After a lot of research on tripadvisor I picked this nice B&B and I admit it was really a great choice!
The B&B is hosted inside an old historical building in redbrick. It has a beautiful cozy atmosphere that makes you feel like at home. There is a warm living room with sofas and fireplace where you can relax after your day around, drink some brandy or check emails on the complimentary computer at disposal for guests. Rooms are spacious and nice. With their own fireplaces, huge double bed and a sofa. The bathroom is quite new and has all the comforts.
Breakfast is included and is prepared by the owners and served in the dining room. It is quite rich. you can have eggs, cheese and ham, bread with butter and jam selections. During breakfast they are also very nice and help you to organize your day in Sydney suggesting the best places to go, the most delicious restaurants, nice itineraries etc.
The B&B is in a nice street quite calm with beautiful buildings. One block before the B&B there is a good italian restaurant, Fratelli Paradiso. Good but expensive! At the corner with Mackleay Street there is a convenience store and on the same street is full of restaurants, supermarkets and indian and thai take aways.
The B&B is located in a nice panoramic point. On Challis avenue, if you go down till the end of the street, there are some steps down that bring you to Woolloomoolloo. With my husband we walked every day from the hotel till Opera House and Circular Quay. It is a 15-20 minutes nice walk through the botanic gardens and the bay but if i have to be very honest, if you are lazy and don't like to walk,maybe you should check for more options in circular quay area.
We loved very much this place, we strongly recommend it and we enjoyed the authentic warm aussie hospitality.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
December 25, 2012
We remember these lovely Italian guests who seemed to enjoy their time with us, and the Potts Point area.
Thay are correct that it is very pleasant 20-minutes stroll into the city. But be warned that on the return journey there are 116-steps (however, there are only 58 if you take them two at a time!). About 500-metres away, opposite the large "Woolworths" supermarket there is the 311 Bus-stop that takes about 10-mins. into the city, or taxis are usually fairly plentiful and take about the same time and cost about AUD.10.00-12.00.
All the rooms at "Simpsons" are different, some larger than others, and all have different features.. A couple of our "Superior" King-rooms on the first-floor have the original marble fireplaces (although we are not allowed to light them!) and more traditional decor. Then we have our smaller, more cosy Queen-bed "Dormer" attic-style rooms, with more contemporary decor, on the second-floor (note that there is elevator!!).
Our lovely old Heritage-listed house was built in 1892, for Member of Parliament, and was converted cleverly into a boutique hotel in 1988. Marie and I took over in 2000, carrying out sympathetic redecoration, and furnishing with interesting items and paintings. We enjoy sharing this "olde worlde" home with our guests from both Australia and various other countries. Being 120-years old, the house is far from perfect, with the odd paint chip here and there, and we do not have the state of the art decor of modern chain hotels, but all the creature comforts are provided to hopefully make your stay in Sydney enjoyable and relaxing.
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