Located quite literally across the street from Sydney’s international terminal, Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel is especially convenient for an overnight stay before an onwards flight. Transport at this hotel is also convenient, with free bus transfers to and from the domestic terminal, and a short 15 minute train ride to the city. While the train is the cheapest and quickest way to get into the city of Sydney, you can expect to pay 5 times extra just for departing the airport station!
I booked a one night stay at Rydges Sydney Airport for AU$170. Being an aviation geek, I opted for the Deluxe Airport View King Room.
As you enter, the sink and bathroom area is located on the left, with a separate walk-in shower and toilet adjacent. This setup is especially suited to solo travellers and couples, as after exiting the shower you are essentially standing in the hallway. The walk-in shower was fully tiled and spacious.
The famous Rydges dream bed was incredibly comfortable. For those worried about airport noise the thick curtains block most of it out, plus Sydney Airport has an 11pm – 6am curfew, so you’ll sleep soundly.
The best part of the room for Avgeeks like myself will be the window view. Unfortunately, my window was rather dirty on both sides, leaving me to clean it myself.
Airport view rooms look out towards runway 16R/34L, which is Sydney Airport’s longest runway. This means that most of the wide-body aircraft arrive and depart right outside your window. Although, you will also see some smaller narrow-body jets and turboprops. At its closest, my room was approximately 600m from the runway, so you may want to pack that zoom lens to get some good shots.
Summing Up
Overall, I enjoyed my stay at Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel. The view was simply amazing, I never thought I would wake up to see an Airbus A380 depart right outside my window. The location of the hotel is especially convenient for onwards travel, and the staff are friendly and welcoming. My room had a few marks on the walls and bedding, but nothing inhibiting my stay. Although, hotel management were quick to address this after seeing my Instagram post. I would highly recommend staying at Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel.
