gbs

Does anyone (Alan?) have any recommendations for moderately-priced accomodations in the Blue Mountains for 1 night, to sleep 3? We will have a car, so don't need to be near bus or train depot.
Thanks so much.

SnRSeattle

I don't know if you want to do this, but we drove to Jenolan Caves straight from the Sydney airport the day we arrived from the US. It was fine. We stopped at the Three Sisters and Wentworth Falls, then on to the caves. Spent the next morning cave viewing (get your tickets the night before or buy on line) and the afternoon hiking at Kanangra Walls. It was wonderful (bring $7 cash for the park sign up--it's a machine off to the side of the dirt road.) We did stay two nights, but you could leave after the day's activities. Quite a twisty road in and out of the area, but doable if the tour busses aren't coming the other way. Definitely a one lane road. Our next day we saw another cave, then stopped in Katoomba for some 3 Sisters hiking and Scenic World (great) and drove on into Sydney with the full moon hanging over the highway. This suggestion was given to us by a B&B owner in Luera (which is a nice town) and we are glad we did it. It's much more remote (although tour busses come to the caves) and scenic. But with only one day, you might want to stay on the tourist paths. If interested, do a google search for jenolan caves and you can view the caves as well as the old fashioned lodge.
Sally in Seattle

gbs

Sally, thanks for the advice. I will take this with me. We are staying outside of Sydney the night before and will have a car, but do need recommendations on places to stay for 3 people. Can you recommend the place you stayed? By the way, we are your neighbors in Gig Harbor...

gbs

ttt

SnRSeattle

Hey, Gig Harborite! My mom lives there so we go a lot. We are actually in Bellevue. To clarify my former post--you have to bring $6 in CHANGE for the machine, not just cash. Anyway, the Jenolan Caves Lodge is an old-fashioned Lodge with inadequate heat (for us spoiled Americans) but enough charm to overcome that lack. I am sure they can accommodate 3 people. I am sure it was moderately priced since we don't stay at high-priced places! They had other motel-like rooms in another building, but we were glad we were in the lodge (especially when they upgraded our room to a king.) Nice English-style furnishings and typically nice Australian bathroom (but very cold in there in July!) I would heartily recommend the Jenolan Caves Lodge. I can't find the link to the exact B&B guide I was using, but here's one to a B&B directory: http://www.bed-and-breakfast.au.com/dirdir.htm
I hope you get some more reccs for other places so you can choose among them.
Sally in Seattle

Smalley

We stayed in Katoomba at 3 Explorers motel in 2003 and were happy with it. http://www.users.on.net/~threeexplorers

gbs

Thanks for the input so far, some of these places require 2 nights stay, so I'll keep checking. Anyone else have any ideas?

Tassietwister

Do you want 2 bedroom (or two rooms) or one room for three?. Do you want a weekend night as these are often minimum two nights. During the week way cheaper and they will take one night far more readily.

Do you need an ensuite bathroom, older type cutesy places up there don't always have has when they were built bathrooms were not invented yet (how did they bathe, like cowboys?)

Also any budget?

Also do you wish to go out at night for any particular entertainment so we do not suggest somewhere 20 km from where you want to go out at night.

Last and not least. Do you consider motel, guest house or cabin stay preferable. Or other like a pub stay, Alan has recommended one I have actually stayed at. However I don't rememebr it too well which may be a good sign for a pub stay (aside from a cute verandah area).

So a few more hints as it is a LARGE area with many options from big resort like Fairmont, to guesthouse like Kurrura (my dream , all sorts type of place Katoomba Town Centre Motel, iconic landmark the Carrington, Olde Worlde, Hotel Imperial, beautiful grounds but main building closed to public now but has on site cottage accomodation, Yester Grange. Or rent a cottage elsewhere, loads to choose from but normally need more than one night. then there is The Clarendon that has entertainment nights, (some very very good) in on site theatre restaurant.

Just tons to choose from so please whittle down what you don't want or what you would prefer.

Alan

Sorry, I am a little late getting onto this one -- I was able to read it, but for some reason the "post reply" button on this site wouldn't work for me.

There are some absolutely lovely bed-and-breakfasts all over Katoomba, but whether you would think they were reasonably priced is another matter! My own favourite cheapie is the Grand View Hotel at Wentworth Falls -- and it is very definitely "reasonably priced" for the location and the standrad of the building; but it's share bath, so maybe you won't like that (if it's not a problem check the site http://www.thegrandviewhotel.com/)

If you have a car, then maybe your best plan would be to get a motel right at the entrance to the best bush walks, which is Echo Point. There are two motels, both three star, right at the point, and I think they each cost around $AUD65 a night. Each has a website: www.3explorers.com.au/ and http://katoomba.visitnsw.com/Holiday...4421CT2347.htm. There's not much to choose between these -- they look virtually identical, and they are right next door to each other.

Finally, if you want to look fourther, a good site is http://www.bluemts.com.au/historyhighway/welcome.htm.

Bet there's something you like in all of those!

gbs

Thanks, everyone, so much for all the info. I have several inquiries in and we'll see who has room and who will accept weekend reservations for only one night. Thanks again....