Our Lovely New Colours. The blues no more

I must admit that I think it was a colour blind, heritage architect that decided on  the blue facade. but now it's all gone and we have our lovely new colours. What do you think?

Valentines on a Budget in Sydney

With Valentine’s Day looming in a few weeks, there are some incredibly romantic and schmoozy things to do in Sydney.  Obviously a romantic hotel staycation is on the cards for locals and tourists alike. If you’re a local reading this blog post, instead of going out for a fancy dinner and balking at the credit card statement next month, buy some champagne and snacks and keep within your budget. You can go for an uber romantic walk around Sydney, then grab a ferry ride to Cremorne Point while you oogle over the city skyline for a few minutes. Head to Cremorne Point Manor and check yourselves in.

Then with champagne and snacks in tow, you’ll have a wonderfully romantic evening at the Manor and simply ferry ride back to the Harbour the next day. Simple, easy and oh so budget-friendly.

While you’re pottering around the city before your hotel stay, there are a few sights near the Harbour that you can take a spin towards.

You’ll see plenty of sailboats around the Harbour area along with a flurry of kayaks, swimmers and divers. Yes, there are divers at the Harbour!

The National Park includes most of the harbour islands including Fort Denison, Shark, Clark, Rodd, Goat and Cockatoo. Laughing at names aside, these islands have fantastic historical and cultural significances. Some of them are associated with Aboriginal history and others represent old Europe with forts and convict built structures.

Oh, and if you’re in the mood to see a few animals before or after your stay at Cremorne, pop over to Taronga Zoo. If you’re lucky, you’ll maybe hear the lions roar from your hotel room. True to a fact, the zoo is so close to the Manor that guests have many stories about hearing a multitude of squawks, roars and other noises that animals are famous for making (the mind boggles).

Get your romantic groove on and remember to book your hotel room early.

 

 

Game, Set & Match in Sydney

While we’re all trying to lose the holiday weight gain from extra everything on food plates galore, there a multitude of die-hard pro tennis players kick us all into shape at the APIA International Tennis Tournament.

From the 5^th to 11^th January, the APIA games begin with both mens and womens games at the impressive NSW Tennis Centre, attracting the top players from around the world.

Dating back to 1855, this is one of the oldest tournaments in the world so it’s worth a trip to Sydney and check out the games. Originally located at the Sydney Cricket ground for the first NSW Open, it then switched venues to Double Bay and then spending an incredible 76 years at White City. In 2000, the tournament moved once again to the impressive Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center.

Only 25 minutes drive from Cremorne Point, you can enjoy the series of games, yell and whoop for your favourite player and instead of heading back to the downtown hub of traffic, just leisurely drive back to Cremorne Point.

Overlooking the harbour, it’s a win/win for everyone as you can enjoy watching the skyline from Cremorne Point.

Tickets are extremely popular for this tournament, so book in advance.  Also, remember that you’ll be watching the best of the world’s best go head to head on the court, followed by a few drinks at Cremorne and watching the sun set. If anything, you’ll lose holiday weight from adrenaline and cheering on the game, followed by an energetic walk around Cremorne afterwards.

Sydney Festival, The Ashes & January Events Galore

As we promote more blog posts about all things Sydney and Cremorne Point Manor, we’re aiming to organize you. Yes, we want you to know what’s coming up a few weeks ahead just in case you want to book your hotel stay at the Manor but may need a gentle nudge into spoiling yourself.

In early January, right after the fireworks blast 2013 away and spin us forward into a new year, there are some incredible activities and attractions for both visitors and locals.

From the Commonwealth Bank Ashes Pink Test (3^rd -7^th) to Festival Village food fest (8^th - 11th) and Sydney Festival (9^th – 26^th), these are just a few that brings January to a crescendo of activities that will get you cheering in cricket and eating & dancing your way through the streets of the city. Talk about starting 2014 in style with color, adrenaline and a spring in your step.

Just in case you need clarification on the Ashes, this is one of the most prestigious cricket tournaments in the world, where Australia and England go head to head at the Sydney Cricket Ground and there’s only one winner who will own the urn. As a friendly battle heading for its 6^th year, the Ashes are swarming with Down Under and British fans rallying for their country team to win.

Moving swiftly onto the Festival Village, Hyde Park, the food is in abundance and an incredible way to spend afternoon tastings in the summer sunny days and nights. Some of the tickets are free, others charge a fee so check beforehand on prices.

Before you can put your plate down, the Sydney Festival kicks off. Get your dancing shoes on and be inspired by theater, opera, music, dance and visual arts. There are also free and family events galore so bring the rugrats to be inspired and earn new creative ideas.

For all these Sydney Festivals, book your room early at Cremorne Point Manor and you can hop on an 8  minute ferry ride from the Point to the Harbour. Then return back to the Manor for a relaxing evening, away from the bustle of the city.

 

 

New Year’s Eve at Cremorne

To see the Sydney fireworks on New Year’s Eve, both tourists and locals alike will experience the most incredible displays of color in the sky. Attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors a year at this turn-of-the-year extravaganza, there are a few great places you can perch yourself to ohhh and ahhh.

Overlooking Sydney Harbour, Cremorne Point Manor is one of the most popular areas as the Point overlooks the Opera House and Harbour. Instead of trying to push through the crowds in the city, just an 8 minute ferry ride will take you to the Harbour where you can sit back, celebrate with friends & family and take in the full glory of the lights.

Also check out the Harbour Light Parade that’s started in 1999 to commence the Millennium celebrations. The parade involved 20 sea creature-themed Chinese lanterns on barges and illuminated vessels. Now known as the Harbour of Lights Parade, this year, the parade will show off more than 50 vessels including the Tribal Warrior Association boats, Sydney Heritage Fleet and tall ships.

 

Sailing from Cockatoo Island in the west to Clark Island in the east, the displays and lights are astounding to see, alongside rope lights of all colours.

When you’re considering where to stay for the New Year’s, Cremorne is an ideal venue. Now booked over New Year’s Eve, maybe enjoy a hotel stay with us on the surrounding days so you can feel the energy and hype of the city gearing up for the big night on the 31^st.

Now that you know Cremorne Point Manor books out for New Year’s Eve around 2 months in advance of the end of December, you can make a note to book in September for 2014 New Year’s. But by seeing the firework display and Harbour Light Parade from Cremorne Point this year, you’ve already given yourself a rehearsal preview of what’s to come in around 12 months.

 

 

 

Why Sydney Rocks!

With over 4.6 million residents and millions of visitors a year, since 1788 this country has grown in leaps and bounds. Alongside the Great Barrier Reef and other major attractions and cities around the country, Sydney is at the forefront of culture, trends and a haven for tourists.

As the state capital of New South Wales, it’s the most populous city in the country. Building Port Jackson, which is commonly known as Sydney Harbour, the Opera House is a global landmark of culture, music and arts.

It wins hands down as a high ranking world city for quality of life. Maybe it’s because of the sensational summers, or hosting major global events including the Commonwealth Games and the Summer Olympics, or because of the buzz of life in every corner.

Either way, through the year, the city is booming with tons of events and activities. With Cremorne Point Manor just an 8 minute ferry ride away from the Harbour, you can have your cake and eat it. Enjoy an unstoppable array of events such as the Chinese New Year, Australia Day, Sydney Swim and Mardi Gras in the city.  Then chill out at the Manor, away from the buzz, while you view the harbour skyline and enjoy a relaxing evening, watching the sun go down. Remember to book your Sydney hotel stay with us at least a month in advance of major events before the hotel books up.

Some of our favorite events through the year that we’d love to share (alongside the above) include The Sydney Morning Herald Sun Run, Sydney International Rowing Regatta, Biennale of Sydney, Sydney Comedy Festival in the first half of the year. Every few days, there’s another booming event taking place in the area so if you’re thinking of visiting the city, then maybe consider a weekday event where our room rates are cheaper.

 

 

Sydney Chinese New Year Festival, Great Sydney Swim & Australia Day

January in Sydney is full of food and music festivals, the famous Ashes cricket match and by the third week of the month, the Chinese New Year, Swim and Australia Day are upon us.

This is the city that never seems to slow down, not for a moment and that’s why locals and tourists flock to Sydney every moment throughout the year. With so much buzz going on, we really suggest you book your Sydney hotel room at least a month in advance, but calendar checklist aside, let’s get talking about these amazing events.

The Chinese New Year brings in thousands of visitors from the 24^th – 31^st of the month. With music, dancing, food and a huge parade through the city, remember to wear your sunglasses because the colors are incredibly bright! From a Twilight Parade to the New Year Markets and the Dragon Ball at The Star, the Sydney glows with bright lights, sensational dragons and Lion Dances.

Moving onto a new movement, the Great Sydney Swim (25^th – 26^th) will see over 1000 participants to hit the water along the east coast which finishes at Sydney Harbour, just in time for Australia Day.

If you’re not feeling in Olympian swimmer mode, you can try the more casual Ky Hurst Kellogg’s 750m swim (or 300m event for Junior kids). All entrants will have the extra encouragement alongside some of the country’s best swimmers and sports stars so you know you’ll be in good company.

As the swim ends, Australia Day kicks off on the 26^th but usually lasts until the 27^th since the partying doesn’t quit in Sydney. As the biggest annual celebration of the country, each city has multiple fairs, events and activities. Since 1788, Australia has nudged up the celebrations annually to raise the bar of fun and celebration.  You can also watch the national celebration live on television, just in case you over-exerted the BBQ and need a breather.