Sofitel Darling Harbour - New Development to Block views?

[gaz0303]

How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

Property: Novotel Barcelona City (adjacent to Glories) Status: ALL Silver Room Rate: ALL App (EUR 291-326/nt) Room booked: Family room, saver rate, bed and breakfast Room upgraded/type: Fractionally larger room with view Early check in/late out: Not needed. Welcome drink: Yes (4) Welcome gift...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

General comments: Lovely room with a great view. Will be interesting to see how development in front blocks views in the future. And how much can you really charge for a buffet breakfast? $50/$38 the going rates without All Plus discounts.

 

[dairyfloss]

Property: Sofitel Darling Harbour

Room booked: Superior room, 2 double beds

Room upgraded/type: superior room, king bed, premium bath and harbour view

Rate: Fully flexible
Free internet: Yes
Welcome drink: Yes
Early check in/late out: Early check in around 12pm
VIP treatment: 2 free bottled waters (I’m a Gold Plus member)

General comments: Lovely room with a great view. Will be interesting to see how development in front blocks views in the future. And how much can you really charge for a buffet breakfast? $50/$38 the going rates without All Plus discounts.

$45-$50 pretty standard for Sydney 5 star hotels, and has been for some time (Crown Towers is $65!).
Rarely worth it, and thankfully status or A+ discounts is a saviour for many!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[eric2011]

Property: Sofitel Darling Harbour
Will be interesting to see how development in front blocks views in the future.

Pretty sure development along the front is only low rise 2-3 floors max (proposed photo)

 

[dairyfloss]

Pretty sure development along the front is only low rise 2-3 floors max (proposed photo)

View attachment 404898

Stayong o/t a moment more... Hard to tell from that picture, but a lot of the view from the Sofitel DH towards the north will go. Will still be OK looking across Darling Harbour to the CBD and the W end. This pic kind of helps to better see what's going to happen. Keep in mind the Sofitel DH is set back a fair way.


Cheers,
Matt.

 

[eric2011]

Stayong o/t a moment more... Hard to tell from that picture, but a lot of the view from the Sofitel DH towards the north will go. Will still be OK looking across Darling Harbour to the CBD and the W end. This pic kind of helps to better see what's going to happen. Keep in mind the Sofitel DH is set back a fair way.

View attachment 404899
Cheers,
Matt.

Thats a better picture than mine, yes the new tower will stop any views from about Barangaroo and to the north. Should still get a good view of most of the northern side of the Pyrmont bridge to Barangaroo and of course all of coughle bay. Shame about any views from the existing Novotel and Ibis. They will be gone

edited: included the word "Pyrmont"

 

[Daver6]

I think the only rooms it will really impact are the Jones Bay (north facing) view rooms. They currently pass those rooms off as an upgrade from the base rooms.

So I think this view will be of a building in future


This picture gives a good idea of the footprint and how it would impact the view


I think rooms facing Darling Harbour directly won't really be impacted. This is from the lounge which faces the same way as the DH view rooms

 

[dairyfloss]

This picture gives a good idea of the footprint and how it would impact the view
View attachment 404905

Here's the planned 'before and after' images from the Planning Authority documentation on the project & build. It will block the SDH Club Lounge view from about 1/2 way across Goat Island to perhaps the western edge or a tad more of the Crown Towers building:

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Gold Member]

Stayong o/t a moment more... Hard to tell from that picture, but a lot of the view from the Sofitel DH towards the north will go. Will still be OK looking across Darling Harbour to the CBD and the W end. This pic kind of helps to better see what's going to happen. Keep in mind the Sofitel DH is set back a fair way.

View attachment 404899
Cheers,
Matt.

The attached picture suggests the Sofitel outdoor infinity pool will lose its spectacular views to coughle Bay and the CBD. Surely not.

 

[dairyfloss]

The attached picture suggests the Sofitel outdoor infinity pool will lose its spectacular views to coughle Bay and the CBD. Surely not.

I can't recall the outlook from the pool. Looking across to coughle Bay wharf & the CBD would remain much the same... the impact is looking north towards Goat Island / Crown Tower

 

[Daver6]

I can't recall the outlook from the pool. Looking across to coughle Bay wharf & the CBD would remain much the same... the impact is looking north towards Goat Island / Crown Tower

 

[TheRealTMA]

View attachment 404914

Someone needs to drop a car in the pool.

 

[SnowGoose]

Can anyone with a recent stay report on the state of the construction works? I'm looking to book a stay for end of the month, and just a bit concerned about the potential crane views diminishing our stay.

Is SDH still the best Accor option in Sydney despite the construction works next door?

 

[eric2011]

Can anyone with a recent stay report on the state of the construction works? I'm looking to book a stay for end of the month, and just a bit concerned about the potential crane views diminishing our stay.

Is SDH still the best Accor option in Sydney despite the construction works next door?

Your view will certainly be impacted by about 4 or 5 tower cranes ( just the masts ) unless your room is above approx floor 20. At this stage there isnt any real impact on the view by actual buildings. If you have high status they will usually place you on a higher floor if they can, just ask or send them an email 2 or 3 days before and then again on arrival. Plat and higher get into the club (level 33 i think) and no view disruption up there yet

 

[SnowGoose]

Great insight - thank you!

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

This was the view in December.

 

[dairyfloss]

View attachment 435617
This was the view in December.

That's looking the other way though
I guess there will be impacts from [unrelated] developments both north and south?

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

That's looking the other way though
I guess there will be impacts from development both north and south?

Yeah I'm aware, only photo I had sorry. Looking at the DA and drawings it does look like the view that way will be retained if the building in front is only 3-4 stories because the pool is on level 5 (?) of the SDH. Maybe you lose some of the water but retain the city view.

 

[dairyfloss]

Yeah I'm aware, only photo I had sorry. Looking at the DA and drawings it does look like the view that way will be retained if the building in front is only 3-4 stories because the pool is on level 5 (?) of the SDH. Maybe you lose some of the water but retain the city view.

Yeah, not too bad at that height. Might impact the Sofitel restaurant & champagne bar quite negatively though? The big one is facing north and will take out a big chunk of the view west of Crown at Barangaroo, as I shared in this planning image, upthread.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Yeah, not too bad at that height. Might impact the Sofitel restaurant & champagne bar quite negatively though? The big one is facing north and will take out a big chunk of the view west of Crown at Barangaroo, as I shared in this planning image, upthread.

Yeah I'd also argue those rooms most affected had the best views in the building.
Darling Harbour and that part of the skyline immediately in front of the hotel isn't all that beautiful.
But that view north towards Barangaroo, North Sydney and beyond was my favourite from our 3 stays.