How can this cost be justified for NYE in Sydney??
 

I was looking up a few last minute booking sites for the Sydney CBD over New Year and noticed that nearly all the hotels required a minimum of 3 nights booking at premium rates, but the one that really took the cake was the Meriton World Towers. A three bedroom apartment sleeping 6 is advertised at $235 for up to Christmas, rises to $360 after Christmas, up to $900 on 30 December and then (wait for it) a whopping $3999 for New Years Eve
This is 17 times the rate pre Christmas, how on earth can this be justified??

Miss,

it's justified because...people will pay it! Yes, maybe not you or me, but others will. It all comes down to supply and demand.

If you made a similiar survey in your hometown, or major city NEAR your hometown,you'd find the same to be true.

This isn't uncommon. Any hotel, during ANY major event, or holiday will nearly double their rack rate of what they normally charge.

If you are looking for accommodations during this peak period, my recommnendation would be to look "further afield" -- look for something outside the city for less expensive rates and be prepared to "commute" in.

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

Hi Melodie
Double the rate I am preared to accept for major events. I had a look at other capital cities in Australia and the most expensive for New Years Eve was twice the discount rate (this is understandable as there are penalty rates to be paid to staff who work over this period). I still cannot accept that to hike the rate up
to 17 times is in any way justified. It is just a rip off

Miss B99
"Other capital cities" in Australia are nowhere near as spectacular as Sydney on NYE!

If you must be in Sydney - you pay up! Or do as the rest of us do, and commute from the suburbs, or watch the fireworks and concert on telly.

I agree that the markup you quote is excessive - but an apartment that size is often used for parties, and I guess the hotel wants to discourage that.

There are seldome any good last minute deals for Sydney on NYE.

Of course there's no way it can be "justified", MissB99, if you interpret the word as pertaining to justice and being made just. It can, however, be explained: somewhere, there is someone who is willing to pay that price, and the hotel has decided that when profits are THAT large, the bad taste left in the mouth of the customer doesn't matter a whit. I mean, good PR is a nice idea, but it can't compare with a room that pays the salary of everyone in the building (and the World Towers is a TALL building!)in a single night!

Beat them at their own game. Don't pay their price, and write to them and say that you will never stay in their hotel, or any hotel sporting their brand name, at any time of the year, because you refuse to support profiteering. It would be fun, really, to ask them for a breakdown of their expenses for December 31 and, say, July 31 so that you could see why the increase was necessary, and then watch them try to come up with something convincing. I bet they wouldn't even answer your letter!

I wonder if you contacted Whelan's Hotel in Strathfield, or the one at the station at Lidcombe, or the Erskineville Hotel, or any one of a thousand others which are NOT known to tourists and asked them about their New Year's Eve mark-ups, would they even know what you were talking about? There are honest hoteliers in our fair city, you know.... don't judge us all by these pirates.

Before you give the whole show away, try a few of the "unknown" Sydney hotels: the Grand in Hunter St; the Criterion on Park St; the Palisade at Miller's Point; the George on George St; the Napoleon-on-Kent in Kent St; the Waldorf in Liverpool St. I chose these because every one of them is better-located than the Meriton World Towers. If I cared to go out of the CBD and into the inner suburbs, there would be a hundred others. But, of course, they're not as fancy as Meriton, and no one will bow and scrape to you when you check in. But are you coming to visit on New Year's Eve just to stay in a fancy apartment and be catered to?

I hope you can report back in a few days with some more pleasant news! In the meantime, thank you, on behalf of the hoteliers in Sydney who are just trying to make an honest living, for exposing these "chain bandits".

It really is all about supply and demand. That's capitalism for you!! If people are crazy enough to pay, then the hotels will go on charging.

Sydney on NYE is special. You can watch it all for free at a really good spot, if you don't mind staking out a claim ages in advance (never done that) or at a less good spot (just pitch up - and more of a community feel). Neither of these options involves paying mega bucks. Stay somewhere further out and pay less.

I can sort of see the appeal, though, as watching from a prime site means you are in the city, and it's so easy to be able to walk "home". I guess that's what you pay for.

I have a question for knowledgable Aussies. Does the state govt get anything from the higher hotel prices?
It costs a packet to put on the show - and I guess that is justified by higher tourist and indirect revenue. But do they get any gain directly from hotel income?

MissB99 - if u come for the fun - hope you have a great time.

We made the mistake of arriving in Sydney last year just before the Rugby World Cup final. The best I could find downtown was $400/night. We eventually got a room way out in the suburbs (I mean WAY OUT) for $100/night. In the US or Canada, it would have only been a $50/night hotel. (Oh, and the rugby tickets - just for a laugh - were $800 and up by the last month!)

Of course, once the game was done, I got a hotel downtown in the Holiday Inn for $135 (internet rate).

Let's hear it for free enterprise!

People are charged whatever the hotels can get away with charging on NYE. Happens all the time in probably any major city and country.

but sitting here and reading about the fireworks and all that is happening in Sydney makes me kind of sad.

I wish I were in Sydney to watch those fireworks!! And Alan, please help me find a reasonably priced hotel when I am able to come back for NYE!!

If people like Alan and Margo would occaisionally stay in a Sydney hotel rather than their own homes, the hoteliers wouldn't have to jack up their New Years Eve rates to turn a meager profit.

I hear Margo's aunt wants a harborview room at the Intercontinental as her Christmas present this year.

Happy New Year to all

AndrewDavid

PS our couch is available for New Years Eve; let the bidding begin.

AD

I stayed in a Sydney flash (kinda) hotel once - the now Shangri-La - and it wasn't worth the money (and I didn't pay!)

However, while wealthy tourists pay those prices, they'll keep charging those prices

My spare room is free (well - my aunt will be there again, but relatively free!) - No views at all - but if someone is sober, you may get a cup of tea in the morning (none of this newfangled coffee rubbish!)

yes, andrew/david... some people can and do enjoy the occasional visit to other countries. backpackers aside.

Just had another look on wotif for this apartment. The cost has gone down for the three bedroom apartment from $3999 for New Years Eve to $1199 (market forces at work!!)

And, hopefully, now -- on the night of December 30 -- the greedy sods who set the prices at this hotel are wringing their hands and wondering whether they should cut another thousand dollars off the price or face a floor full of empty rooms and staff being paid for nothing! I hope that, if they DO let these rooms, as a mark of their essential decency, they donate the proceeds to one of the tsunami relief organisations. I'm sure they had something like that in mind all the time.

Well Alan, you will be pleased to know that the rooms are still available on the morning of New Years Eve (at a further $200 discount price of $999)
Looks like they will be empty. Had they advertised them at a reasonable price earlier, I bet that they would have sold off and they would have a full house for New Years Eve. Greedy buggers.

My best wishes to you for a safe and peaceful 2005.

Alan, Happy New Years to you and your loved ones from California! And wishes that the year 2005 will bring peace and good news for everyone. ((*))