There we were, circling the hotel like an eagle teasing it’s prey; we got a little closer every circle, only to find some traffic sign telling us we couldn’t turn or no parking spots were left. Eventually – victory was ours, and with one aggressively dangerously move, Mr. HG pulled into a park as someone was leaving & we slammed to a sudden halt.
You know that feeling you have when you’ve achieved the unachievable – you want to hug your fellow warrior right? We looked at each other in stunned disbelief. Had it really taken us a little over an hour to drive a dozen or so blocks from the centre of Sydney to Darlinghurst? Have we lost the art of navigating seemingly familiar territory? Yep – guilty as charged!
We’d arrived slap bang in the upbeat & sophisticated part of Darlinghurst with all its edgy bars & spas; gourmet restaurants, boutique stores & cool clubs. This area is Sydney’s answer to New York’s SoHo district with a bit of an eclectic vibe, we were about to check into the very elegant & stylish Hotel Medusa for an indulgent overnight Chillax before heading back to Canberra the next day.
Medusa’s interior makes a huge design statement, the minute you step inside your hit with a theatrical palette of colours from turquoise, orange & green & amazing feature walls. Somehow even the pastel pink hall manages to have attitude with red carpet running up the staircase & a crazy chandelier that looks like its made out of antlers. This was my type of place, its fun & feisty & I love it.
We’re warmly welcomed & escorted to our room by the friendly tattooed front office guy as he tells us the best drink & food options within walking distance, there’s no restaurant at the Medusa. Our room wasn’t huge but in keeping with the nifty fusion of contemporary & classic custom-built furniture that shouted high design Italian vibe, we were left to settle in.
We decided to enjoy this oh so elegant hotel & relax, then hit the pavement a little later on. After checking out the café society & blending in with the eclectic mix of old & new we eventually wandered back in very late to indulge in a mini feast of Lindt chocolates left on our pillows.
I woke with a start in the very early hours to Mr. HG rumbling through the mini bar fridge apparently in search of a simple glass of water! From my half sleep all I could hear was a who’s who list of beverages as he read out the options under his breath muttering “I just want a freakin’ bottle of water”…Blueberry & Pomegranate juice, Coopers Pale Ale, Cellar Door wines, San Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water”; I sniggered to myself at the choices with my last conscious thought – “I could get used to this”.
Next morning I checked out the rest of the hotel, it smelt divine with aromatic oils burning throughout & cool music filling the air. I loved the pretty courtyard that somehow managed to team vibrant yellow lounge chairs with lilac walls & an illuminated green reflection pool & still manage to scream tranquility! This is where the hotels style savvy guests mingle & meet; apparently The Medusa is ‘pooch friendly’ as well.
We hospitality people can sometimes be a bit critical of other properties we stay at but this placed ROCKED. The perfect place for a romantic getaway with a slick & sophisticated twist, that surprisingly doesn’t break the budget, I highly recommend it.
So tell me, what’s one of your favourite hotels to take a mini break?
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26 Comments and Pings on MINI BREAK AT THE MEDUSA
Hey Anna! Yes, it is easy to be picky or a bit critical when one works in the hospitality industry. That being said though, so many places just don’t get it right when it comes to things like proper service/treatment of guests, cleanliness, and the like. Glad you found this place to be ‘adequate’ if not great (smile).
You know, I don’t even have a favorite hotel for a quick getaway. Maybe I need to start getting away more, so that I can find one;)
Had a marvellous time Stella! An absolute ball! Totally nailed all the key aspects of what makes a great hospitality experience. Yes, get on that one girlfriend, book in at your local hotel for a bit of a ‘staycation’. Cheers for stopping by!
Hey Anna!
I love your videos! They’re done so well, getting straight to the point, and great effects to capture the audience’s attention – superb! This hotel does look like a great getaway place to stay at. I love all the chic decorations and furniture. Hubby and I don’t get out much anymore now that we have two little ones. The last hotel I really enjoyed staying in was The Sheraton. They weren’t overly priced, fairly clean, and service was great. Finding great places to stay at can be such a pain when vacationing. Once you find one you like, you tend to go back rather than risk trying new ones and not liking them.
.-= lequan@luvtoeat´s last blog ..Chinese Stir Fried Clams with Black Bean Sauce =-.
I love delightful hotels like this, with friendly folks and interesting surprises AND within walking distance of great places. How fun!
Your description of this place is fantastic! The next best thing to actually being there.
I’m glad you had an amazing time!
.-= Faith´s last blog ..Cold-Brewed Iced Tea =-.
Lindt chocolates on the pillow- I am sold!
.-= jess´s last blog ..So long winter! =-.
Great little video! What a funky hotel to stay in and the bonus of being pooch friendly…we definitely need more places like this.
.-= Steph@LittlePotBelly´s last blog ..Ginger Date Muffin- with caramel sauce =-.
looks like a great hotel! darlinghurst is such a fun area too. not sure if i have a favourite hotel, but THEE best experience we’ve had in Australia was at the Hilton in Adelaide. they treated us like gold, although you may have topped that with the Lindt:)
.-= Angela (the diet book junkie)´s last blog ..is money the ultimate weight loss incentive =-.
Anywhere that puts Lindt on the pillow is worth a return visit, I reckon. Sadly all my hotel recs are for places in other countries… I haven’t travelled enough around Australia!
.-= Hannah´s last blog ..Rawganic Chocolate with Hibiscus and Lucuma =-.
Glad you had a good time – great video! Finding a parking spot in inner Sydney is hard work.
hehe I feel your pain re Sydney parking -it is diabolical! I noticed that this post was tagged with “Attitude”
Hope you had a great time in Sydney! 
Anywhere they clean up after me. I don’t want to think about it at all if I’m on holiday! Looks like a cute place, I’m glad you had fun. Things getting serious?
.-= InTolerantChef´s last blog ..Coconut Chicken =-.
I stumbled upon your blog, and just wanted to say hi.
The hotel looks charming!
.-= Seglare´s last blog ..Hokkaido Fries & Black Bean Burgers =-.
It looks like a really nice hotel! I’ll be honest, with three small kids underfoot, we don’t get many nights away. We did recently have one (our first in 5 years!) up in New York City at the Sheraton. It’s not my first choice as a place to stay, but honestly, it didn’t matter because it was just so nice to have a night with just my husband!
.-= Julie M.´s last blog ..Daring Bakers Challenge- Ice Cream Petit Fours =-.
I am picky and critical and I don’t work in hospitality! I can imagine what a challenge it would be for you.
The Medusa looks gorgeous…I love the moderness of it. Your video is great…the music is fantastic!
My favorite hotel has to be the Tokyo Peninsula. I don’t think it can be considered a mini-break but I LOVE it.
.-= Ameena´s last blog ..A Bit of Introspection =-.
Wow., what an awesome mini break. I love the colours they’ve used in this hotel. Darlinghurst is fantastic isn’t it.
These indulgent moments we offer ourselves are extremely necessary. I’m glad you treat yourself well.
I have to admit…since I’ve worked in the hospitality business and practice in the Interior Design field…it does put me in a somewhat critical position when choosing a reasonably priced hotel. I personnaly prefer well kept Inns when possible.
Thanks for sharing Anna…and wish you many more of these pampered moments.
Claudia
.-= FOODESSA´s last blog ..BLUEBERRY ginger citrus GF Muffins =-.
Oh this sounds like the perfect place for a mini break – espcially after the parking challenge that is Sydney!
.-= Lisa (bakebikeblog)´s last blog ..Road trippin’ =-.
The description of this place sounds wonderful. The internet connection here is so S-L-O-W that the video is just not loading..Ugghh!
.-= Priyanka´s last blog ..Nacho Veggies! =-.
Parking in Sydney can be a real pest, especially around that area! Sounds like a funky little place to stay Anna.
.-= cityhippyfarmgirl´s last blog ..My hero- my coffee =-.
Sounds so wonderful. If I thought I was going to be in the neighborhood, I’d definitely go there. Leslie
.-= Leslie Denning´s last blog ..“Either Die Quickly or Live Life Splendidly” =-.
This sounds a lovely and super stylish hotel. Hubbs and I always like to choose different hotels to stay at. We don’t really have a particular one that we go to on a regular basis except for the Hoxton Hotel which is one of the few places we’ve found in london thats really cool and inexpensive (inexpensive for London, that is).
Glad you decided to treat yourself!
*kisses* HH
.-= Heavenly Housewife´s last blog ..A Love Letter to Murray Whoever He Is =-.
I stumbled here from I can’t remember where… so nice to read about my old ‘hood – lived in Potts Point for many years though I moved to the Middle East in 98. Stayed at the Medusa a couple of times on return visits, and while it was okay (thought the decor desperately needed updating), it didn’t rock, so it’s great to hear it’s improved, as that’s my favourite area to stay.
great article, i just finished bookmarking it to regularly check it. i’d love to revisit on new articles. how do i set the RSS again? thanks!
Fabulous hotel. Wish I could afford a whole week there as we are spending a week in Sydney in December, but it’s a bit more than I can afford. Lovely for a nights break though.
Impressed with your parking prowess – I wouldn’t even dream of trying to drive in Sydney!!
I just love everything about a hotel – I love the lovely fresh sheets, the dear little soaps and toiletries (but not the cheap and nasty ones!), I love rummaging around in the over-priced bar fridges and I especially like room service – we don’t have that here in my house!!
We haven’t been to Sydney for a while now, but I used to love the Intercontinental, but my most favourite hotel anywhere, so far, has been the Shangri-la in Singapore -bliss!!
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 10:24 pm and is filed under I've Stayed At!, Sydney. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.