lily75

I am new to this forum. My husband and I are seniors. My husband
left for an extensive month long trip in Australia a week ago from the U.S.
He got to his hotel in Sydney and got very sick. He is still sick. (evidently the Dr. thinks it is just flu) I need to go over to Sydney and help him. I would like to find a vacation rental for a while where I can help him get back on his feet. I need to know an area outside of a large city where I can get to a grocery store and it will be safe. I am not even sure if this is the kind of question for this forum. Please excuse my ignorance. I am beside myself trying to figure out the travel and then where to stay. The hotel is not a good place for him to stay. He has seen a Dr. Thank you. Lily

Bokhara2

First thing: Get your ETA/Visa . Apply now. Here - http://www.immi.gov.au/

Australia is a safe place. Sydney is perfectly safe, or at least as safe as any place can be. We don’t allow people to walk in & buy an arsenal of guns & our police don’t shoot or manhandle innocent people. Sydney is a friendly, multicultural city.
I wouldn’t walk down dark alleys or unlit parks at midnight on my own &I don’t imsgine that would be in your Agenda either. Other than that, I have no qualms about going where & when I please on my own & I would hazard a guess I’m probably in your age bracket or perhaps older.

If your husband is in Sydney, why not stay here? If he is unwell, presumably you would want to be within range of his treating doctor.

Sydney is a city of 5m people, with good accommodation options in many suburbs and the CBD ( central business district / “downtown” to North Americans.)

Accommodation: December - end of January is the height of the holiday period in Australia, with the long summer school holidays coinciding with many families taking breaks & Nortnern Hemisphere travellers fleeing the cold. This means that accommodation in popular beachside towns north & south of the city are heavily booked, but you can often pick up good deals in apartments within the city & suburbs.

Obviously, you will need to get a map of Sydney, so you can orientate yourself.

Good resources to check accommodation options are Airbnb, Stayz & Booking.com.com. These sites all show the location as well as each property’s features & price.

If you give us an idea of your budget range per night in AUD, we may be able to give you some pointers. If you have an idea of when you might arrive &how long you estimate you might stay, that would be useful, too. ( and I understand that at this stage you may not know)

Once you have a chance to gather your thoughts - and your ETA/Visa, have a look at the accommodation options &come back with your budget range & a shortlist of the type of properties that appeal to you. We may then be able to give you some guidance on areas etc.

Note: (1) Make sure you put in your most likely dates when searching for accommodation, it will make a difference to the prices.

(2) In Australia, the price you see is the price you pay. There is no additional tax at the cash register.
Any extra fees, like holiday surcharges in some restaurants, are noted on the menu. Some places charge a % for use of credit cards. The % is clearly advised at the point of sale, and does not apply to all shops or cards.

(3) Many things are more expensive, particularly in Sydney, than in many places in the US. However,

(4). You do not need to tip. Anyone. Ever. For anything.
We pay our workers Award wages in all areas and they do not need to rely on tips to make a living.

Good luck - it must be an anxious time for you. There are lots of helpful people here and on Trip Advisor & we will be happy to help you in any way we can.

marg

I'd suggest booking an apartment in Sydney until he is better and then use your unexpected visit to Australia to see a little of the country/beaches around Sydney before returning home. We've stayed at Meriton apartments and have been very happy with their quality and amenities. I know there is one in Kent Street in Sydney which is close to the CBD and has supermarkets etc within walking distance. There are also lots of good hotels but at your/our age, it is nice to have the space and facilities of an apartment.

KayF

If you fly into Sydney you can catch the train from the airport into the centre of the city, to whichever station is closest to your hotel/apartment. Or of course there are taxis.

In the city centre of Sydney there are Coles and Woolworths supermarkets and lots of cafes and restaurants.

I would suggest booking your accommodation first, then flights. A serviced apartment might work for you. Check on Booking.com for something either in the city centre or near the beaches if that's your preference.

Lots of people on the forum will help if you have more specific questions. Good luck, you must be very worried.

Kay

lily75

Bokhara2
Thank you for you thoughtful and prompt message. I did not mean to suggest AU isn't safe. When I used the word “safe” I was thinking more of my needs as an older woman.
I cannot climb stairs, I must have air conditioning, and a good bed to keep myself well (safe).
I looked at quite a few rentals as you suggested today, in the rang of $250 a night. But I could not find one available tomorrow or even this week. I understand about the holiday. My husband is at the Grace hotel, I think he may have to manage there until after the first of the year. The hotel food isn't very appealing to a sick man. A suite or apt would be very helpful.
I have Google maps, and my Visa. I looked on Airbnb (he had reservations through them in Darwin and Adelaide, that had to be canceled. So I am familiar with these kinds of
services.
I will probably fly Jan 1 or 2nd and expect to be over there at least a couple weeks, maybe a month. Although I want to get my husband well, I think being in AU would be about the nicest place in the world to visit for a month Lily

lily75

I checked out the Kent and that does look like it could work well, but I have not been able to reach them yet to see when he could check in. It would be very close to his hotel and I guess I could learn to live in a high rise. I was hoping to stay in a smaller town, but whereever we find a place is what I will accept. Thank you Kay. If you ever visit the Oregon Coast in the US, maybe I can help Lily

lily75

Oh dear, I am tired. I am calling Marg, Kay. My apologies.
Now to Kay...thank you for mentioning the train to the airport. My daughter is helping me to make the flight arrangements (14 hours!)and she is showing me about the train to the center of town. Also, I think one son may be helping out. I am not surprised how many nice people responded, I have heard "Aussies" are nice. Thank, Lily

Bokhara2

Lily, the Grace Hotel is in a good location. Have a look in the map. If your husband is mobile, there is more restaurants within 10 mins walk than he could visit in several lifetimes. If he is too ill to walk across the street or down the street less than a block to the Queen Victoria Building, I suggest he (or you )contacts the GM of the Grace. Explain his situation & requirements &ask for some assistance.

This is not an unknown situation to hotel executives. It may be that if required, the chef could cook something special for your husband. In addition, there is a plethora of restaurant delivery services-the Concierge and or GM will be able to advise on these.

As a major NYE destination, Sydney will be booked solid with minimum nights & higher than normal prices until after 1st January. No doubt you have discovered this. After that, until the beginning of February, you will probably have a reasonable choice, particularly in the higher rating, business hotels &apartments, where there is often some great bargains.

Sydney is not particularly hilly &unkess you are staying in a heritage listed property, I would be very surprised if there were not lifts (elevators to you) in any accommodation you might select. Stairs is something which would be noted on the website.

KayF

I don't know Sydney that well but there is a Novotel in Manly, right opposite the beach. That might suit you better if you want a smaller town, Manly is a suburb but has a different feel from staying in the Sydney CBD (city). Manly is reached by road or ferry from Circular Quay. Ferry takes about 20 mins, and there is a supermarket and other shops 5 mins walk away. You could check if the Novotel has any rooms with a kitchen. Prices for New Years Eve will be sky high in Sydney but if you are arriving after that you should be OK.

Kay

gemmapurcell

The Sydney is in a good location. If your husband is mobile, there is more restaurants within 10-15 mins walk than he could visit in several lifetimes. If he is too ill to walk across the street or down the street less than a block to the Queen Victoria Building, I suggest he (or you )contacts the GM of the Grace. Explain his situation & requirements &ask for some assistance.

This is not an unknown situation to hotel executives. It may be that if required, the chef could cook something special for your husband. In addition, there is a plethora of restaurant delivery services-the Concierge and or GM will be able to advise on these.

Sydney will be booked solid with minimum nights & higher than normal prices until after 1st January. No doubt you have discovered this. After that, until the beginning of February, you will probably have a reasonable choice, particularly in the higher rating, business hotels &apartments, where there is often some great bargains.

Sydney is not particularly hilly &unkess you are staying in a heritage listed property, I would be very surprised if there were not lifts (elevators to you) in any accommodation you might select. Stairs is something which would be noted on the website. More information, visit at http://www.aussietripadvisor.com/

Bokhara2

OP & others - please note GemmaPurcell is a serial pest & spammer. I have reported her & this post which repeats my post, only to attempt to promote her website.

Diamantina

Lily, have you gotten a flu vaccine or pneumococcal vaccine? If not, maybe speak to your doctor about this before leaving--if you have time. I've read this year's flu shot is not so effective, but perhaps better than nothing.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/65over.htm

It sounds like you'll be fairly stressed out and stress weakens the immune system, making you more vulnerable to illness. You might have trouble sleeping on the long flight, and sleep deprivation can also wear you down. You need to be strong for your husband.

If you don't have compression socks, consider buying some. Drink lots of water and walk around during the flight.

di2315

Lily I too have stayed in the Meriton apartments, both in the city and Bondi Junction. You can request a bathroom with a walk in shower, rather than one that is over a bath - something that I avoid whenever possible.
The M Bondi Junction is directly over the railway station, has buses and taxi right down at street level, and shops and supermarkets a plenty.
The M in the city has a major supermarket just around the corner, same for trains and buses. I would happily recommend both for cleanliness and helpful reception staff. Once your husband has recovered from his initial illness they would work well for recuperating.

I wish you well for your emergency plans and feel for you. Be assured we will be as helpful as you need, Di

margo_oz

A problem with the begiñing of January in Sydney is the cricket! It's attracting lots of sad English tourists, so hotel prices for the first week may be high.

We could really use some advice from Tripadvisors KVE here. Regardless, you should be able to negotiate a good price from the hotel or apartment for a longer stay.