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I love a hotel where you can put the car away and do everything you want to do on foot. That’s certainly the case with the Novotel Newcastle Beach, where the hotel is within walking distance of the CBD, the waterfront, Nobbys Head Beach and many of the city’s key attractions.
We arrived at the hotel late on Friday afternoon and settled into our room with its views across and between a couple of buildings, with the water in the distance. It was a pleasant evening so there was no question about parking the car in the underground carpark and setting off on foot for The Landing Bar & Kitchen.
The walk took us along the waterfront, giving us a very different perspective on Newcastle from how I remember it (yes, it’s been an awfully long time since I last visited). After a brisk walk back to the hotel following our meal, we pulled the blockout curtains and slept like babies till morn.
The Novotel (formerly The Sebel Newcastle Beach) is rated 4.5-star. It has 88 rooms; ours was a Superior room with a king bed, desk and a blue easy chair that could easily be swung around to enable us to mull over the harbour view.
Wi-fi is complimentary and the speed more than adequate. Facilities at the hotel include a well-equipped business centre, tennis court, spa, sauna, steam room, spa tub, licensed restaurant and 24-hour front desk service. It’s worth mentioning that the two front desk staff members were incredibly warm and welcoming.
We didn’t have breakfast at the hotel because we wanted to explore some of the shops in Cooks Hill, where we had breakfast at the Three Monkeys (highly recommended). We took the car out of the garage but only because we were leaving anyway; we could have walked to this up and coming café and shop precinct if we’d really wanted to.
Fact File:
Novotel Newcastle Beach
5 King Street
Newcastle 2300 Australia
+61 2 9373-5984
Visit the hotel website.
Newcastle is a great jumping off point for the Hunter Valley. NSW TrainLink and Destination NSW are offering “Food & Wine Escape” packages during Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month in June. Phone 13 72 45 or visit your nearest Travel Centre. For information on things to see and do in the Hunter Valley: www.visitnsw.com
Christine and Maurie were guests of the hotel.
Listen to Christine talking on Travel Writers Radio about Newcastle:
Lucky to find an Australian hotel with free wi-fi and acceptable speeds! It ‘s such a rarity!