Hotel: Sofitel Darling Harbour

Location: Sydney, Australia

Room: Prestige Suite

Perfect for: Couples

Category: 5 Star

From the moment you step into the foyer and smell the famous Sofitel Signature Scent, you know you are in a piece of luxury. The foyer exudes a mixture of sophistication and elegance and a sense of peacefulness with the large fish tank behind the guest services counter. You forget for a moment you’re in the buzzing city of Sydney.

We booked our complimentary night with our Accor Plus membership. It was a perfect way to spend our Babymoon! We decided to upgrade and pay an additional $90 for a luxury room. Because we are Platinum Accor members, we were upgraded and were lucky enough to spend the night in the Prestige Suite.

It was so nice to arrive in the room with a beautiful platter of fruit and macaroons with some balloons! 

Click here to find out more about claiming your FREE night! Click here to read more about the Le Accor Hotel loyalty program.

For a short video of the hotel and room, watch this short video! Remember to change the quality to 1080p HD!

Our welcome experience at the Sofitel Darling Harbour…

Being Platinum Accor Plus members, we were able to go straight to the priority check-in counter. We arrived early so the team took our bags and offered us complimentary tea or coffee. We were given a key to access the pool area as well as Club Millesime which we were able to enjoy before our room was ready.

Being a platinum member, or by simply booking a room with club access, you have the luxury of being able to check in/out in Club Millesime, which at peak times can save you plenty of time!

To read more about Club Millesime, continue reading!

The Room…

Words don’t do this room justice. From the moment you walk in, you’re swept up in the views which on a clear day take you all the way out to the Blue Mountains from the city. It is simply breathtaking.

The lounge and dining room is spacious and really encourages you to sit down, relax and enjoy the magnificent views. We found ourselves just sitting on the lounge, just watching the boats pass in and out of Darling Harbour.

The bedroom is equipped with a king size bed and floor to ceiling windows so you can continue to enjoy the views.

The bathroom is extremely spacious and has an incredible bath situated in the middle of the bathroom. And if that’s not enough, the shower has dual rain showers and a built-in seat. Does it get much better than that?

Meals…

Club Millesime: Breakfast was included for us at the club and it was plentiful. You can order your eggs à la carte or from the buffet. Breakfast, tea and coffee s included when you have Club Millesime access!

Atelier Restaurant: We had dinner at Atelier Restaurant. The service was faultless.

The staff, who knew Jenna was pregnant, identified the appropriate meals and were very helpful. We also had the benefit of using our Accor Plus membership which entitles us to 50% off our food bill.

We ordered the Seafood Bouillabaisse for entre and the Prawns A La Provencale (which are both signature dishes) as well as a Black Angus Medallion.

The food was delicious and the prawns in the main were probably the largest I’ve had in a meal before.

To read more about Accor Plus and how to get 50% off your dining, click here.

Hotel Grounds

A standout for us would have to be the infinity pool on level 4.

There are plenty of pool chairs to relax and soak up the sun. The pool is heated so you can enjoy it all year round whilst also enjoying the view of Sydney City and Darling Harbour. There is also a pool bar should wish to relax with a cool beverage!

Health and Fitness…

For those who like to stay active on holidays, there is a fully equipped gym located on the grounds. If you need a bit of encouragement, then hopefully the view from the treadmill will help get you motivated!

Club Millesime

Located on level 35, the top level of the Sofitel Darling Harbour, you will find yourself in the sophisticated Club Millesime. There are so many benefits to booking a room with club access or getting the access with your status with your membership.

Benefits include:

• Private reception with check in and check out services
• Club Breakfast (6.30am – 10.30am or until 11 am on the weekend)
• All day refreshments including juices, soft drinks, tea, coffee, fruits and light snacks
• Afternoon Tea buffet (from 3pm – 5pm)
• Canapes and pre-dinner drinks (from 5.30pm – 7.30pm)
• Shower facilities for those arriving early or departing late
• Complimentary internet
• Concierge

You are also welcome to bring friends or family along with you (subject to availability). There is just a small fee, which in my opinion, is worth it!

• Breakfast is $35 per person per day (this includes your coffee, table service for your eggs and drinks and buffet)
• Afternoon tea is $35 per person per day
• Pre Dinner Drinks & Canapes are $70 per person per day.

The drinks and canapes for a friend to join you in the Club, is quite reasonable. The canapes are substantial and the drinks are unlimited for the 2 hour period – pretty good value in my opinion!

There is a dress code (basically you can’t wear swimwear, bathrobes or be barefoot) and children policy (children need to be monitored whilst in the club lounge)

Good to know…

The Sofitel has a pillow menu. I would suggest taking a look and ordering a pillow off the menu that best suits the way you sleep! You can also request some Himalayan bath salts to help relax the muscles after a long day exploring Sydney.

If you’re staying at a time where Darling Harbour have fireworks, then you have no need to leave your room! We were there over the Vivid Festival and were able to avoid the crowds and enjoy the show from our room!

Checking out…

Checking out at Club Millesime was quick and easy. If you have club access, I would recommend using this facility.

Above and beyond…

All of the staff at the Sofitel, from check-in, Club Millesime and the restaurant were fantastic. It didn’t matter where we were in the hotel, we felt like we were the only people being looked after. A special shout out must go to Michael who pre-arranged for two body pillows to be in our room for when we arrived. With Jenna being pregnant with twins, sleeping can be quite uncomfortable. We didn’t ask for the pillows, they were just there for us! And, a beautiful touch with the fruit, macaroons and balloons as well to help us celebrate our babymoon. I could not fault the service in any way!

The not so good…

I have nothing to report here.

The verdict…

Yes, yes yes! If you’re in Sydney and looking for somewhere to stay then we would totally recommend the Sofitel Darling Habour. The views, the service and the location is everything you could want for a trip away.

Visiting NSW – Ideas on what else to see and do

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“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta