I am looking for a good view for the fireworks on New Years Eve and also for a generally good location to sightsee from in Sydney during the holidays between Christmas and New Years. I can have either Sir Stamford at Circular Quay, Harbour view, or Renaissance Hotel with Opera house view. Which of these hotels is best? Thanks,

I just stayed at the Sir Stamford the last week of January. I can tell you that it is in an excellent location and it is a fine property. Closer to the Quay than the Renaissance. It is not a particularly tall building, so assuring good views from your room might be a bit more difficult.<BR><BR>Ken

We just returned from a stay in Sydney during which we were there for New Year's. We divided our stay between two different locations. For New Year's, we were across from Hyde Park, at the Marriott. It was a convenient location for all the entertainment going on for New Year's in Hyde Park, but our stay at the Renaissance, later in the month, on our return, was a much better, more convenient location, over all. I can't speak for the Sir Stamford, but we did love our stay at the Renaissance. We had a great view of the Opera House from our room [Rm 2504 I think] and it was just a block away from Circular Quay and the ferries. I thought it was a perfect location, since we wanted to divide our time in both directions in the city, and this afforded us the ease to head toward the opera house or toward the rocks. They are in the process of renovating the hotel, though I imagine by now they should be just about done. Next year, that certainly will not be a problem, and all the rooms will be newly redecorated.<BR><BR>On my next visit there [and I do intend to get there again, since we LOVED Sydney], I plan to stay at the Renaissance.

Hi, barbee!<BR>The term &quot;harbour view&quot; is a bit ambiguous, especially when it is used by the Sir Stamford, which is not a tall building, and is located behind the rail overpass (Circular Quay Railway Station) which would surely block the view of the Opera House and Bridge from all but a couple of rooms. I suspect that their &quot;harbour view&quot; may be looking down the &quot;other way&quot;, towards Manly.... all very pleasant, but not for the fireworks on the bridge! Of course, I am only guessing here, but my advice is to ask them EXACTLY what you will be looking at before you commit yourself.<BR>The Renaissance has a lot of rooms with great views, and I would think that most of the rooms with &quot;Opera House&quot; views would also look at the Harbour Bridge, so that would be my first choice, for sure. In fact, I can't think of any hotel in Sydney which would have better views of the Bridge than the Renaissance. However, before you sign on the dotted line, can you check with them that the room does look at the Bridge as well as the Opera House? <BR>Both hotels are very well-located, so if neither is giving you the view you want, you would certainly not have to walk far to see the New Year fireworks! You'll just have to share standing space with half a million people, that's all!

I can't say if any rooms have a bridge view, but ours only had a view of the opera house [granted it was a GREAT view] The location makes it easy to get to a spot to see the fireworks. There are so many areas to see them well. We had a great spot on a lawn on the perimeter of the botanical gardens, that overlooked the bridge. Wonderful memory!