During any drive past Mascot or Botany in southern Sydney you will see the iconic white, jagged pyramid-like building that is the Novotel Hotel in Brighton Le-Sands. From private balconies that gaze out to the airport and beyond to the skyline of the CBD to an all you can eat buffet and the white, sandy beach at your door-step – we found out what else made the Novotel Brighton Le-Sands an institution in the Sydney skyline.
Just 4km from Sydney Airport and 7km from the CBD, the Novotel has a breezy beachside calm whilst still being an accessible stop to explore the majority of Sydney. The entrance to the hotels lies on a quiet side street with plenty of parking as the road extends into residential areas a few blocks away and just like it’s accessibility, check-in is simple and smooth. A large, open reception space of royal blue carpet and white marble welcomes you to the hotel before walking past a child-care facility takes you to the elevators for access to your room.
What is immediately noticeable is the cleanliness of the hallway passages. Walls, carpets, mirrors and glass are perfectly free from dust, scratches and stains. Lights and chandeliers provide a soothing and warm golden glow as you walk to your room.
Of the 296 rooms, most have uninterrupted views of the Sydney CBD skyline in the distance and it felt like advertising material as we opened the door and our eyes extended beyond the spacious two-room suite and out through a window to a blooming sunset that silhouetted the skyline and backdropped the hovering, systemic lights of aircraft as they landed and took-off around the bay.
Initially after entering the Bayview Twin Suite with two double beds you are met with the first bed to your left before a writing desk sits opposite the entrance to the bathroom and the second room which hosts the balcony. ‘Suite’ is definitely the correct word for this hotel room. Huge amounts of floor space made us feel anything but cramped. The décor of the room shies away from pursuing loud, bold and stark designs or patterns that you see in more contemporary hotels in favour of a white, blue and wooden palette that continues the nautical and breezy aura of the sea. This is not necessarily a bad thing however as the aforementioned cleanliness and crispness of the hallways and public spaces follows into the room and helps liven up the honest and modest room. The main focus of decoration has noticeably gone to the bedroom at the back of the suite.
The bathroom met all desires with its offering of a self-contained toilet, shower and corner spa/bathtub in a well-lit space.
A momentary lie down on the bed before strolling out onto the balcony provided good hope that the nights sleep was going to be good. Soft linen met a home-like mattress. There is absolutely no noise from the airport and the sight of watching planes come and go as the sky darkened from pink to black was alluring and meditative. It was a joy to decompress in such an environment after a long day in the area.
Just as the ocean from the balcony reflected the night sky, the Baygarden Restaurant inside the hotel further reflected the hotels ocean theme. How? An impressively extensive seafood buffet of diverse modern Australia and continuous views of Botany Bay.
The buffet runs each night between Thursday and Sunday as well as for lunch on Sunday. Prices vary depending on the day but they start at $79pp and max out at $99pp. If not for the barbequed lobster and oysters, the dessert bar of chocolate fondue fountain, waffles and tiramisu (to name a few) are worth travelling to Brighton for. Whether it was for a date night or family occasion, the Baygarden Restaurant buffet had us trying to plan reasons to return. It is without a doubt, one of Sydney’s premier buffets.
The cocktail menu was enough to satisfy us throughout the course of our meal, but a quick stop at the V3 bar on the stroll back to our room was a tranquil farewell to the night.
From start to finish, our experience at the Novotel Brighton Beach was one of complete calm, comfort and ease. Here, beach is mixed with outstanding spotlessness to provide a fusion with oceanside pleasure.
The writer stayed as a guest of the hotel.
To find out more information about Novotel Brighton Beach or to book a room you can head HERE. To find out more information about Baygarden Restaurant and to make a booking for their Seafood Buffet you can head HERE.
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