Is George St. safe for a woman traveling alone?
 

Hi,

I've been trolling the boards here as I prepare for a two week trip to Sydney and Ayers Rock in late April. Great info!! I decided to make reservations at the Pensione Hotel Sydney at 631-635 George St. mostly because of the fairly good reviews it received on tripadvisor.com. But I have some concerns about the area after reading a negative comment about lower George St. from a board regular. Anyone care to weigh in?

Hi tabard,

This is not an area that I would pick to stay in myself. I was only there the other week and it is still a crappy part of Sydney imho. I think you would do better staying in Darling Harbour or down in The Rocks area.

Cheers

Paul_S

I'm open to comment from Sydney regulars, but although that end of George Street is not in the flashy "tourist precinct" it wouldn't have occurred to me that it's in any way, shape or form unsafe. (tabard, can you point me to that negative comment?)

If your hotel is the Central Railway end of George Street then I would have concerns - I feel it is a very intimidating part of the city even when walking with my husband - if you can change I think you would be happier - and safer.

Hi, tabard!

There's nothing unsafe about lower George St.... it's just a fairly run-down part of the city. Every time I go to the city, day or night, I end up walking that way to get to Central Railway, and I have never, EVER felt "intimidated" in any way. Nowadays it's largely an Asian area, full of Asian grocery stores (fascinating smells!)and a few pawn shops and 24-hour convenience stores. The Sydney Central YHA is nearby, as is the Capitol Theatre, where "The Lion King" is showing.

Frankly, I feel far more "intimidated" walking down MIDDLE George Street, now the cinema-and-fast-food strip, where the sheer volume of loud people and fast-food wrappers, all spreading outwards to where you're trying to walk -- makes this once-pleasant part of Sydney a pretty dismal experience nowadays.

But, that said, I really wouldn't recommend staying in Lower george Street if you have the choice of going elsewhere. As well as being run-down, it's not close to any of the places you are probably coming to see (which is why hotels and hostels in that area are so cheap... or, at least, they were until the Medina moved in up the road at Railway Square). The only thing it has going for it is the proximity to the cheap eateries of Chinatown..... and also the fact that Sydney terminal Station is right nearby. (It is on the OTHER side of this station, not the George St side, where the poorly-lit, almost deserted areas are!) To see the water, you'll have to take a bus or a train.... or walk through that cinema strip! You'd be better off staying closer to the Rocks area of Upper George Street, even though that, naturally, is a more expensive area for hotels. Instead of Tripadvisor, check www.wotif.com about a fortnight before you leave, and see if you can score the Russell for around a hundred dollars a night. That's probably a lot more than you're paying at the Pensione (which is not a place I'm familiar with), but I'd be willing to bet that you'd think it was worth the extra!

I am sorry Alan but I have to disagree - I find any part of George Street, (and for that matter Pitt and Castlereagh too, although for some reason not as bad) - from Town Hall to Central Railway very intimidating especially on my own especially after dark. As the Poster was inquiring as a single female on her own I was telling it I saw it.

We had really good luck booking a Hotel through The Visitors Center at The Rocks.
http://www.abcintegra.com.au/travelg...ouristinfo.htm
They really do have good rates. They booked us in a room at The Menzies that was reg. A$185.00 for A$140.00 total.
and that was within walking distance to the Ferries , Opera House, Bridge etc.
Very good area.
Enjoy

We have visited this part of town quite regularly in recent months at night to pick up a relative coming from the country on the train.

Must say I have been impressed...the jazzing up of railway square and the influx of backpackers have really lifted the area.We have taken to having dinner in chinatown or at ploy thai on george

Whatever our opinions, there are hundreds of single travellers staying happily in the area each night.

Interesting range of views here. prue, what specifically is it about the area that worried you?

I remember an older female relative of mine a couple of years ago expressing similar fears, on the grounds of chat she'd heard on a talkback radio program. When I went into the city to meet up with her one evening I had some time to kill, so out of interest I made a point of ambling my way from Broadway to Town Hall, window-shopping and keeping my eyes peeled for dodgy characters. Try as I might, I didn't see any. It just looked like a very busy thoroughfare full of commuters and others going about their business.

Rest assured it is a little more than 'talk back radio'!!!
I have lived and worked in Sydney for a number of years but now live in the bush. In order to visit the city which we do frequently - we use a coach service that departs Pitt Street at Central - then walk up town etc.
I realise obviously that there are many thousands of single women happily staying and living in the area - but as I said before was merely stating my thoughts - which I always considered was the point of this Forum??

Hey, that's OK, prue! And I was just wondering what SPECIFICALLY it was that concerned you about the area (sorry about the caps, forget how to italicise). I'm not saying that your concerns are unjustified but for the benefit of prospective visitors it would be helpful to know what exactly gave rise to them, that's all.

I guess it comes in three parts Neil - the area closest to the Cinemas - where there always seem to be 'packs' of aggressive youths - at any hour of the day or night.
Further down you come to the more sleezy bar areas and the resulting furtive types doing deals or whatever in doorways.
Then the crowning part if the area of the park and adjoining streets at the Railway - where you will nearly always be accosted by pathetic inebriated or drugged people of all ages and stages.
I admit living in the country has not helped my fear - although our small country town of Young is getting more like it every day!

Thanks, prue. Well, there you go. I've seen kids skylarking around outside of the cinema complex, but they didn't seem interested in hassling passers-by. I wasn't thinking about Belmore Park, which of course is on the other side of George Street, not the route pedestrians would take to get from Railway Square to the Town Hall. Haven't seen anyone doing deals in doorways. The only time in recent years I've been panhandled by a junkie was actually in Kent Street, but that doesn't bother me - in my experience they're annoying but harmless, and I guess I'm just used to that in Canberra. My advice to get a referral to a detox/rehab program tends to be ignored, but I give it anyway.

Tell you something - I think Alan will know what I'm talking about - I worked in that area in the early '60s, it was often my after-hours stamping ground, and it was a good deal sleazier than it is now IMO! The wino bars, the crummier pubs and their even crummier clientele are now gone, as far as I can see. Heavens, the area is positively gentrified these days!

(Alan, what was the name of that pub just north of Central Station that got bulldozed - on the way to Ashwoods, I mean? I think it was an early-opener, and the clientele were something else. Some of them were even journalists.)

Hi, Neil! Yes, your summation of the changes in the last twenty-five years to that area are "spot on". Fifteen years BEFORE that it used to be good -- you had major department stores around there, like Curzons and Anthony Horderns and Selfridge's and Morley Johnson's, but with the advent of the suburban shopping complexes, they folded their tents and left the streets to the second-hand book dealers. For a while there, it was pretty dire (but not dangerous -- by any world standards, one would have to say that Sydney is still a fairly safe city). Then the Asians moved in, and they refurbished the old Capitol Theatre as a top-of-the-line legitimate theatre instead of a cinema specialising in B-grade movies (no more "Sins of Jezebel", one of my favourite Z-grade movies of all time) and C-grade toilets. Now the area is moving ahead again.

The park at Railway Square runs between Elizabeth and Pitt, by the way, and normally anyone in George Street wouldn't go near it, much less have to walk through it. It's pretty dreadful at night -- the only place in Sydney you can count on seeing beggars -- and I think if I were a lone woman, I'd skirt it.... but I can't remember ever reading about an incident there.

I know the pub you're talking about.... used to walk past it every day on my way to work (at Ashwoods; where else?), but I never went in and I never bothered to look at the name. The only reason I am sorry to hear that it's been bulldozed is because I know, in my heart, that what they've built there to replace it will be even uglier!

Hello Tabard. I wouldn't worry too much. I spotted the hotel you have booked the other day as I was travelling down George St on the bus. I'm not sure how long it's been there. Curious that you call it "lower George St" - as it's at the top of the hill and at the top end of the street numbers. Upper GS to me! It is pretty much in Chinatown which is a fine place to be.

Agree about Middle George St which is not dangerous, for heavens's sake, but is tacky and a disgrace.

You'll be fine. It's close to the stn and you can walk (downhill) to circular quay,the Rocks, etc.

It's maybe not where I would chose to stay - but then I don't know what the deal you have is, and how much you are paying.

When push comes to shove, it depends what you are used to. Are you a big city girl? If you are then it will be a doddle.

Neil,
I can assure you that panhandling is still alive and well - you just have to be unfortunate enough to spend time in the Coach Waiting Room at Central or worse still around the corner in Pitt Street where our stop is -
If tabard's hotel is the top of George Street obviously he/she won't need to venture that far down.
Alan, I am well aware the Park is not in George Street itself, but since it is the area surrounding the Coach Station I am most concerned with - then it is close enough.
Anyway I think this Forum is lucky to have you as such a regular and passionate supporter of Sydney and surrounds - the Tourism Board should sign you up!

Thank you, prue, for the kind words; but, in fact, the Board of Tourism wouldn't like me much at all.... the "passion" you speak of is usually a NEGATIVE feeling directed towards the big hotel chains which have virtually destroyed cheap tourism in my home city, so that now people pay $AUD200 a night for a room and think that it has to be that way.

What's more, apart from reassuring tabard about the SAFETY of Sydney generally, I don't think I've had a word of praise about the area we've been talking about.... so Tourism wouldn't like that, either! I've told her that it's "run down"; I said the park area was "dreadful" and full of beggars; I described middle George St as "a dismal experience"; and I told her that the area on the Elizabeth St side of Central Station is "poorly lit and almost deserted". I even hinted -- in an aside to Neil -- that modern Sydney architecture is generally "ugly". Not much of an ambassador for Sydney in all of that! And you should hear me rant and rave about "views" of ugly Darling Harbour, with its freeway overpasses and concrete pillars!

All I am trying to do, Prue, is tell it the way I see it, after 62 years of living and working here. Unlike the tourist people, I don't get an extra cent out of luring people to Sydney with pretty talk. But I get a warm glow when people go home and write on this forum that they had a great time in Sydney and would be happy to come again.

So, I stand by what I said about lower George St: it's not a place I'd choose to stay, it's run-down, it's full of interesting (and cheap!)little Asian eateries, and the danger factor is virtually nil. The worst thing about it is that to get anywhere you have to walk through MID George Street, which is the cinema and fast-food strip... I think someone above used the word "disgrace" to describe this, and I couldn't agree more.

Tabard, I hope you stay down near the Rocks! That's great -- it's Sydney's equivalent of the French Quarter in New Orleans!

I think it's not altogether suitable for men to comment on the safety of places for a woman.

The threats towards women and the lack of ease are things that are not noticed at all by men. The source of the discomfort is mostly men themselves (not you pair, of course, but those others!)

Even woman accompanied by men are not subject to the same discomfort. Men often pooh-pooh this when I say it, but I think they are bad judges of what can cause angst to a woman by herself.

Like Prue, I don't think that is such a good area - although if you walk with purpose and keep your wits about you, you should be OK. The fact that I have to say that indicates that it's not a place where you can be comfortable.

I've lived in Sydney almost all my life (so far!), and have travelled very widely, I'm not a young thing, and I'm certainly not tiny, but....... caution in that end of George Street is needed

I'll accept that, margo, but with the proviso that there are men and men, and women and women. For example, I know a guy who went to New Orleans and was too scared to venture into the French Quarter after dark, something his wife never lets him forget and his friends are too embarrassed to mention. And I've known women who've stupidly (to me) travelled in places I wouldn't even think about going. And somewhere in the middle is my wife, who agrees with me about lower George Street.

We don't know tabard's frame of reference; if she's American, for instance, and doesn't know Australia, she may by now be equating the area in question with the less desirable parts of Washington DC. However that may be, if it's enough of a concern for her to raise it here, I guess the safest bet is to advise her to move further north.

Thanks, Margo, that is exactly the point I was trying to make - and there is no doubt that men have a completely different 'take' on such matters - or at least the ones I know do - I just know that if I was venturing to a new city then I would be pleased to have some answers to the specific question I asked.

This thread seems to be going in circles. To repeat, the fact is that some women are more nervous than others, and some men are more nervous than others. Among the latter category are, presumably, the tens of thousands of pedestrians, male and female, that walk this busy and well-lit thoroughfare day and night. It is NOT, therefore, a male vs female issue.

As has already been pointed out, whatever happens in Belmore Park has nothing to do with tabard's likely movements.

I myself am a confirmed coward and always have been. I would not walk down the street of many western New South Wales towns after dark, where you do actually run a high risk of physical assault as opposed to simple discomfiture. But if you are the slightest bit concerned, follow Alan's advice and stay in The Rocks area. I would just not like it to be thought that in general this is some sort of no-go area: it isn't.

Incidentally, I did ask tabard where she got the original negative comment from, but she hasn't responded. I'd still be interested to read that post.

I am a single American woman and I have been to Sydney 3 times in the past 5 years. The second time I was there I stayed in the area you are considering--lower George St. (at the Capitol Hotel, next door to the Capitol Theater). I did not feel unsafe or uncomfortable there or in any other part of Sydney for that matter. It is a rather long walk up George St. to The Rocks area, but frankly, I rather enjoyed it. But I am a city person and I like the hustle and bustle of crowds. I do agree, however, that most visitors to Sydney would like to stay a little more centrally.

If you are accustomed to traveling alone and are comfortable in big cities, I think you will be fine.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all of your responses. I was actually scared off by Paul_S's comment and promptly booked at The Chelsea, a guesthouse that has gotten some great reviews in Australian, British and American newspapers. It's quite affordable and I heard I could take a boat from nearby Double Bay (or Rashcutter's Bay - I think that's the wrong name but it's something like that) to Circular Quay. (By the way, I've never been to Sydney and wouldn't know whether the 600s area of George St. is upper or lower, I was just trying to remember what someone else had called it in the boards - and clearly did a poor job at that.) Anyway, I'm a big city girl from NYC so perhaps George St. wouldn't have been unnerving for me. But I think the Chelsea will be perfect. I'm so excited about my trip!!

Hi, tabard!

You're fromNew York! And we were worried that you'd never been in a big city before! And didn't know about protective strategies!

Tell me one thing about the Chelsea, please: is this the address: Chelsea Guest House, 49 Womerah Ave, Darlinghurst?

Yes,

That's the address. They also have a website: www.chelsea.citysearch.com.au

Hi tabard...if you will be staying in Darlinghurst, you will be much closer to the city than Double Bay. You won't need to catch a boat but rather a bus or even walk. Hope you enjoy your holiday!

Tabard, who was it that told you that from Darlinghurst you could walk to Double Bay and catch a ferry to Sydney? PLEASE do a search on this forum for "Darlinghurst" and "King's Cross" before you go that route. There are lots of great places in and around Sydney to stay; one of them, the Rocks, I recommended to you earlier on this thread. I wasn't too worried about lower George Street as far as the safety angle is concerned, but I acknowledge the truth of the comment someone made about my not being an appropriate person to respond to a query about whether a woman would feel safe anywhere, so I have been reading this thread and making no comments since. But, appropriate or not, I really can't in good conscience let this one go by, so I hope you'll forgive the intrusion.

My street directory lists Womerah St as running from King's Cross down to Rushcutter's Bay. The street itself doesn't look too bad, and, in fact, down the Rushcutter's Bay end it may be quite pleasant. But "Darlinghurst" is the OTHER end.... around King's Cross, and this is certainly NOT the place for a woman who is concerned about safety to be walking alone. King's Cross is the sleaze capital of Sydney.... the equivalent of Soho in London and Forty-Second Street in New York before they came in and cleaned it all up a decade ago (remember how it looked in the eighties? That's King's Cross today... I think a telling point about the Cross is that the McDonald's restaurant there did a big refurbishment some years back to take OUT their toilets... it seems the staff got sick of dragging out comatose "overdosees").

Now, Womerah Street is not right IN that area... it's probably in a fairly quiet part of the suburb. But King's Cross is smack in the middle between Womerah Street and Sydney! To avoid it you would have to walk down to Rushcutter's Bay and then catch a bus which would take you safely through King's Cross and into the relative safety of the city. This is inconvenient and time-consuming, whereas lower George Street is only three blocks from the centre of Sydney. At least there are lots of eateries around Lower george; where you are planning to stay is just narrow, crooked streets and lanes going in all directions and lots of flats (many old apartment blocks with communal bathrooms, as you might find up around 104th St)jammed up together. It is NOT a place I would recommend that you stay, even without taking into consideration the fact that you are safety-conscious and travelling alone. But in your particular case, I would recommend very strongly against it. I hope that some of the other people above who have been telling you to keep away from Lower George will now come back on this thread and tell you about the suitability of King's Cross as a "substitute".

Again, I would exhort you to look at hotels in the centre of Sydney or in the Rocks (there are cheap ones in both areas, I assure you -- probably just as cheap as whatever you've been quoted for the Darlinghurst place)or, if you want to stay slightly out of Sydney, look at areas NORTH of the Bridge: Milson's Point, North Sydney, McMahon's Point, Cremorne (now, there's an idea... from Cremorne Point Manor you really CAN take a ferry across to the city, without walking for four kilometres first!). In your case, I wouldn't even recommend my oft-recommended area of Glebe, as, while it's fairly safe and quite picturesque, I think it is a much LONELIER prospect than Lower George St -- and, while I am the first to admit that it's not appropriate for a man to try to imagine he knows how a woman feels and thus be arrogant enough to offer advice -- I would somehow imagine that lonely streets with shadows and alleyways are not places you would feel comfortable in.

If that website you quoted above tells you that the hotel is just down the street from Double Bay, then this is a good reason right away not to stay there -- Womerah Street to Double Bay would be around 2 km, and it's all hills. You COULD walk the length of Womerah St and end up only half a kilometre from Rushcutter's Bay wharf, but getting to it means walking right across Rushcutter's Bay Park, which is not a prospect I'd relish... and, anyway, I think that might be a private wharf where the commuter ferries don't go (not sure about that one, however!). You'd end up taking a good look around you and asking for a taxi every time you stepped outside, which means that your cost saving would be nil.

Stay in the Rocks... please!

Hi Tabard,

I certainly did not mean to scare you by my comment on the lower George St area. I just do not think it is a nice scenic part of Sydney, it never has been. It was always an area you had to go through to get to the more interesting parts of Sydney. From a tourism point of view The Rocks and Darling Habour present a better option for the visitor in regards to things to do and quick access to transport to other tourist venues.

Please take Alan's advice and stay away from Darlinghurst and Kings Cross, definitely look at something in The Rocks area.

Cheers

Paul_S

Tabard, I checked the site for the Chelsea, and am heartened that they didn't, in fact, advertise as being within walking distance of Double Bay, so that story came from elsewhere -- maybe one of the magazines that recommended it but didn't do their homework. I am pleased, also, that Paul has seconded my thoughts that this is probably not the best place to stay (although the building itself looks lovely!)

But I notice that they're charging between $145 and $165 for a room with a private bath! That's VERY expensive, tabard.... Sydney isn't New York, you know! Can I be bold enough to give one more piece of advice? Look at www.wotif.com.au about two weeks before you are due to come. Scroll down to find a hotel called "The Russell". This hotel is the best-located in Sydney, and it's even quainter than the Chelsea. The area it's in -- right at the ferry wharves -- is perfectly safe and right where you'd be heading, anyway. It's normal prices are a bit above the Chelsea's, but sometimes on wotif you can pick up a last-minute room for around $AUD100, which is Sydney's bargain for this location.

The Russell has a website also:http://www.australia.travelmall.com/...+Russell+Hotel. But booking through that site is a lot more expensive than booking through wotif!

If the old-world look doesn't appeal, you could always go for a touch of New York and try the old art-deco hotel called The Grace, which is fifteen minutes walk from the Rocks and a block back from George Street, down the "nice" end. Maybe they're on www.wotif.com also.... but I fear they will be more expensive than the Russell or the Chelsea!

Darling Harbour..... hmmm... you'd have to know which ones to book. Many of them are just down off Lower George Street -- on the OTHER edge of Chinatown -- so you may be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. (However, that isn't saying it's not safe... it's a darn sight safer than King's Cross!) The far side of Darling Harbour, on the other hand, is a LONG walk to anywhere, so I'm not keen on that, either, especially with the prices they charge.

Me again! Just had a look on wotif, and have a few tips for you: The YWCA opposite Hyde Park, at the top of Wentworth St, is quite nice, and rooms there are $AUD77 through wotif, and I think you'd be quite happy with that location. It's not an old building, by any means, and although it's not a luxury place, it certainly is several steps up from what we normally think of when we talk about the 'Y'.

Beware of choosing anything else, however, that has "Wentworth" as part of its title, as that street runs right down the back of Central Station, and that's heading to Belmore Park, which several people mentioned already.

You can see that there are hordes of hotels around King's Cross and Darlinghurst that you can have for around $AUD100, which, I think, makes the Chelsea pretty high for that location.

Best I can see for the Russell at the moment is $AUD130, which is far from the cheapest I've seen their rooms go for, but still better value than anything else of wotif except for the Y.

Promise this will be my last one! Have a look at http://www.check-in.com.au/Sydney/Cr...oint_Manor.htm. My god, their single room is $AUD99. You have a four minute walk down to the ferry, which runs to Circular Quay every thirty minutes. The area is one of the nicest in Sydney -- luxury houses that have been in the same family for generations. It's not exactly New York (you may die of the quiet!) but it would be a MUCH nicer experience than the Chelsea in Darlinghurst (I first typed in "a much nicer way to go", but I don't want to scare you off coming altogether!!

Lets face it...
we have made an almighty mess of this one...
if I was tabard I would be heading for
the australian message board at
www.lonelyplanet.com
as fast as my legs could carry me.

If they are still around, I stayed at B&B Sydney Harbour. http://www.bbsydneyharbour.com.au/.

Says on their website, their cheapest room is $140 AUD a night. It was clean, basic B&B when I stayed there in 2001. Full breakfast is included, and it is in the Rocks area. As the others mentinoed, that area feels quite "safe".

Last time I was there, I stayed in Elizabeth Bay, bordering King's Cross. My male friend is a big fan of the Cross (just being young and urban, I guess), and we spent a bit of time there. Yes, it's seedy, but I didn't feel like I was ever in any danger. Of course, that could have something to do with the fact that I was with my friend and my boyfriend both.

For your first trip, I agree...stay in the Rocks. I wouldn't have done my first trip any other way.

Lonely Planet! Oh, no, John, no!

They're all backpackers over there, and they all stay right there in Lower George Street, where the tatty-looking Chinatown Backpacker place is, or, worse -- they go up to the backpacker hotel right beside King's Cross Station (the ones that can't get in sleep right there on the platform)! I think the advice she will get "over there" is exactly the opposite of what she needs!

I would have to agree(with a hearty laugh; John has a way of summing things up very succinctly), however, that this thread, looking over the thirty replies, does not inctantly stand out as Fodor's shining hour. We've probably confused poor tabard so much that right now she's down at her travel agent's swapping her tickets for a couple of red-eye flights to Nome, Alaska!

She's already learned one important thing about Aussies -- none of us ever agrees with anyone else! I think it comes from our isolation, or the fact that we want to be sure we can distinguish ourselves from the sheep!

I hope she still has her sense of humour!

Well, if she's a young woman traveling alone, running into a bunch of backpackers wouldn't be too terrible...it's one of the best ways to make friends in a new place!

Doesn't mean you have to sleep with them though (I mean literally sleeping...in some of the not so not hostels!)

Hopefully Tabard, you will enjoy your solo trip. I'll never forget mine to Oz. And who knew back then that I would be bringing home my very own handsome Australian someday. I'll also be in Sydney in April (but it will be in mid-April). If you wanna have a drink with an American (big LA city girl vs NYC like you) and some fun Aussies, let me know. I'm sure we will be around town putting down a few brews. We may even be hanging out in(gasp) King's Cross. :-P

True tabard may have decided to go anywhere except Australia at this point, LOL, but personally I think you are all great to go to some much trouble to help one lady have a fun and safe trip.

I hope you get a thank you for all your time and efforts. I am proud of you all ;;)

I stayed at Simpsons of Potts Point, which is in that general area, while I was there. (I can highly recommend them.) I'm a single, middle aged woman who travels alone. The area my hotel was in didn't make me nervous at all. There is a block or two WAY at the other end of was a bit questionable, but it appeared to be undergoing a *major* clean up.

My hotel was just a quick (kind of) walk down some VERY long stairs to Cafe de Wheels, the gardens, the Opera House, etc. I did it every day I was in Sydney. (I'll admit to taking a cab home at night a couple times, however, but only because I was exhausted and couldn't face those stairs again ;-)

I found a great little hotel in the north end of York Street, just near Wynard Railway station called the Corus Hotel. it is reasonably priced and does a great breakfast. Close to the rocks and circular quay, transport and is in a good part of the city. You can book it through wotif or http://www.matesrates.org.au/ . It suits me for when i stay in sydney and my wife stayed there by herself recently and visited the quay at night and felt safe.

Hi,

I too traveled alone. While in Sydney I stayed at the Mercantile Hotel on lower George St and the Sydney Harbor B&B. Both were very cool and I felt very safe. I walked around by myself until 11pm. These are both in the Rocks area. The Mercantile is a Irish pub/hotel. Just ask them to put you in a quiet room. I was on the second floor in the back and didn't hear any noise all night long. The room, especially the bathroom, was HUGE. The breakfast (included) was also very good. I had no problems and was only about 5 minutes from Circular Quay and all the action. Have a great time, you will love Australia, it is awesome.

Ozziebound, I am really pleased to hear that good report on the Mercantile; I am always tempted to recommend it as just about the best value in Sydney, with that great location right in the middle of the Rocks, but I usually get "cold feet" at the last moment, because it DOES look a bit rough and rowdy, and I haven't forgotten the American lady who took me to task for recommending the Russell, for heaven's sake, which is just down the street and is three times as good (and probably three times the price, unless you get a room there from wotif!)So I figure I might be tarred and feathered if I sent someone to the rough old Mercantile!

Which brings me to my question: how mch did you pay at the Mercantile, big breakfast included? Did you book in advance or just turn up? And was that huge bathroom an ensuite? (All right, that's three quuestions!)