Aiden Darling Harbour is the first of the international Aiden by Best Western hotels to be established in Australia. This stylish new boutique hotel features 88 comfortable compact rooms set within an impressive remodelled 1930s Art Deco building overlooking Darling Harbour.
Aiden combines old-world simplicity and charm with cutting-edge technology and a degree of sophistication. Self check-in and a digital room key give you a sense of autonomy with the assurance of knowing you can contact staff at any time if you need to. Wi-fi is free and fast and your room is equipped with all the essential mod-cons.
This hotel is for travellers who want a secure, comfortable base, close to city attractions yet quiet and away from the hubbub.
The Wayfarer’s Bar and Café in the lobby is open for breakfast right through to the evening.
“You know, it’s a bit hard to get coffee after 3pm anywhere in Sydney,” says Luther, Aiden’s general manager. Come to The Wayfarer and you can get coffee, cocktails and delicious snacks up until 9:30pm. The all-day food menu features hearty breakfasts, nibblies, share plates and bar snacks and has an Asian fusion based cuisine.
“We relaunched our food and beverage back in April, and the reason was, I felt like the product we offered at the time was just very standard hotel stuff,” says Luther. “We wanted to offer something that’s a bit more of a better product at an affordable price at a venue that’s got a good atmosphere.”
Because of its proximity to International Convention Centre, Aiden attracts a lot of corporate and business travellers and The Wayfarer offers them a nice quiet place to come to after an event.
“We have corporates who might go to a conference, come back, bring colleagues in for some drinks — for those who don’t want to necessarily end up at a pub.”
The Wayfarer offers a comfortable space with fast wifi where guests can sit and do some work while enjoying a drink, coffee and a light snack.
Aiden is also a perfect weekender. Lots of their guests come to Sydney (or even into the city from the outer suburbs) to see a show at the Sydney Lyric, Capitol, ICC or other nearby venues, as well as for big festivals such as Vivid, SXSW, Sydney Fringe, Sydney Festival.
When there is a big show in town, Aiden staff like to get in on the act with in-house promotions, themed cocktails and other fun initiatives.
What they love most at Aiden is for their guests to explore the local offerings in and around Pyrmont and Darling Harbour.
“There’s lot of emphasis on arts and local neighbourhood. Our owner, Nicholas, is a big advocate for the Pyrmont area. He’s very proud, he wants to see Pyrmont grow as sort of a destination on its own,” says Luther.
Aiden offers great deals and packages for individuals, couples and families. They place a high premium on a good night’s sleep and facilitate that by offering guests a super comfortable bed and choice from a range of delux pillows; a meditation channel to help wind down; double-glazed windows and blackout blinds; and preferred lighting options to create a sleep-perfect ambience.
