I decided to stay in the Holiday Inn at Potts Point after having been invited to a huge night out in Sydney's Kings Cross district. Due to the city being about an hour from my home, and because I would be getting there and coming home alone, I figured it would be a safer option to stay overnight somewhere instead.

I booked a Standard smoking room at the hotel via the internet, at a rate of AU $125.00. The hotel itself is easy enough to find (on Victoria St), and it's location is perfect if you want to explore the Cross and not have far to walk back to your hotel. As it happened, the hotel was directly across the road from the nightclub where my friends and I met up.

The small problem I encountered upon driving up to the hotel was finding somewhere to park my car so I could go and check in. There is an underground security car park provided but you can't get into it until you check in; and the hotel is on one of the busiest roads in the district where people murder each other for a parking space. Eventually, after going around the busy block twice, I drove up to the security car park gate and pressed the buzzer, and told reception that I had to park my car before checking in. Not only could I not understand the voice coming back through the speakers (poor enunciation and bad traffic noise in the background didn't help), but I had to sit there with my engine revving for five minutes before someone finally decided to take pity on me and open the automatic security doors. I got the car inside and wouldn't you know it - the tiny (and it was VERY tiny) underground car park was bursting at the seams. Some cars had been forced to park alongside the brick walls due to lack of proper parking spaces. I had no choice but to do the same.

I got out of the car, suitcase in hand, and for the life of me I could not find the elevators - or stairs - up to the hotel lobby. I traipsed back and forth across the car park several times, and worrying because I was running late for the function across the road, before finally discovering the elevator tucked away next to a brick wall, in a small alcove off the car park (which can't be seen unless you walk right up to it). The lighting was poor and I was alone, which didn't help matters. I couldn't find a staircase so I had to wait for the elevator to get me up to the lobby.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I finally made it. The lobby was large and inviting. Beige colours, with large potted palms situated around the place and prints on the walls. There were some black couches for hotel guests to sit on and rather dull-looking coffee tables near them. A bar/restaurant/coffee shop (called "Zest") is situated to the left of the lobby but was rather quiet that evening.

There were two girls on reception, but while one was dealing with a rather rude customer (I felt so sorry for her!) I assumed the other girl, who was just standing there staring into space, was also working on reception so I began to rattle off my name and told her I'd booked a room, only to be greeted by an icy stare and a clipped "Yes, well, this girl (she pointed to the other girl) will help you in a minute."

Ten minutes later, while Ice Queen had departed for the murky depths of whatever swamp it is she came from, the nicer girl had eventually packed the other customer on his way and greeted me warmly. After the usual name/room details were exchanged she handed me my swipe card and I noticed it said "Non-Smoking Room" on it. *sigh* This has happened to me so many times when booking hotels online - they never get the room details right. However this girl was so polite and warm so I didn't make a huge fuss over it, but she managed to exchange my room without a problem and blissfully, I was on my way upstairs.

The rooms are easy to find, with clear signposts on the walls opposite the elevator doors on each floor. My room was nice and spacious, much to my delight. When you walk in, the wardrobe is immediately on your right and the bathroom on your left. The main body of the room was decorated in beige tones (like the lobby) with some decent prints above the king-sized bed (which was comfortable). A huge floor-to-ceiling window commanded the wall on the opposite end of the room, which afforded me a fantastic view of busy Victoria Street (it's great to watch the world go by!) at dusk. Right by the huge window was a decent-sized coffee table (complete with some new magazines and the Holiday Inn hotel folder) and two upholstered chairs. The television played host to a huge choice of pay-per-view movies and was situated on a generous desk (with drawers and cupboards underneath). Naturally one of the cupboards contained the Yellow Pages, and some local restaurant guides, which would come in very handy for tourists.

In the large built-in wardrobe there were plenty of hangers for clothes, an ironing board with iron, a fridge, a mini bar (well-stocked with soft drinks, beer, mini bottles of wine and snack foods - but very pricey) and of course, the kettle and all the provisions for coffee and tea (and generous, too - many hotels don't even provide enough sachets for one person let alone a couple, but the Holiday Inn was great in that department).

There was an easy-to-use radio alarm clock by the bed, very good lighting (a main light in the middle of the ceiling and individual lamps over the bed), air-conditioning, an in-room safe and internet ports.

Now onto the bathroom, which was rather plain really. All white walls and tiles, it looked more like one of those clinical bathrooms you find in hospitals. It was of a decent size. The shower was spacious enough and the water force was nice and powerful (for those of you who, like me, absolutely HATE weak showers). Note: the shower/bath are one and the same, and the bath is of standard size as you'd find in most homes. On the bathroom vanity all the necessary toiletries were provided; shower caps, soaps and lotions, a forceful hair-dryer. The bathroom was, like the room itself, immaculately clean.

So, after my rather heavy night on the town I got back to my room in one piece at around 4am and decided I was ravenously hungry (as one does when they've been dancing non-stop for hours on end and don't bother to eat beforehand). 24 hour room service is a damned good thing! I decided to order the last thing in the world anyone should eat at 4am - a burger and fries. The food arrived when they said it would (within half an hour) and I have to say, it was one of the freshest, best hamburgers I've ever eaten in my life. The fries were great, too, and although the meal was a little on the expensive side (almost twenty bucks just for burger and fries) it was worth it just for the taste. I watched a pay-per-view movie whilst eating my meal (the pay-per-views in this hotel cost about fifteen bucks each, which seems standard for most hotels of this calibre).

I had a very restful night's sleep, and even though the hotel is right on Victoria Street I found that the noise of traffic and passing revelers was minimal (and I was only on the third floor). Suffice to say, despite the nerve-wracking parking experience and being unable to find my way into the lobby, not to mention the Ice Queen at reception, the Holiday Inn Potts Point was not too bad. Not too bad at all. A stay at this hotel would probably suit business travelers due to the proximity of the building to the city's central business district, and all the business facilities provided (see next paragraph). However, I guess it call also fall under the "Trendy Crowd" category due to being in the heart of King's Cross (millions of nightclubs in the district).

A little hotel info: for business travelers, there is a 'business centre' (photocopying, faxing, internet and secretarial services) and there is also a gym. The hotel features 282 rooms on eight floors (including two presidential suites and some family suites). Reception is 24 hours and there is a concierge, babysitting service, guest laundry and conference facilities. Check-in time is 2pm and check-out is 11am.

Recommended: Yes