The bright burning bulbs on Market Street, Sydney are hard to miss; beckoning you to The State Theatre Sydney. The majestic gothic, Art Deco building plays host to a diverse range of performances throughout the year. Those lights you may notice also beckon you to the QT Hotel Sydney.
Checking In: QT Sydney
Walking into the lobby of the QT Sydney you’d be remiss to think you had gone into the wrong door. Here you’ll find Parlour Cucina – one of two hotel restaurants and the perfect place for breakfast or a light meal during your stay.
But if you take a ride up in the bank of elevators on the wall to your right will take you upstairs to the dramatic and quirky QT Lobby.
Check-in was simple for me. I arrived on a late evening flight and only had to wait a few minutes til I had my room key in hand. The hardest part of check-in was finding my room! The rooms are a little bit of a rabbit warren, but I soon found my way to the QT Executive Room I had booked into.
The Setting at QT Hotel Sydney
We were situated down the far end of the hotel and – unlike my previous stay – found the room to be huge with little trace of the tight, intimate space I encountered last time; something I was thankful of as I was joined last minute by a family member from SA who I was reuniting with after I was in lockdown for the best part of 8-months in Victoria.
The QT Executive Room I was in was spacious, dimly lit, with hints of personality around the room. One of the bedside table lamps was a felt bowlers hat. Part of the wall into the bathroom was coloured perspex behind which housed a range of antiques. It was quirky and fun, and very QT.
Everything was textured. Velvet drapes, rich dark wood, crisp white linen, the textured fabric I couldn’t quite pick on the couch along the back wall. It really played into the theatrical and dramatic personality of the Sydney QT Hotel.
QT Executive Rooms can be configured in two ways: King or King Twin beds. The room I walked into was made up with a King Bed.
The spacious continues with a large bathroom with dark black slate tiles on the wall. It was a gorgeous bathroom. Dimly lit, rainforest shower, and a small plunge/sit-in bath. Kevin Murphy amenities were lined up ready for use on the sink. The toilet was located separately from the bathroom in a space near the door.
There’s also a spacious desk, high-speed Internet, comfy couch and big screen TV which can pivot to face either the bed or the lounge area.
The room features the usual amenities of coffee, tea, and QT’s famed quirky mini bars.
The thing to know when staying at QT Hotel Sydney
One annoying point I’ve noticed not just with QT Sydney, but with all QT properties is that their speed to respond to a guest request is abysmal. QT Sydney was, by far, the worse of the five properties I’ve stayed at.
Despite requesting two King Single Beds to be made up int the room, they hadn’t done so. This is fine, an honest mistake by housekeeping, but when I phoned down to request them to have the beds remade the team advised me that they couldn’t that night but would the next day. Again, frustrating but not a huge deal as I was travelling with a family member and thankfully the massive King bed was spacious and wide and not a problem.
As we exited the hotel the following morning, I reminded both the front desk and phoned housekeeping to request they make the change. I also left a note on the bed with the request.
Upon returning late in the afternoon, I noted the room had been serviced but the beds were not made up into two beds, so I had to call down again.
It seems small but it stuck with me and made me examine another small nuisance more critically.
I phoned down to get a fresh towel and shampoo the following morning when none were left (despite a note requesting it when the room was made up). After waiting for over an hour for the items and making two calls, I gave up and showered and used my family members towel (something I wouldn’t have done if travelling with a friend).
They’re two small things, but the difference between poor and great customer service.
The Following Day
QT Sydney is perfectly located a stone-throw away from the cities main shopping street, Pitt Street Mall, Westfield Shopping Mall, and – for those seeking Australia’s best boutique shops – the picturesque Queen Victoria Building (above image).
Also, be sure to walk or hop on a tram to Circular Quay to see the world-famous Sydney Harbour, Bridge and Opera House; or take the train to somewhere a little further afield from the QVB.
If you are a fan of a good night out, QT Sydney is close to plenty of cafes (try The Grounds of the City!), restaurants, small bars, and sights a short walk from the hotel; like the Sydney Tower Eye!
This trip was all about relaxing and that’s exactly what I did. After a spot of shopping (the holidays were fast approaching!), I found my way to Circular Quay. It’s something of a tradition that my family when we go to Sydney to get ice cream from Royal Copenhagen (near the MCA) and take a walk around the Quay.
We went out for a great meal, stayed inside and watched Netflix, took a ferry, had a coffee and – unfortunately – my family member had to leave mid-afternoon the following day. I stayed on a few extra days for work.
How to visit QT Hotel Sydney
Is there WiFi? Yes, QT Sydney guests can access complimentary high-speed WiFi.
Is the QT Sydney a good business hotel? It depends. If you need a great location central to CBD or close by Pitt Street mall then this is a good choice; however, it is really geared towards leisure travellers and there are other hotels that are far more comfortable for business travellers and offer a better ‘office’ set-up in-room, such as the Swissotel.
Can I bring my pet? Yes, QT Hotels are pet friendly! At the time of writing one pet per room can stay. For more information see here.
Can I earn Frequent Flyer Points or any hotel reward points for staying at QT Hotel Sydney? Yes, there are several ways.
Event Hotels & Resorts run the Priority Guestrewards program (PGR). This is free to sign up to, and I highly encourage you to as you can save quite a considerable amount per night through this program. PGR members also get a complimentary drink on arrival to most of the hotels in their collection, including Rydges and QT Hotels & Resorts. Through this, you can earn points and redeem them on complimentary breakfasts, free nights, and other options.
You can also earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points when booking through Qantas Hotels. At the time of writing, you cannot earn points with Event Hotels & Resorts through Velocity Experiences.
Are there other QT Hotels in Sydney? Yes, there are two QT Hotels in the greater Sydney area. Firstly there is QT Sydney on Market Street and also QT Bondi located nearby the world-famous Bondi Beach. Both hotels have entirely different feels.
Are there other QT Hotels in Australia and New Zealand? Yes, QT Hotels & Resorts have properties around Australia. Including Melbourne, Canberra, Falls Creek (Victorian snow country) and three hotels in New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown). Discover all their properties here.
