Hotel Hacienda — Hotel in Sydney

Booked this place as it said 24 hour front desk service as we were arriving at 1am-3am in the morning, in which we stated upon booking and got a confirmation. Arrived at the place at 3am and there was no one there and had a number to call for after hours. We called and a security came and was rude upon arrival and confused on why we called even though his number was displayed to call. He then spent 15-20 minutes on the phone to someone laughing and having a normal chat before telling us they don’t have our booking. He then proceeded to take an extra 20-30 minutes trying to contact a manager as we showed our booking and he couldn’t get in touch with anyone. He then refused to let us stay there or provide any sort of help whilst laughing at us. We are 2 young girls at 3:30am in the morning in a different state with no where to go. Whilst on the phone he was just having chats with the people laughing about “the good old days” as I quote from him, wasting our time as we needed to be awake at 6:30am the next morning and had just done a 10 hour trip. Thankfully there was a room available at a nearby hotel but it took us 30 minutes to call around to find somewhere with availability. Although this security guard doesn’t work directly for this place, the staff failed to acknowledge the booking and following their procedures for after hours check in, which the security guard told us their procedures for after 11pm are to leave the check in card and details for the security to provide to the customer. He wasn’t able to take payment from us to stay the night, which I understand however our booking we made was to PostPay, and he wouldn’t accept leaving valuable items (keys, licence etc) to ensure we didn’t just leave the next morning. I even had to go through the booking process again with him watching as he didn’t believe I made a booking for that checkin time or date even though I provided evidence of the booking and this procedure. I’m glad I didn’t pay on the booking otherwise I probably wouldn’t have seen my money back nor even be able to stay there if I had from the lack of communication and following of procedures from security and the staff working yesterday. I was excited to stay here and even try the restaurant but this experience was horrible and I hope people read over this before considering...

This hotel is a compromise most will find agreeable. Staff are all competent and friendly, the reception lounge is spacious and pretty, the location is convenient and it is worth noting you can't go much cheaper without sacrificing the convenience of secure parking (for an extra $25 per night, but the facility is there) and a private bathroom. Like many have noticed, the rooms are tiny and would be ideally suited to the solo traveller, the beds are Double size and the taller occupant will find their legs hanging off the end as my companion did, and the lack of tea/coffee facilities was missed by myself, a habitual tea-drinker, but that's a Me Problem. Tea and coffee is available at reception for a price, at the time of my stay in July 2022 I paid $7 for a small tea with soy milk and a standard flat white. Cheaper than starbucks, I guess. Shower head is the standard attached style and I doubted it would be able to even penetrate my thick, long curly hair (again, a Me Problem) but the water pressure was actually bonkers so that was tight. If you have a lot of luggage you will struggle to find places to put it without it all just being on the floor, but I'm not the type to pack light so c'est la vie, there are 3 hooks on the walls for handbags or coats which I implore you to make use of if you choose to stay here. Maybe it was the event I went to that destroyed my neck, but the pillows didn't help - not that they were awful, I just found them awkward, but my companion had no issue.

So anyways, in summary: cheap, the facility for secure parking and a great location, but you sleep in a shoebox. I probably won't stay here again personally, but that doesn't mean I don't...

I have lost count of the number of times I have stayed at this hotel. It is my go to place when I am in Sydney and I am busy and all I need to a place to dump my gear and lay my head. I have searched for and occasionally used other cheap hotels in Sydney but the Song is ideal for me. If you want a more centrally located (but with shared bathing facilities) try Song in Wentworth Ave.||I am always somewhat bemused when I read one star reviews. I guess the reviewer has not completed "The Economics of Hotel Management 101." The price you pay for a room in a hotel in Sydney depends on location, room size, facilities and staff numbers. Minimise all of these and you can charge a figure closer to $100 than $300. So, do your homework before booking any accommodation. The Song is wedged between very busy Cleveland Street and the busiest section of rail in Australia. The double glazed windows reduce the sound considerably. I always get a good night sleep, more often because of my abject tiredness &/or my alcoholic intake. Don't bring a cat to the Song because when in your room you won't be able to swing it!! There is usually one staff member who signs you in and then you are left alone. Previously I always enjoyed breakfast in the cafe. Because of COVID it was not operating, nevertheless, they gave me a paper bag with cereal, milk, apple and muesli bar.||Oh yes the kettle was not working. I did report this misdemeanour to management.||So, the Song is not the Ritz but it offers exactly what I want when I visit Sydney, close to Central Railway station, Chinatown and the multitude of restaurants in...