I don’t gamble, so the only time I go into a casino is when I’m walking through on my way to a show, or just for a sticky beak. Therefore staying at a hotel attached to a casino isn’t normally my go-to for city accommodation but last week I had the pleasure of staying at Astral Towers and Residences which is part of The Star Casino in Sydney. I was thrilled to be able to inspect their accessible accommodation while staying at the hotel so I could share it with you all.
My stay was prompted by an invitation to the Thomas Kelly Gala dinner which I wrote a blog about earlier this week. My Mum suggested it would be a good idea to stay at the venue rather than having to drive home at the end of the night. I think she had an ulterior motive because guess who came with me? Mum tagged along and spent the night in the room enjoying room service, a book and the harbour view. It was a fabulous opportunity for a girl’s night away.
The Astral Towers and Residences is a wonderful hotel to stay in if you are seeing a show at the Lyric Theatre, attending a function at The Star or if you want to be close to Darling Harbour and the heart of Sydney.
The hotel is wheelchair accessible with valet parking, automatic entry doors, lift to all levels and wheelchair access to the casino and Lyric Theatre.
Accessible rooms
As I walked into one of the wheelchair accessible rooms the first thing I noticed was how spacious it was and that it was light and airy. Plenty of room for luggage and storing a wheelchair when it is not in use.
The beds are at a lower height and there is room on either side of the bed to make transferring easier. There is room for a roll-away bed or the option of an interconnecting room if you are travelling with family or friends.
The bathroom is also spacious. There is a flip down shower seat, height adjustable shower head and sink with room for wheelchair access, making this bathroom great for a wheelchair user.
Grab rails are fitted throughout and all amenities are at wheelchair height.
The wheelchair accessible rooms look out over Pyrmont and sadly there is no option of a harbour view. I keep mentioning to hotels in our travels that wheelchair users would like the option of both. The hotel does have plenty of places within the complex to enjoy the city views including the pool and recreation area.
POOLSIDE
The pool and gym facilities at Astral Towers offer guests a view of the city, Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay. The pool merges the indoors with the outdoors and is heated to a comfortable 26 degrees. I particularly liked the outdoor portion because I can imagine BJ would enjoy sitting on the step area of the smaller pool. When he was little it would have allowed him some independence in the pool. There is a large unisex disabled bathroom complete with shower and shower seat for guests using this area.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The world is now so dependent on the internet I find it annoying that many 5 star hotels charge for wifi but not at Astral Towers. It is complimentary. Hooray for free wifi I say!
We took advantage of the location of the hotel to wander down to the ferry and catch it into Circular Quay. It was a scenic and relaxing way to make our way into the city for the day and only a 5 minute walk from the hotel.
The Maritime Museum and Darling Harbour are only a short walk from the hotel. The accessible light rail system has a stop at The Star and will take you to Paddy’s Markets, China Town, Central Station, the Fish Markets, Glebe and further. It is a great way to get around these areas of the city. There is also a taxi rank at the door if you are going further afield.
As the hotel is part of The Star complex there is a multitude of dining options and the opportunity to attend a show at The Lyric Theatre which is one of my favourites in Sydney. I don’t think I have ever had a bad seat at the theatre and it plays host to many popular shows.
I often emphasise the importance of the location of a hotel. Although this hotel isn’t in the heart of Sydney’s CBD it has so many options on its doorstep and transportation to take you to all the key areas of Sydney. It also allows you the opportunity of being in the city without all the noise. Our room was wonderfully quiet.
NON ACCESSIBLE ACCOMMODATION
I know that not all our readers require fully accessible accommodation so I will also share the room I had for my stay.
We had a great overnight stay in a harbour view room. Mum was spending the whole evening in the room so she really appreciated the view. The room was spacious with plenty of space between the two beds for access. The shower is over the bath and the bathroom has regular door width and space. If you don’t need wheelchair access I can highly recommend these rooms for comfort and of course, the view.
For more information and to book accommodation head to the Astral Towers and Residences website.
I’d like to thank Astral Towers and Residences for providing a complimentary night’s stay so I could review and share their accessible accommodation.
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