Travelodge: Comfortable And Economical
Planning to visit Sydney on a shoestring? No problem!
While it seems a challenge to visit the land down under on a budget, it doesn't mean it's not possible. There are many ways you can think of to enjoy your stay in this charming city without breaking the bank. Start it with finding an affordable yet decent accommodation, like the Travelodge Hotel.
Situated in Bankstown area, around 29 km from the city centre, Travelodge makes a practical solution to a traveller's budget concern. It's approximately 30 minutes train ride from the city and around 3 minutes walk from the Bankstown MRT.
Travelodge is set within the Bankstown Sports Club, which I mentioned a 3-min walk from the Bankstown train station. With its bright, lively yet relaxed ambiance, it is surely a great place to stay comfortably without missing some fun. The Sports Club has 13 event spaces, 8 restaurants, 7 bars, live show areas and indoor playground; but I think its most prominent entertainment facility is the casino. With all these features, it's a bit hard to tell that there is a hotel within the building.
The receptionists were all friendly and very accommodating which is a plus point for any type of accommodation. The residents living in the area were also nice; we jogged around the area and they offered a warm smile and greeted "Good Morning!"
The room was clean and decent with an overlooking view. It is packed with basic amenities from flat-screen cable television, mini-fridge, microwaves, and cofee-making facility. The only drawback is the limited free Wi-Fi access in the room, if my memory serves me right it's 100kb per day per device. But if you are always out then it should be fine.
The room is quite spacious, enough space to move around. And I super like the big windows as they emitted natural light even though it was winter season (we need warmth!).
The restroom is and will always be my weakness. I never fail to inspect the bathroom and toilet first whenever I stay in a hotel. Travelodge has a clean restroom with hot and cold shower, bathtub, and basic toiletries that are replaced every day.
There are different restaurants in the Sports Club offering a wide array of food. The Greenfield Station caught my attention due to its incredible architectural design. It looked like ancient ruins from Greece.
Travelodge had indoor mini-park with man-made (sort of) river with Koi fishes. The plants at the ground level add a serene feel inside the sports club (and there were lots of water Pokemons there during the time). lol.
We had many options when it comes to food but they close early T_T... (welcome to Australia!) There are a few dining places nearby the hotel so whenever we go back to the hotel late, we still had a place to satisfy our hungry stomach. One of the restaurants in the hotel offers a simple but sumptuous breakfast. :)
Anyway, the overall stay was pleasant and hassle-free. When it comes to safety, oh well, we usually went back to the hotel late but we didn't encounter unfortunate situation.
Will I stay at Travelodge again? Definitely Yes!
August '16