Despite booking for 5 nights, our stay at the Sir Stamford lasted less than 4 hours! We had asked for an early check-in (and had an email confirmation of the request) but when we arrived at 7am after an overnight flight we were told that no rooms were available and check-in was 3pm. We asked them to make a room available as soon as possible and the receptionist just looked at us and repeated "check in is 3pm". We said OK, we would wait in the Quay lounge (we were paying for the privilidge) but were told - no you can't use the lounge until tomorrow. When we asked why, the receptionist said "because lounge access doesn't start until the next morning after you check-in"!! On insisting that we were going to the lounge the receptionist made a call to the manager who graciously said that we could wait in the lounge! We sat in the windowless room and had coffee but after 3 hours and no news on the progress of the room, we went back to reception. A different clerk said that there was no such thing as priority cleaning and check in was still 3pm! He also said that he was going to charge my card not only 5 x $400 AUD upfront for our stay, but also $500 for "extras we might charge". Have you ever stayed in a hotel that charged you the entire cost of the stay plus extra before you've even checked in? I refused permission to make these charges and he very bluntly told me that this was company policy. I told him how rude I thought he was and his response was a very smarmy "thank you madame". In fact that's all he'd say to anything else I said! When it became clear that we could not check-in until we paid $2500 we decided to leave. I asked to see the manager and the rude clerk said "I am the manager and I have nothing more to say to you!" He then said "even if you leave I'm charging you for 1 night" (which he in fact did) - so it cost us $400 NOT to stay at the Sir Stamford! We went straight to the Shangri-La. checked into a really nice suite and had a fantastic 5 night stay at the lovely Shangri-La. Please don't book the Sir Stamford - I can't tell you what the rooms are like because all we saw was the lounge (which was old fashoned and windowless) but their customer service is non-existant and the staff are rude beyond belief. Also be prepared to have your card charged for the entire stay as soon as you check-in! Dreadful people, don't bother!

This was our second stay at the Sir Stamford Circular Quay and we enjoyed it just as much as the first. The staff are extremely well presented and friendly; and check-in is done very quickly without any difficulty.

We again chose the Quay floor which has all the rooms situated around a large sitting room. Canapes and drinks are served in the evening, and breakfast is also served there. It is like having a personal dining room for your floor.

The hotel is beautifully furnished throughout with paintings and luxurious carpets etc. The Quay rooms are very large, and include a king bed, lounge suite plus chairs and a balcony. The bathrooms are spacious and marble tiled. There is a separate shower/bath/toilet with lovely fluffy towels and nice toiletries.

It is conveniently located near Circular Quay, Opera House and the Rocks. The main shopping area around Centrepoint is a pleasant 15 minute walk and from there you can catch a monorail to Darling Harbour.

Check your room rate for included valet parking; otherwise it's an extra $30 and I'm not sure if it's daily or for the length of your stay.

This hotel exceeded our expectations. It is an easy block to Circular Quay across from the botanical gardens and yet removed from any noise. The hotel has a lot of old world charm, antique furnishings and paintings and a very courteous, caring staff. We had everything we could ask for in a hotel and would most certainly stay there again. It was like coming home at the end of the day. Try to book a room with an inclusive breakfast - the best we had on our trip.

The location is very good. The hotel needs to be closed for major renovation. The rooms also need renovation. The heating in my room did not work well. The pool is smaller than a bath tub. The exercise facilities are very small. All in all, the stay was nothing special. However for the money there are many better options in the area. My real gripe with the hotel is that I was over charged. I had 2 gift certificates. I used both while I was at the hotel, but forgot to write on the receipts that I was using gift certificates. Upon checking out of the hotel, I saw an extra $100 on my bill, but when I explained to the front desk that I had used 2 gift certificates they agreed to correct my bill. However, a months latter when I was home, my credit card was charged the additional $100. I sent an email to the hotel and their corporate office, however neither has had the courtesy to respond in the last 2 months.

I would not stay at the hotel again because if you look at the property you can see it used to be a grand dame when it was part of the Ritz Carlton chain, but as the hotel began to deteriorate the Ritz choose to abandon the property since obviously the owners of the hotel choose not to upgrade. If you want to stay at a hotel that used to be nice this is the place for you. I used to work in the travel industry and can assure you that when a Ritz Carlton drops a hotel it is a sign that the hotel is going down hill. If you are looking for hotel that is top notch than this is not the place for you. This hotel is better situated for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable at a true 5 star property. I would not say here again.