Review: Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection
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During our world tour with our family, we discovered the Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection. Didn’t I tell you that I love the Autograph Collection hotels?
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Booking
Travel in Australia will not resume for a very long time, but that does not prevent us from dreaming and continuing to make you discover beautiful hotels.
During our mini-RTW, we were still in New Zealand when we planned our booking at the Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection. And Jean-Maximilien couldn’t have chosen a better place, as the hotel is so charming and the location, perfect.
The Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection is a category 5 hotel of the Marriott Bonvoy chain. You can book it from 30,000 points a night, which is really reasonable for a hotel of this type.
Knowing that we visited Sydney in the middle of the tourist season, the cash rates were very expensive (we are talking about more than $300 per night).
So we used a certificate for one free night available with one of our Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600$100 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Location
The Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection is located at the eastern tip of Walsh Bay, just off the Harbour Bridge, making it a very romantic place. You can have a walk under the bridge and a view of the Sydney Opera House.
It will take you about 20 minutes to reach the hotel from Sydney Airport by taxi.
Around the hotel
The Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection is conveniently located within walking distance of The Rocks disctrict, from where various ferries depart.
We went for an excursion to the historic island of Cockatoo, which in the past hosted a penitentiary institution. I agree, not the best excursion with the kids.
Apart from the ferries, I liked walking around The Rocks which is a very lively neighbourhoud; many shops have antique shopfronts. We walked with the children to the Sydney Opera House, where we then took a little train to visit the Sydney Botanic Gardens. A ride we loved, and perfect for resting our children’s little legs.
Finally I really enjoyed the Millers Point business district with King Street Wharf. The neighbourhood contrasts with The Rocks by its modernity.
However, it is not very convenient to walk there from the hotel with the children. But you can find many cafes, restaurants and shops.
An impressive new hotel tower was under construction at the time of our visit: the Crown Tower. Now completed, it is Sydney’s tallest skyscraper with its 75 floors.
All this to say that there is plenty to do around here!
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Reception
The hotel has a small reception desk. We entered the hotel lobby almost immediately.
The lobby of Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection is welcoming with its Charleston-style staff, central bar and lighting.
A mix of industrial, English chic and seafaring style give a warm, relaxed and original atmosphere to the hotel. There’s a giant screen with Charlie Chaplin’s videos. The atmosphere was lively that night.
The main room gives direct access to a beautiful outdoor terrace, again with ambient lighting.
A glimpse of the daytime terrace.
To get to our room, we had to take the elevators. The corridors upstairs lack a little bit of warmth. The ensemble is in the style I was telling you about.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600$100 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Room
When I came to the room, I thought it was designed for a man!
The room is very nicely decorated with brown leather details, wood, gilding giving it a chic and masculine style. There are no cupboard, but we could use an open wardrobe where the staff piu our suitcases.
In a corner of the room, there were (almost) essentials: safe, iron and ironing board, umbrella, slippers and a yoga mat!
The green velvet sofa is a sofa bed, perfect for children, with a flat screen on the wall. A coffee table and its velvet seat on the window side complete the room.
The kids couldn’t wait for us to finish our pictures so they could go play on them!
All that was missing was a nice bottle of whisky to complete the decor! And it wasn’t far! A very pretty chest of drawers topped with gold bars is used as a bar.
On top of it, an interesting offer of products that have been carefully selected: a cap with the hotel badge or a cocktail blender, mini cocktail bottles, as well as surprises, like a mini celebration kit or beef jerky (Tiger Buck), etc.
We got a welcome gift later. Two local beers (Sydney Beer Co), as well as an appetizer plate of crackers, cheese and dried fruit. (I ate it all!)
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Bathroom
The bathroom is modestly sized, modern, simple and well-designed with a large bath and shower.
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Services
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Breakfast
Since the COVID-19 crisis was not yet in the news, we were able to take advantage of the buffet service. The breakfast room is simple and unadorned.
And champagne was even available for an improvised mimosa!
The offer is not pantagruelic. And yet I loved my healthy and fresh breakfast; the products were of high quality.
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Gym
The gym was a nice surprise. It has a very beautiful luminosity because of its windows.
It’s well equipped, rather spacious, and has a shower room.
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection – Our Overall Impression
The Pier One Sydney Harbour Autograph Collection hotel is a simple, modern hotel without pretension. Because of its location (off the hustle and bustle of the center and close to the water), it has a relaxing ambiance, which I appreciated a lot.
Would you like to travel to Australia? Check out our guide to travelling to Australia with points.
Are pets allowed at Pier One Sydney Harbour?
Pets are welcome!
Does Pier One Sydney Harbour have a swimming pool?
Unfortunately no swimming pool is available at this hotel.
Is there parking available at Pier One Sydney Harbour?
It is possible to park in the street of the hotel itself, we easily found one when we arrived. Otherwise the hotel has valet service.
How long does it take to walk from Pier One Sydney Harbour to the Sydney Opera House?
Count about thirty minutes with a fabulous view of the Opera House. It all depends on whether you take your time along the way.
Go further with Marriott Bonvoy
To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.