Song Hotel Sydney

This eight-story property was built in 1984 and is a simple hotel aimed at those on a tight budget. The lobby is a large space and has the simple look of many budget properties: a vending machine, tourist information leaflets, sagging outdated couches, and a bank of computer stations. Much of the lobby is tired and dated, while the rest of the space near the cafe is light and bright, with a modern wooden floor and colorful artwork on the walls. Despite the mostly uninspiring decor, this hotel sees plenty of guests, as many of the couples, solo travelers, and families that stay here just need a passable, clean place to rest at night after days spent exploring everything the area has to offer.

The hotel is located just a few steps from Oxford Street, one of Sydney's most famous thoroughfares. This is the main route for Sydney's Mardi Gras Parade, and the Darlinghurst neighborhood that the street cuts through is packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, clubs, galleries, and gardens. The hotel is just across the street from Hyde Park, and only a five-minute walk from the ANZAC War Memorial and the Australian Museum. Museum train station is a four-minute walk from the hotel as well. Darling Harbour, lined with outdoor cafes, is a 15-minute walk from the hotel, and it’s a five-minute drive or 15-minute train ride to the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, and Harbour Bridge. Sydney Airport is a 15-minute drive from the hotel. 

Rooms at the Y Hotel Hyde Park don't offer much in the way of style or substance, and in fact some feel like they belong in a hostel. Decor is austere, with gray industrial carpets, plain white walls, ill-fitting bed skirts or exposed box springs, and a few touches of red to brighten the spaces up. That being said, they are clean and suitable for guests not planning to spend much time in their room beyond sleeping at night. All rooms have air-conditioning, a safe, and iron. Most have flat-screen TVs with satellite channels plus tea- and coffee-making facilities, and some also have mini-fridges and microwaves. There is a range of room categories available at the Y Hotel Hyde Park. Family rooms have two separate bedrooms, one with a king-size bed, and the other with two singles plus an en-suite bathroom. Other categories are also available with en-suite bathrooms, but for a lower room rate, rooms are also available with a shared external bathroom. A Quad Room with a shared bathroom is also available, which is ideal for groups on a budget (beds are separated by dividers). Some of the rooms are quite dated and showing signs of wear and tear. Carpets are worn in places, paintwork is scuffed, and although the rooms are generally kept clean, many of the windows were not when we visited. Traffic noise can be heard in some rooms, which can be a nuisance at night, and some previous guests have been disturbed by noise from the hotel corridors and doors slamming during the night. 

A continental breakfast is included in the room rate and served in the hotel's laid-back cafe, which is open all day. Guests can pay extra if they wish for a cooked breakfast. There is also a guest kitchen for people wanting to self cater. Near this is a dark and rather gloomy, windowless lounge with a few items of dated, mismatched furniture and a small TV on the wall. A self-service laundry room is also available. For an extra fee, parking is available on-site and an airport shuttle can be booked too. There are free newspapers in the lobby, five meeting rooms for business guests, and Wi-Fi (although this is not free).