Novotel Sydney Parramatta

Look, I’ll be straight with you about the Novotel Sydney Parramatta – it’s one of those hotels that grows on you once you figure out what it’s actually good for. When I first walked into the lobby on Church Street, I honestly wasn’t blown away. The design feels very… well, very Novotel – that sort of international business hotel aesthetic that could be anywhere from Singapore to Stockholm. But here’s the thing: sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

What actually makes this place work is how it sits in Parramatta. I mean, you’re literally a two-minute walk from Westfield Parramatta, which sounds touristy but is actually brilliant if you need to grab anything or want decent food options beyond the hotel restaurant. The train station is close enough that you can hear the occasional rumble if you’re on the lower floors facing north, but it’s not disruptive – more like urban white noise. And honestly, being able to hop on the train to Central Station in about 25 minutes makes this a surprisingly smart base if you’re doing business in the city but want to avoid CBD hotel prices. The parking situation is pretty painless too, which anyone who’s driven in Sydney will tell you is worth its weight in gold.

The rooms themselves are solid four-star territory – nothing fancy, but the beds are actually comfortable and the air conditioning works properly (you’d be surprised how often that’s not a given). I stayed on the eighth floor and the view wasn’t spectacular, but you get a decent sense of Parramatta’s skyline, which has changed dramatically in the past few years with all the new developments. The bathroom amenities are standard Novotel fare, though I did appreciate that the shower pressure was consistent. What I really liked was how quiet it gets at night – Parramatta isn’t exactly a party district, so you can actually sleep without earplugs. The staff at check-in were efficient rather than overly friendly, which I prefer when I’m tired from traveling. There’s a gym and pool that are perfectly adequate, though the pool area can get a bit echoey with kids during school holidays. You know what surprised me? The breakfast buffet is actually pretty decent – not just the usual sad hotel scrambled eggs, but proper bacon and some fresh fruit that doesn’t look like it’s been sitting there since Tuesday. It’s not going to win any awards, but it’ll fuel you up properly for the day ahead.