I stayed at this hotel for 3 nights in early 2008 for a business trip to Sydney. I have stayed at many Novotels - and can only assume that the 'Rockford' label is the generic name of the branding.

The hotel has all the requirements of a business hotel - is nice and clean and conveniently located in the heart of Sydney - though not (strangely for a business hotel) in the business district. This didn't bother me too much as I am a former Sydneysider anyway.

The room was of a decent size - though the housekeeping left a lot to be desired. The all inclusive rates did not include car parking - so the astronomical fee for valet parking was a joke, especially considering they required 45 minutes to bring up your car!!!

Being opposite the Sydney Entertainment Centre does not help the situation either - if you don't like hearing thousands of people carrying on outside your window all hours of the morning. I was (un)lucky enough to stay when the Centre was hosting an international boxing match - the two thugs in the ring were not the only ones looking out for someone to punch!

On the plus side, the reception staff were extremely friendly and always smiling. This almost made up for the pricy and not very appealing buffet breakfast. I felt urged to eat and leave quickly - due to some convention being held at the hotel.

Not my worst experience (by far) but not a truly memorable one either.

Stayed here on a whirl wind tour of Australia, typical business hotel. Good rooms, spacious, with all the amenties you'd expect, good minibar, good bathroom, there's a black out blind in the room which is pretty cool to get over the jetlag.

Great location, you can walk anywhere in the city from here, max distance is about 25minutes to the opera house, enjoyed the walking through the city, you see things you wouldn't see normally.

Staff were mostly helpful, attentive and pleasant. I found concierge good who offered me the assistance I needed. Check-in staff were friendly upon arrival and in the restaurant adajcent to the hotel (the Pumphouse), nice surroundings, lack of atmosphere but nice meals.

Would recommend to my friends, but maybe I would suggest the other Novotel on Darling Harbour as that looked a slightly better location. But I would go back to this hotel for sure.

I virtually lived at this hotel throughout 2003 one week on one week off.
The things I liked about the hotel as a facility are pretty much the same. It’s small, it’s not a tour bus drop zone and very close to all the key elements of what people (visiting) like the about the city of Sydney.
So what’s happened since 2003 apart from a minor name change? What was a somewhat utilitarian feel has become cold, boring and devoid of any human warmth. From my memory of the Hotel the staff augmented its short falls, housekeeping was good and reception had friendly professional efficiency.
I arrived for two nights stay in May, coming to reception at 1.30pm I was asked to wait, I sat in reception whilst they readied my room, at 3pm I approached the staff to find that the room had been completed 40 minutes earlier. Even though I was sitting 15 feet away, even my bags had been sent up, they did not inform me. Front desk staff was not exactly run off their feet in the time period so there was no excuse for the oversight.
I maintain a personal view of the service industry within hotels in Sydney as being superficial, disingenuous, and almost pretentious. My recent experience in this hotel did not change my view.
I walked up to the room passing a tray of food left outside the room next to mine. It was ready for pickup. On the tray was a half eaten pizza.
The room itself I liked it appeared well presented and maintained this was in contrast to the corridor carpet, damaged decor and paint chipped door architraves.
The room service I had later that night was on time and the quality was good.
I left the room the next morning 8am, my room service food tray was still outside my door and I walked past the pizza tray still in situ from the previous afternoon
Returning from work that day, about 5 pm I was surprised to see the familiar, now petrified pizza still sitting there. When I came back from dinner that night about 11pm it had finally been removed.
On a bright note the “pump house” bar and restaurant at the back of the facility remains as a significant jewel in the facilities crown however do not be surprised, as a paying guest you are shut out of the hotel facilities in favour of “private functions.”

I myself read reviews on the internet before i decided to give this hotel a go for a holiday i had planned for my anniversary with my partner.. I thought the price was right and the location seemed perfect. .... WELL! i hope that by reading my review you will do yourself a favour and choose somewhere else to stay.
The staff at this hotel are the most unhelpful bunch of people i have ever encountered. This was our first trip to Sydney and when i enquired if they had any maps of the city avaliable in the foyer or for purchase i was met with a response of " you get them elsewhere"
The room service/ house keeping was deplorable we went sight seeing one day and went back to the Hotel around 3pm for a rest to find our room still had not been serviced. I spoke to the concierge who assured me they would have someone do it for us if we would like to return in 45mins. We did this, went up to our room and suprise suprise still no house keeping. I was quite annoyed by now as it was almost 5 oclock. i returned to the concierge with complaint and he finally fixed the situation... 2 hours later.

If you're looking for a quiet nights sleep... you wont get it at the Novotel Rockford Darling Harbour. All through the night we were woken up by the sound of doors slamming in the corridor as the room doors are quite heavy. In the mornings when house keeping were doing their rounds they were very noisy and i overheard two couples complaining.

The location is good, within walking distance the Paddys Markets, Darling Harbour and the Monorail station. This is the only positive to this Hotel.

Overall... very dissapointing.