ibis Sydney King Street Wharf

Another post from the shed, this one’s awaiting the elusive transtasman bubble …..

“We can use Accor points to book an ibis in Sydney for the one night we need” says Mike. “Book it Danno” I said and didn’t think about it again until we stepped through the door. The ibis hotels we’ve stayed in have been more functional than funky but stepping inside ibis Sydney King Street Wharf showed me that ibis hotels can be cool too.

The coolest part of the hotel is the Lot 51 bar/cafe on the ground floor. The area is full of graffiti and … Read the rest

ibis Budget Hotel Auckland Airport – Update

In 2014 I moaned (First World problems) about the lack of tea and coffee making facilities and fridge in the rooms at ibis Budget Hotel Auckland Airport. However a  recent early morning flight out of Auckland, and the chance to save some dollars, meant I decided to forego the lack of facilities and return to the hotel.

On check in to my $107 room I almost did a happy dance when I saw a fridge and what I needed to make a hot drink. So if you’re after a cheap sleep and a cup of tea in a comfortable budget … Read the rest

Grand Mercure Nelson Monaco

Grand Mercure Nelson Monaco is at the less unusual end of the unusual accommodation spectrum, but it’s a charming red brick complex built in the style of English terrace houses. The Grand Mercure isn’t in Nelson, but in the suburb of Monaco, it’s five minutes drive from the airport and about 15 minutes drive to Nelson city centre.

The Grand Mercure has a mix of hotel rooms, one bedroom studios and one and two bedroom cottages.

We’re members of the Accor Plus programme and last year I wrote about some of the advantages to membership. One of those advantages … Read the rest

Join Accor Plus for cool room upgrades, discounted stays & up to 50% off meals

Cool upgrades first because I’m sure that’s what readers want to see, then the business end where I list hotel brands part of Accor and link to membership details. The information is based on our experience as Accor Plus members for nearly two years, it’s not written in association with the hotel chain.

Cool upgrade Number 1* – Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa
We booked a superior room for two nights at Sofitel Queenstown but were upgraded to a luxury room. The upgrade included complimentary evening drinks and tapas from 5pm-7pm in the Executive Lounge, and complimentary buffet breakfast. … Read the rest

A cheap sleep at Auckland Airport – ibis budget hotel

Updated post – 14/2/2018

I’ve never slept in an airport, I should have in Prague when flight delays meant I arrived in an unfamiliar city late at night with no accommodation booked. Lesson learned, ever since I’ve pre-booked a bed for my first night. Curiously there’s a website devoted to Sleeping in Airports, Auckland Airport comes out on top for the South Pacific.

Personally I need a decent sleep so I’m not wrecked for my next day of travel. To bypass traffic and to make an early start not quite so early we stayed at ibis budget hotel, … Read the rest