Royal Hotel Sydney

Upon arrival I introduced myself and she commented’you booked through Expedia’, she then looked at my husband and said ‘and who are you? I felt she was looking down on him. We felt very insulted. The breakfast was at a cost as we booked with Expedia. The hostess was offering wine to other guests but didn’t offer it to us until I asked if it was for all guests. When we arrived we were not allowed in unless we took off our shoes, if you had socks on you were allowed to walk around, I had sandals on so I had to put on sandals supplied by the hotel while indoors, these sandals were also used by other people with no consideration to foot diseases. My husband is allergic to cats and dogs and no animals were allowed in the hotel but the owner had a cat and dog running lose and we were told by other guests that the dog would beg while they had breakfast and the cat would climb on you when sitting in the lounge. Very frustrating.We paid a $250.00 damage deposit which we haven’t received back yet and it’s been almost 10 days which I feel is unexceptable. Very disappointing!

Quirky proprietress, especially at check-in, but after that lovely. The rooms were beautiful and were made up every day of our four-night stay. Breakfast was excellent, and the proprietress prepared it with care and flexibility for different dietary needs. Dog and cat co-hosts were adorable. Helpful tips on things to do and see were tailored to individual needs. All in all, this was a very enjoyable stay!

The hotel is a great location, very clean with friendly staff.

Location was very close to restaurants on Charlotte street. My room was very noisy with loud rtaffic outside. Was hot as a/c was not turned on nor instructions given for its operation. Host/owner was rude and did not seem to want the business. She mentioned it wasn't a hotel but was her home. They shouldn't be charging hotel prices for BandB room. I don't think manager should be client facing.

Excellent breakfast with so many choices, so clean and comfortable rooms and bed, great location

Do not stay here - Staff (Carmen) is rude and belligerent. We did not feel safe and kept a suitcase against the door - When we experienced issues with the door keypad and called for assistance, Carmen berated us over the phone. It took us about 15 min trying to get in before we managed it - She met us inside and and went over the rules. She asked me to pay a deposit and when I approached her she chastised me for wearing my shoes - When we asked where our room was she said the door labelled one,... we asked where room one was again and she yelled "the door with the 1 on it" and then stormed off. After searching around we found where the rooms were. We were extremely uncomfortable her during our stay. It was not enjoyable.

I hate giving anyone a negative review, but calling this a "hotel" is a misnomer, though it certainly looks like it from the street. The owner, who lives on site, seems to find interacting with guests an unbearable burden. There was no prospect of an early check-in time, no bag drop, no help with checking in. A sign on the front door gives her name and number to call for help. "I don't normally answer calls from guests," she said, when I called asking for help. "Read the instructions that were sent to you (by Expedia)," said the owner, when I finally got inside after waiting on the doorstep for more than two hours and asked for the location of my room. "I don't mind sharing my home with guests but you have to follow the instructions," she said. A sign inside the front door says guests are not allowed to wear their shoes in the "hotel" though slippers, apparently, are provided. In the end, I left, forfeiting my non-refundable deposit for the night as it was the most unwelcome experience I've ever had at a "hotel." I ended up having to book a second hotel for the same night, in effect paying twice for one night in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It's a beautiful, well-kept hotel more than a century old, and it's a real shame that guests who pay money up front before checking in are mistreated like this. To say the least I was surprised and disappointed, and again, regret having to give the place such a negative review.

Wicked spot. Very cool

I didn’t like there was no one greeting you as you come in to answer questions,I did follow directions that were written for everyone to read and had a question, so I called the number in which I didn’t receive an answer….lucky for me a guest staying there came in at the same time and could answer my question…the customer relations and arrogance of the owner was uncalled for when I did get speak to her and I wouldn’t recommend based solely on that experience….i did like the cleanliness of the inside of the premises but we did sit out on the patio with two benches that were very rickety and in the short time we were there seen two rats….my experience not great unfortunately …I read reviews prior to booking but gave it a benefit of doubt

Avoid if you can. Host was rude and condescending and it made our stay stressful and not agreeable at all. Be aware there is a cat and a dog on the premises, if you have allergies. This was not indicated in the Expedia description of the facilities and the owner clearly didn't care when I pointed this out. The room was clean and kind of cute, but the awful customer service experience I've had sadly prompts me to not recommend this place.

The property is beautiful and the promise of a boutique hotel was fully lived up to. Clean room, very elegant and charming with coffee and tea available was very nice. Access to the property was challenging with security codes being sent that weren’t working…staff responded quickly but were short and impatient with the issue of their system not working. It would have been nice to know that no staff would be on site BEFORE booking this hotel. Expedia should include this info in the listing Also perhaps letting people know there are 3 floors and no elevators so carrying luggage up 2 flights of stairs could be challenging for some customers.

Amazing historic hotel from the 1800’s in immaculate conditions, located in a great spot and close to many amenities.

The house was beautiful and very clean. The service was sub par and the owner / staff were very unfriendly. Coffee and tea were available but no creamer or whitener. Rats visible from our suite window- so many that the outdoor area was unusable. While a group of pan handlers outside of the property were loud and disruptive, they were friendlier than the staff.

This was the worst experience I have ever had with any accommodation. The service was shockingly terrible. Check in: The property did not send me check-in information. I had to call them on arrival and ask for it. After I finally got it, I couldn't get into the property, I called them and texted them and they didn't respond at all. It took me about 30min to figure out how to get access because the instructions were not clear. That night: This property said that it includes parking. All the parking spaces were full. I messaged them asking where to park. They didn't reply. I did not end up getting a parking space that night. Next day: I had booked breakfast with my stay. The sign in the lobby said breakfast 7am - 9am. I went down at 7am - no one there. I went back at 8:30am - no one there. I had to phone them. Then they told me that I hadn't paid for breakfast, even though I had. I told them clearly that I had checked a box for an extra fee when I booked to pay for breakfast. And they kept telling me that I hadn't paid for it and refusing to serve me. I showed the woman a screenshot of my hotels.com booking that said "Amenities included: Full breakfast" and she still insisted that I hadn't paid. I chatted with hotels.com support, who confirmed that I HAD in fact paid for the breakfast with my booking. Hotels.com emailed the property. By the time this was done it was close to 9am and then they refused to serve me saying that it was too late to serve me the breakfast.

Wifi / tv didnt work. Owner very rude No help available

The property is very well-maintained and the hostess is very careful to assure that clients do not disturb others. Make sure you do not arrive early before the check-in time of 3 PM. Be prepared for a little yappy, but cute dog that will bark at you when you enter, but the puppy is harmless.

Carmen was very helpful. I really appreciate her attention to detail throughout the hotel. If you are traveling with small children it might not be a good fit. There are some rules such as removing one’s shoes, wearing slippers (provided) to your room, and being quiet on the way to your room. None of these things bothered us. I also liked the convenience of location. There has been a lot of thought and love put into this hotel. It was a good experience.

Look closely at the negative reviews. The check in process is awkward and confusing and if you do not follow the rules the owner will yell and swear at you. I called the check in number and was met out front. After a very awkward greeting I was given an envelope with room number, door code and check out info and told that my room is on the 3rd floor there is a dresser inside the door with the rules. The owner then let me walk up the outside stairs to a locked door. Turns out that the rules are right inside the front door where we could have met in the first place. I had to come back down and read the rules and was asked multiple times if I understood. There are only 3 rules that she could have told me…no shoes or bare feet in common areas, silence in common areas and ALWAYS lock the front door. So easy to just say this!! We spent very little time there after that but came in one time to a guest being yelled at. I would not suggest booking here unless you like awkward interactions and you follow all the rules or like being yelled at.

A delightful beautifully decorated Victorian hotel from 1875. A very nice parlor to relax in with games for the kids and an equally charming dining room. Breakfast if you want it. Your host, Simone, loves to talk with her guests and is very helpful. Several good restaurants just a block away

DO NOT GO THERE: THE LADY AT THE HOTEL VERBALLY ASSAULTED ME AND MY PARENTS 10MINS AFTER WE ARRIVED. I got there with my parents and we left after she verbally assaulted us and rushed us with out luggages outside. it all started while I was downstairs picking up my luggage and the lady who was not in control of herself. minutes later she calls me downstairs to the lobby and agressively starts rambling that my mother did not close the door properly and that we should.follow the rules. I tell her I don't like her tone and she continues to threaten me. I tell her right away that I will not stay if she doesn't stop and she goes right upstairs opens the door using the code of our room where my parents were and rushes them out with their luggage. I demand to get a refund but she doesn't want to. I saw that she wasn't right (she was clearly under the influence of a substance I believe given the look of her face) and we leave because I wanted to avoid further problems while my parents are with me (I was scared she might open the door at night and stab us ) It is very sad that Expedia allows such places to still advertise on their website. I discovered later by reading comments that other visitors had similar experiences. THE LADY IS NOT MENTALLY WELL IT WILL END UP VERY BADLY.

The location was fantastic! The establishment has been restored amazingly. Check in was easy, once the code worked for our door. No elevators and we were on the third floor, so we brought up only what we needed for the night. It was clean, quiet and our bed was comfortable. Location is great, walkable to the boardwalk and restaurants.

A lovely old building. Well kept. Wasn’t fussy about the staff.

So glad we stayed here. Carmen was a gracious host-welcomed us immediately. Our room was so clean and I loved the decor throughout. Very close to the waterfront and walking distance to great restaurants. Highly recommend.

Cet hôtel est un vrai musée. Bâti en 1875, en parfait état, les meubles antiques se marient bien avec le modern pour une expérience des plus intéressante. L'accueil par Carmen était aux petits soins. Parfaitement situé en plein cœur de Sydney. Le petit déjeuné était santé et délicieux. Fortement recommandé comme endroit pour séjourner, on va y revenir.

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Absolute nightmare! Please think twice before making a reservation for this "supposedly hotel" You will be judged right from the very start. 1000 rules! The host, Carmen Spino likes pretending to be nice at first but don't be fooled. You'll soon discover for yourself. She spies on her guests. She will withhold a $250 fee and she can only return it if you absolutely didn't use anything. Even towels, she likes everything just like you found it. I have pictures and videos of her screaming at us just because we asked for an extra plate at the breakfast table. Her father and mother who also live on the property later apologized on her behalf. Her father, tried to talk to her to stop treating guests horribly, tried to calm her down and later said she has a problem. My family and I were treated so bad that my kids cried on our way out. I have a lot to say about this place but I'll leave it at that. I hope it helps someone. Also, don't order breakfast if you happen to stay anyway. It's such a disappointment. I'm happy to share pictures and recordings to back this up. What a terrible experience we had! Never again!

Heritage property

Disgusting treatment The second I set eyes on the proprietor of this hotel (it is an old house) I sensed that trouble may be lurking in my near future. This turned out to be true. Her manner upon greeting me was theatrical and somewhat girlish such that I felt some discomfort. She insisted on some rules, specifically the importance of removing one’s shoes at the front door and the importance of keeping the front door locked at all times. My wife and I were happy to oblige with these stipulations. There were limited normal owner-guest interactions for the rest of the evening. The next morning I stepped out of our room into the corridor where I ran into the owner. I said good morning and then saw that she had been crying. Her face was flushed with anger. She shouted some garbled sentences, which I think were meant to indicate that her rules had not been followed. I asked her what was wrong. More shouting and then she disappeared up a flight of stairs. I was stunned. I went outside to our car where my wife was waiting and described what had happened. However, more was to come. The owner was now marching towards our car, shouting a truly foul-mouthed series of allegations about us not following her rules. At this point, given her hostility and her proximity to my wife, I thought about calling the police. However, thankfully, she turned around and marched back to her hotel (still screaming at us). Expedia should delist this establishment.

Old, well maintained place with creaky floors. Lots of old Knick knacks and decorations. Not my favourite type of place to stay as you have to be very quiet to not disturb other guests. Woman was not very helpful on check-in when we asked about the ferry. Bit of complicated door key system.

Super clean

This is a delightful small hotel. Our room on the top floor was very comfortable and the bathroom remodel was well-designed and executed. We were well treated by friendly staff and fed a scrumptious breakfast. We enjoyed walking the nearby boardwalk and eating in the nearby pub, entertained by live music. I heartily recommend the hotel.

Great little hotel, was downtown so I was able to walk to the bars and restaurants. The Hotel was clean and the atmosphere was calm and peaceful.