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All reviews shared bathroom rooftop garden circular quay hard boiled eggs opera house ceiling fan sitting room great location museum of contemporary art rocks area rabbit warren continental breakfast bar downstairs cruise terminal no air conditioning old world charm george street
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Reviewed November 8, 2009

Booked The Russell after reading TripAdvisor reviews and we weren't disappointed. Excellent location for seeing Sydney - 5mins walk from bedroom to Harbour Bridge and Opera house. Not expensive but a comfortable room with standard facilities. The ceiling fan was particularly welcome when we arrived from UK snow to Aussie heat. Breakfast was good - try the mixed breads basket!

Date of stay: February 2009
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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1  Thank Dave_and_Victoria
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed October 17, 2009

As other travelers have noted, the location of the Russell just can't be beat. Step outside and you're within an easy walk to Circular Quay, harbor cruises, the Opera House, Harbor Bridge, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Hop-on-Hop-Off bus stop, and lots of cafes, shops and restaurants on the cobblestone streets..

In addition, the Russell is one of the few accommodations in the city center that is not furnished in stark, minimalist stainless-steel-and-glass decor. The Russell building is more than 100 years old. The result is a creaky, charming, hospitable bed and breakfast. with lots of character, winding hallways and staircases, random balconies, and a gracious, friendly staff.

There's free Internet access in the Russell's reception area, and a substantial breakfast (eggs, thick toast, juice, yogurt, cereal, coffee) is included in the room price and served in a cozy downstairs breakfast room. Sydney is a money pit --- main courses at ordinary little cafes are from $25 - $30 --- so the hearty Russell breakfast is a good bargain.

For us, an en suite room was well worth the additional charge. Ours had a small kitchette with all the makings for morning tea and Australia's great pressed coffee.
One small caveat: If you have a room on George Street, you can count on being awakened at 6:00 a.m. by the mournful horns of ships in the nearby harbor.

Tip: Rather than trying to organize a shuttle to and from the arport (shared with a dozen other passengers in a seemingly endless drop-off or pick-up process at locations all over Sydney) or hiring a taxi (pricey and likely to be stalled in traffic with the meter ticking)
take the train into town for about the same price as the shuttle. Follow the large TRAIN signs in the airport to the stations immediately beneath both domestic and international terminals and get the train that whisks you non-stop to Circular Quay in about 15-20 minutes. It's a short scenic walk from Circular Quay along the wharf area to the Russell --- quick, convenient, and a nice introduction to the heart of Sydney.

Tip: the pass for the Hop-on-Hop-Off tour bus is good for 24 hours. So if you time it right, you can use the bus two days in a row for a single (about $30) fare --- one afternoon for the City-wide tour of Sydney, and the next morning on the same pass
for Bondi Beach and surrounding areas.

Right around the corner from the Russell is a great little patisserie called the Renaissance. Ignore the brusque impatience of the French woman who runs the place(don't even bother trying to charm her with "Bonjour Madame"), and enjoy exquisite
croissants, pastries and lattes in a cozy outdoor patio in the back of the cafe.

Across the same side street as the patisserie, slightly up the hill, is an authentic German restaurant (can't remember the name but easily recognizable by the beer flags on the outdoor patio in front). There's a large selection of beer on tap, the food is the real thing, and indoor seating is at long communal tables. (At least in October) the waittresses wear dirndl skirts and peasant blouses and musicians play live oom-pah-pah music all night.

There is a great takeout fish-and-chips stand on the Circular Quay just opposite Pier #3.
The mild white fish is fresh and flaky, cooked to order in a crisp light batter. (The little square plastic tubs of ketchup or tartar sauce that are free/throwaways in the U.S. cost .40 each!) There's no seating, but there are benches at Pier #1 overlooking the Bridge and the water where you can enjoy the food and the view.

Date of stay: October 2009
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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2  Thank leekCupertino_CA
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed June 29, 2009

So we booked months in advance for new years 2008/09. All together there were 13 of us, using 2 rooms and a suite. Extortionate prices but then we were expecting that!

You cant beat the location. Absolutely amazing. On Russell street (good shopping area) opposite ciruclar quay (for the boat tours ect) and a wicked view of the opera house!!!
Step outside the hotel and a view of the bridge. Priceless!!!

The hotel is easy to find, no aprking directly for the hotel although they have rates for nearby carparks. The hotel is a quaint old boutique hotel. Soe of the rooms needed some work, some needed a bit more of a clean.

The rooms really seemed to vary as did the bathrom facilities so i suppose its just pot luck. The suite, or so they called it was basically a double room with a sofa bed that just about slept 2 little kids! Having the en-suite was nice though.

The hotel has a lounge and a blacony which overlooks the harbour. Again priceless.

They kindly arranged babysitters for us on a few occasions with lcoal agencies - they were a godsend!

We were on the harbour for new years fireworks, but accoridng to the babysitter from the balcony was the best view. If you are there for new yeasr please be aware the hotel is in the exclusion zone and is very noisy!!!!

The restaurant downstairs served breakfast for guests only. It was a very random choice of breakfast, but you could pay for extras such as a full english (my brother couldnt resist!)

We had a loveely stay, we were made very welcome, the staff tried to help us as much as they could...New years in Sydney was amazing but honestly the hotel was average.

Date of stay: December 2008
  • Trip type: Traveled with family
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Thank 1980mp1980
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
gr8Ttrip, Manager at The Russell Boutique Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded August 12, 2009

One of the unique features of the Russell Hotel is that it is a historic building and the hotel is full of character. It does however mean that the hotel does have old creaky floor and lots of beautiful old staircases and no lift! The hotel is definitely not for everyone. If you want a wonderful location, appreciate the character of old buildings and prefer friendly local staff this is the hotel for you.

The Russell Hotel has a wonderful small team of employees who will always try to help with any reasonable requests. Being a small hotel our staff have extra time to spend with guests. We love to recommend places to eat and visit and places that locals would go to, not just tourist spots.

It is also important to note that all of our 29 rooms are individually decorated. Some rooms may be to your tastes and others may not. Should you arrive at the hotel and find your room is not to your tastes we are happy (where possible) to show you alternative rooms. Please note that on Saturday nights, New Years Eve and during the busy season we may not be able to provide many alternative options.

Please also note that over the last 12 months many of our guestrooms have undergone a soft refurbishment. In June 2009 we painted all the corridors of the hotel and they are looking great. We also have plans to change the entrance to the hotel in the next 12 months as we feel the arrival experience is not as positive as it should be (we are hopeful that a lift will be included in these enhancements). Many of the share bathrooms have also been retiled during the month of July 2009 and the sitting room refurbishment should also be completed by September 2009.

Be assured that we listen to guest feedback and we are constantly updating the hotel. Cleanliness and maintenance are a difficult task in an old building and we strive constantly to maintain high standards.

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed May 14, 2009

I just love The Russell Hotel in Sydney. Everything about it is perfect.

The rooms are lovely, each room has a different design. The beds are very comfortable, each room comes with a big cupboard, an ironing board and a tea-making corner. The rooms to the side and the back are very quiet - I've never had a room out to George Street.

The staff is very professional, helpful and friendly. The stairs are very steep and narrow and they help you carry some of your luggage, if you're having trouble. They also allow you to use the internet for free, as long as it's only for a few minutes.

The breakfast is on the ground floor and it's very god value. There's a buffet and a series of warm dishes, all included in the price of the room.

Last, but for sure not least, the location. The Russell Hotel is situated on George Street at the beginning of The Rocks, the old town of Sydney. All the major sights are withing walking distance and Circular Quay, the main transport hub, is just a couple of minutes away.

Date of stay: September 2008
  • Trip type: Traveled solo
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Thank cyberbob2000
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed April 21, 2009

We really enjoyed our stay at the Russell. It's a quaint old boutique hotel in The Rocks district near Circular Quay in 0ld Sydney. It was right in the middle of everything we were doing: old Sydney, catching public transport at Circular Quay, dining at the Sydney harbor, looking out over the Opra House. It is kind of creaky and old, but it was clean and confiortable once we lugged our bags up the narrow staircase. Very coold older hotel.

Date of stay: April 2007
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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Thank Eric99508
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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