we will be staying at the grace hotel in sydney and the tradewinds esplanade in cairns as well as the jupiters gold coast in broadbeach. Can you tell me about these hotels(either good or bad)any info you can give me would be appreciated since it isn't too late to change my plans.

Hi, Bruce!<BR>The Grace Hotel in Sydney is a fine old building -- maybe from the 1920s or 30s -- which has been refurbished inside and is, I have heard from posters on this board, both modern and elegant. Not very tall, however, compared to the newer buildings nearby, so don't expect colossal views.It is not very close to the water -- you will have to walk for fifteen minutes -- but it is very close to some of the best shopping in Sydney. It's set back a block from the main shopping street (George St) in an older, narrower (and quieter!)street which is dotted with tiny shops and coffee lounges (and, for some reason, men's hairdressers). But within a couple of minutes' stroll you are in the Pitt Street Mall, and you are no more than five minutes' walk from either of two main subway stations. I think it would be a nice place to stay, as you're in the &quot;real&quot;, as opposed to the &quot;tourist&quot;, Sydney.<BR>Can't tell you a thing about the other two, except that I would expect Jupiters to be about as different from the Grace as it is possible to get on this planet. Over to you, Liz!

I stayed at the Grace about 6 months ago and would not recommend it to anyone mainly due to the bad service that I got there. There are plenty more hotels which are better located and who will, I am sure, take note of the customer's wants and needs. <BR>Jupiters is fine as long as you get a high floor as there tends to be a bit too much noise in the lower ones. Its a nice place and you have the mono-rail over to the Oasis centre with nice shopping and access to the beach. The Cairns hotel I will have to leave for someone else to comment on.

Re. Jupiters, its a decent place with plenty of facilities, but too far back from the water for my liking. There are plenty of nice apartments overlooking the beach, or if you want the facilities of a large hotel, there is the Mercure on top of the Oasis centre.

I stayed at the Tradewinds Esplanade in October. The common areas of the hotel are a little run down and dated but the room was nice. One benefit is that the hotel has 2 laundry rooms containing coin operated machines. The hotel is about 4 blocks from the main shopping/restaurant area. Not a bad walk. The food at the restaurants in the hotel isn't that great. We ended up going next door to the Holiday Inn as they offered a superior breakfast spread compared to the Tradewinds. <BR><BR>I can highly recommend Fetta's (Greek restaurant)