PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney

We stayed here for 6 nights, visiting from England, and would recommend. Location is great being on the edge of Darling Harbour and China Town with various other attractions a nice walk away. There is a tram stop 5 minutes away but we preferred to walk. Takes only a few minutes to get into the heart of Darling Harbour where there’s lots of bars and restaurants along with the stunning views. The room was spacious and clean, the ventilation was a little noisy but didn’t trouble us. Breakfast was good. I enjoyed the omelette station. Did get busy on the weekend. The staff were all incredibly friendly and helpful. When we come back to Sydney we will definitely look to stay here again.

Review – PARKROYAL Darling Harbour Unfortunately, our recent stay was disappointing, particularly as a family with a young baby. At check-in, reception confirmed that we had been upgraded to a suite room. However, upon entering the room, it was clear that this was not a suite. When we called reception to clarify, we were given a lengthy and confusing explanation about how upgrades work, including deals and payments that are supposedly arranged and paid for in advance. This was especially frustrating because the confirmation email we received did not clearly explain any details about upgrade deals, advance payments, or conditions, which made the information provided at reception feel misleading and poorly communicated. We then attempted to find a compromise regarding sleeping arrangements. Our baby has recently been wanting to co-sleep, so we asked if the cot could be swapped for a foldable single bed. Two staff members told us this would be fine. However, when the manager later became involved, we were told this was not allowed due to fire safety regulations. This was difficult to understand, as the cot is just as wide as the foldable single bed, and the room furniture could have been moved or removed to accommodate this safely — which was not even explored. We have stayed at this hotel before and never experienced these issues. Sadly, this stay felt poorly managed, with inconsistent information from staff and a lack of flexibility or consideration for families with young babies. It feels as though the standard of management has gone downhill. On a positive note, the location remains excellent, and the valet staff were outstanding — genuinely helpful, considerate, and wonderful with families and young babies.

This is a delayed review as I stayed at the place back in July 2025 but I think it deserves the review. I booked the room just a night before due to some mishaps from other hotels and got a very good deal. Absolutely loved the hotel room and service. The hotel staff greeted us politely from the moment we exited our taxi. The receptionist were quick to check us in and gave us clear explanation of the hotel. We had a clean spacious room, great hospitality, near to station. The gym closes at 10pm which is slightly early for me but not a big deal. I would definitely stay here again.

My stay at PARKROYAL Darling Harbour was mixed, with some strong points but also several areas that need improvement, particularly around guest interaction. Arrival was disappointing. I wasn’t greeted by the colleague at the door, nor was I offered any assistance with my luggage. Reception staff were very quiet on arrival, though polite and friendly enough. The public spaces were clean, open, and well maintained, which helped improve the initial impression. Check-in was relatively quick, and my room was ready early, which was appreciated. As a GHA loyalty member, I was disappointed not to receive a welcome amenity, which I have consistently received at other GHA properties. This was a missed opportunity to recognise loyalty. The room itself was spacious, clean, and comfortable, with a partial Darling Harbour view. I understand the view is impacted by the recent development of the W Hotel, which is beyond the hotel’s control. The bed was very comfortable, the room exceptionally quiet, and I slept very well throughout my stay. Housekeeping did an excellent job with cleaning and turndown service. My late night in room dining experience, however, was extremely poor. The only option available was a ham and cheese toasty, which appeared to be a baguette microwaved briefly. It was unpleasant and well below the standard expected of a hotel in this category. That said, my in room dining experience improved significantly with breakfast and the daytime menu, and I was particularly impressed with the chicken schnitzel. The club lounge was decent, with complimentary beverages being a nice touch, and both the lounge breakfast and overall offering were enjoyable. Departure was efficient, with a quick checkout process, but again lacked warmth. There was no memorable farewell, and as with arrival, no offer of assistance with my luggage, which felt disappointing. Overall, this was an average stay. While the hotel offers comfortable rooms, good housekeeping, and pleasant public spaces, guest engagement and service consistency especially at arrival, departure, and during late night dining could be significantly improved.

Very happy with the hotel. The room was great, well appointed, modern and big, loved the executive suite. Was perfect for us for four days! Excellent breakfast and room service was also very good, and reasonably priced. Central location perfect for access to Darling Harbour and downtown. Very helpful and efficient staff. We would be delighted to stay again!

We had an amazing stay at the Park Royal Darling Harbour, but the standout was definitely the buffet breakfast. The selection was huge and fresh. A special shout out to Johnny, the host, he was an absolute star. Nothing was ever too hard for him, he was warm, attentive and made the whole experience feel so welcoming. He honestly made our mornings. Also took a great Christmas photo of my husband and I and our 4 girls. Highly recommend!

Came here with the family for a few nights away. Mark (concierge), you’re awesome! As a platinum member of too many hotels I know I travel a lot, and the way you engaged with our son was more than is required of you. It is clear you enjoy your job, and this was noticed. My son’s biggest worry was losing his tooth on the holiday, and how Tooth Fairy was going to get into his room. You made him feel Very special, when you picked the phone up and called tooth fairy to make sure he would have access to the room. Thank you. Your awesome!

We stayed on 29 December 2025, and checked out on 30 December 2025. We did not have breakfast at the hotel on the morning of 30 December. When we left the room, it was already around 9:45 am, which was past the breakfast service time. At checkout, I was informed that their system showed I had breakfast. I clearly explained that I did not. The staff member smiled and assured me that the breakfast fee would not be charged. However, I later noticed an additional $40.50 breakfast charge on my bank statement. This is disappointing and unprofessional. The issue appears to be an internal recording error, yet I was still charged for a service I did not use. I am more than happy for the hotel to review CCTV footage to confirm that I did not attend breakfast. This is not a matter of affordability, but of accuracy and trust. Charging guests for services they did not receive undermines confidence in the hotel’s billing practices. I hope the management can review this matter and improve their checkout and billing procedures to avoid similar issues for future guests.