s got that modern glass-and-steel thing going on, but it’s tucked into Ultimo in a way that actually works. You know what I mean? It’s not trying to be flashy, just solid.

The thing about this place is the location makes so much sense once you’re there. You’re literally a five-minute walk to Central Station – and I mean actually five minutes, not travel-website-five-minutes where it’s really fifteen. Darling Harbour’s right there too, which is perfect if you’re doing the touristy stuff but don’t want to pay tourist prices for your room. I stayed here during Vivid last year and could walk to Circular Quay without dealing with the nightmare that is public transport during festivals. The staff mentioned they get a lot of business travelers because of the Central Station thing, but honestly, it works just as well for regular visitors.

What surprised me was how quiet it gets at night – Ultimo’s not exactly a party district, so you’re not dealing with drunk backpackers or street noise. The rooms are pretty standard four-star fare, nothing revolutionary, but everything works properly. The shower pressure’s decent (always a gamble in Sydney), and the air conditioning doesn’t sound like a jet engine. I actually liked that they didn’t go overboard with the decor – clean lines, neutral colors, good lighting for actually reading. The bed was firm, which I appreciate, though if you’re into soft mattresses you might disagree.

The breakfast situation is… well, it’s fine. Continental spread with the usual suspects, but the coffee’s better than most hotel coffee, and they had proper bacon, not that weird processed stuff. There’s a small gym that’s nothing special but has the basics if you’re one of those people who actually uses hotel gyms. Parking’s available but you’ll pay for it – welcome to Sydney, right? Though honestly, with Central Station right there, you might not need a car at all.

Here’s the thing that really sold me on this place: the staff actually seem to know the area. I asked about a good local coffee spot that wasn’t Starbucks, and the guy at the front desk sent me to this little place on Harris Street that locals actually go to. That kind of local knowledge makes a difference when you’re trying to get a feel for a neighborhood instead of just hitting the obvious tourist spots.

The whole Ultimo area’s been changing a lot – there’s UTS campus nearby, so you’ll see students around, plus it’s got that interesting mix of old warehouse buildings and new developments. It’s not as polished as the CBD but it feels more authentic somehow. The Metro Aspire fits into that vibe pretty well – it’s professional without being stuffy, comfortable without trying too hard to impress you.

Would I stay here again? Yeah, probably. It’s not the kind of place you’ll Instagram every corner of, but it does what a good hotel should do: gives you a solid base to explore from without any unpleasant surprises. For the price point and that location, it’s a pretty smart choice.

Rooms

• Family Room with 1 sofa bed and 2 queen beds for 5 adults, 4 children
• Double or Twin Room with 1 king bed and 2 twin beds for 2 adults, 2 children

Reviews

• Exceptional – Alan from China (9/10)

  Perfect location walking distance to Central station and Ultimo

• Très bon rapport qualité prix – Nicolas from New Caledonia (8/10)

  Clean, comfort, staff

• Great location and great value – Nicole from Australia (9/10)

  Perfectly located close to the light rail and train. A short walk to China Town and Darling Harbour.
  The room was comfortable and exceptionally clean and the staff were helpful and friendly.

• Good – Lombardo from Australia (7/10)

  Good location, good sized rooms

• It was good. – Shruti from Australia (8/10)

  The room was good and clean. Location was great.

• Good value, clean and quiet location close to Darling Harbour – Melanie from Australia (9/10)

  A fairly short walk from Darling Harbour/ICC where I was working. Really quiet location – no noise/slept with the sliding doors open! Clean. Good sized room.

• It was fantastic stay, exactly what we needed. – Brandon from Australia (9/10)

  The location was perfect, a quick walk to central station made our trip easy. It was also located in a safe feeling and quiet area so we did not feel worried travel to and from the hotel. The best aspect was that we booked the hotel last minute and we were able to check in 4 hours early!

• overall was good – Jambal from Samoa (7/10)

  location

• Everything you’d expect for the price. – Valentino from Australia (8/10)

  It was relatively easy to reach, and a decent price considering the location in Sydney. The staff were lovely and the room itself was very clean.

• Very Good – Nkala from Australia (8/10)

  Location is great. I did not try the breakfast

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities