Mascot Hotels with Free Parking.

I can honestly say this was the most satisfying hotel I stayed at in Australia, and it introduced me to the Meriton chain. The room was very spacious, and it had every appliance you could need, making it perfect for an extended stay. There are tons of Chinese restaurants nearby, and they're all pretty good. It's a shame I only stayed one day. I'm definitely considering Meriton for my next stop in Melbourne. I'm curious if the hotel offers any special rates for long-term stays. I hope the hotel can get back to me, as I'm interested in staying for a longer period.

Pros: 1) Spacious, practical layout with a large balcony, perfect for families. 2) Very close to the airport. An Uber ride costs around AUD 16 in the morning and AUD 22 at night. 3) Plenty of USB sockets in both the rooms and the lobby, which is very convenient. 4) There's a heated pool and a 24-hour gym. 5) Replenishment requests are delivered quickly. 6) Equipped with a washer, dryer, and dishwasher. Cons: 1) The front desk service was mediocre. Upon entering the room, we found one of the bedroom doors locked, and it took multiple calls and reminders before someone came to unlock it. 2) The slippers were incredibly thin, practically like walking barefoot. I've never encountered such poor quality slippers in a hotel before. 3) There was a toothbrush on the shower caddy in one of the bathrooms. 4) The shower door in one bathroom easily hits the sink cabinet when opened, which is quite dangerous. 5) The kitchen lacked a soup pot, only providing a frying pan, which was very inconvenient. 6) Some household appliances were malfunctioning: two USB ports on the dining table were broken, the kettle lid couldn't be opened properly, and the shower in one room made a rattling sound when in use. 7) Even on the strongest setting, the dryer couldn't fully dry the clothes.

Hotel location and surroundings: It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the airport, mostly on sidewalks, though you do have to cross a main road in the middle. The section of road approaching the hotel can be quite dark at night. While there's a McDonald's and convenience store nearby, getting to them requires a long detour because of a major road. Front Desk/Check-in: There's an accessible ramp, which is convenient for luggage. The staff were all very welcoming and helpful, and the check-in process was smooth. Amenities: There's a snack bar near the front desk with reasonable prices. There's also a restaurant on the same floor where you can grab a bite to eat. Room: The room isn't large, but it was spotless. There's a wall-mounted desk and chair, which is handy for working. The wet and dry areas of the bathroom are well-separated, and the shower area is notably raised. The room comes with a large glass carafe and two cups. You can refill water at the water station in the hallway, and the water is clean with no strange taste – a big plus. The only minor downside is that the air conditioning is slow to cool. Even set to 20 degrees Celsius with max fan speed, it still takes at least 10-15 minutes to start feeling cooler. Shuttle Service: You can book it when you check in at the front desk, and they'll give you a green ticket. The earliest shuttle is at 5:00 AM, and then it runs every half hour. The ride takes about 10-20 minutes. Shuttle Service Note: The free shuttle service has been discontinued; it now costs $12 per person.

The Stamford Hotel is the first hotel along the pedestrian walkway from T2 at the airport. If you take the right path, it's about a 13-minute walk, but if you take the wrong one, it could take half an hour. Sydney Airport's road design is very unfriendly to pedestrians, as most roads lack sidewalks, so you can't assume a path shown on navigation is walkable. The correct route is: exit T2 from the gate opposite conveyor belt 3 (marked with an Uber sign), follow the pedestrian path towards the P2 parking sign, turn left at the P2 elevator building, then turn right after the elevator building. Follow the pedestrian walkway across the car bridge, and after a turn, you'll see the building with the Stamford logo. Continue straight, and you'll easily reach the hotel. The hotel is quite large, and the front desk staff are friendly. A AU$200 deposit is required for check-in. You need to swipe your room card to use the elevator, but it doesn't always work. The room is spacious and grand, with excellent soundproofing, making it very quiet. It's well-equipped, with a standout large bathtub and a small safe. My only minor complaint is that the mini-fridge was full of chargeable drinks. The nearest supermarket, Airport Supermarket, is about 200 meters away, a few minutes' walk. However, none of the items in the supermarket had prices marked, which felt off. After asking, I found the prices to be quite high. The owner seemed to be Indian; perhaps they don't mark prices so people don't know how expensive things are? Nevertheless, a supermarket without prices is less trustworthy. Another 10-minute walk brings you to Mascot train station (taking the express train here to the city avoids the AU$18+ airport surcharge). There are many restaurants and shops nearby, including Chinese restaurants and supermarkets, and they are quite large. The prices at these supermarkets are only 1/3 to 1/2 of those at Airport Supermarket. Across from Jijia Chinese Supermarket is a large Woolworths chain supermarket. I also noticed a phenomenon: many Panda Express delivery scooters on the streets. My impression is that the food delivery industry is very developed from Melbourne to Sydney; it feels like Australia has the most developed food delivery service outside of China. If you need to transfer at T2/T3 in the morning and want to walk to the airport independently, the Stamford Hotel is a suitable choice.

I was very satisfied with my stay this time! The hotel environment was comfortable and tidy, the room was very clean, the bed was comfortable, and the amenities were all well-equipped. The staff were friendly and polite, check-in and check-out were smooth, and they were quick to provide assistance when needed. The hotel's location was convenient, with good transportation and dining options nearby. Overall, it's great value for money and I had a very comfortable stay. I would consider staying here again next time I'm in the area, and I highly recommend it to other travelers!

Accommodation was as described: simple, clean, comfortable, low cost and convenient to Sydney airport and Mascot station. Breakfast was a choice of cereals. No complaints.

Overall, it's pretty standard, nothing to write home about, but I do want to commend the hotel's shuttle service. It runs every half hour to and from the airport, costs $12 per trip, and is very convenient. The fee is also uniformly charged by the hotel, which is great.

I really enjoyed my two-night stay. The reception staff were very friendly and helpful, and every detail in the room was thoughtfully taken care of. I would definitely recommend staying here.