Unfortunately Won’t Be Doing This One Again

budget airport hotel sydney australia

When arriving in Australia for the first time, doing a night in Sydney before going to the Whitsunday Islands the next morning, I was in need of an airport hotel. Cambridge Lodge out in Stanmore looked to be the most suitable option, even though approx. 30 minutes away. Located in a regular looking house in a residential area, it turned out to be pretty big, with rooms out back and in the buildings next door. It’s basic, but has a nice common area out on the deck, where I got to enjoy an early morning breakfast as when I arrived there was no room ready. The receptionist told me to go grab breakfast in the kitchen while I was waiting. The room is very basic with no bathroom, but in-room sink. After a nap and finally making sense of the directions I got before heading out to look for some food, I entered the centre of Newtown, which looked like it had a lot to offer. Only problem being I got there so late that most shops where closed, and I was too jet-lagged to wanna go to a restaurant.

And now you’re wondering why I wouldn’t wanna stay here again. Transportation to the airport. Who’s at fault I don’t know. I told the receptionist I would need a taxi in the morning to get back to the airport. Asked if I needed to book ahead. No need was the answer. Woke up and went for breakfast. Same receptionist told me to come back when I was ready to leave and he’d call a cab. As said as done. Only turned out that the taxi never showed. He called several times. Still no car. As this is in a residential area there’s not much traffic coming through. I even had to stop a guy who walked by to ask if he had a car and could take me to the airport. He was nice enough to try calling a friend who’s a taxi driver, who had worked the night before. No luck 🙁 After what felt like forever the receptionist was able to flag down a taxi which just happened to drive by. Taxi driver was surprised to hear no taxi had shown, and sped up when he realised how effing late I now was for my departing flight. I did have the same thing happen when leaving Sydney the second time, so I am starting to wonder what’s wrong with Sydney taxis…

Website: cambridgelodge.com.au

Note: Photo is from hotel’s website.

29 thoughts on “Unfortunately Won’t Be Doing This One Again

    1. That’s a very good idea! I hadn’t used Uber until this fall, in South Africa. It is so convenient!

  1. OOMPH. That’s not a good feeling. We had a similar experience at the JW Marriott in Venice with our water taxi to the airport (no other options from the island)… and again in Prague with a really early morning departure. Those are the times when I think it’s better to find a place closer to the city center where you might have more options. Sorry for your experience though – I know how stressful that is! #citytripping

    1. Not a great one at all! Second time in Sydney, I stayed downtown, and the same thing happened, pre-booked taxi never showed. It’s like there’s something about Sydney taxis…

  2. Oof, that’s a bit of a nightmare, isn’t it?! I had a similar problem the other way when I arrived in Phnom Penh – our taxi transfer never turned up and we couldn’t get hold of him by phone! Ended up getting a tuk tuk to the hotel, squeezed in with our suitcases! :s #citytripping

    1. I’ve had that happen to me a few times too. Once I got stuck on a bike thing in Iquitos/Amazon Rainforest, holding on to my suitcase for dear life 😀 Those are great stories, when everything turns out good, that is 🙂

    1. That’s so not what you want to happen! Luckily there was no line at the check-in desk, so I made it.

  3. Oh bummer a taxi driver never showed up, but when finally did at least he was kind enough to sped! #CityTripping

    1. Yes, I was about to crawl out of my skin. The one who took me to the airport was not to blame. He did all he could to help me. There seems to be something about Sydney and taxis. Ever going back I wouldn’t be trying to use one.

    1. Thank you!! I am trying to do what I have discovered I myself tend to prefer. As you say, attention span is quite short 🙂

  4. That’s horrible! I hate it, to be so depending on public transportation and have a time limit as well. Had the same thing when I went to South-Africa. Too late I realised that during a stop in London City, my next flight would depart from London Heathrow. So within two hours I had to check out, get my luggage, race to the second airfield and check in. I will admit though, that in this case, most of it was my fault.

    1. Ja, Sydney var vel ikke min favoritt, men jeg tror om jeg hadde vært med kompisen min mer, så hadde jeg hatt et annet syn på byen. På den lille turen vår tok han meg med til mange kule plasser som jeg kunne tenkt meg å sett mer av.

    1. Especially when you’ve asked several times and been reassured it’s gonna be fine. I was stressed out, and he was not, until he finally realised I was gonna miss my flight unless he got a move on.

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