This flight is part of my $16,000 three continent trip from Los Angeles to Sydney aboard Singapore Airlines’ first class suite. Learn how I paid only $480 here.
Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by the check in agent and was told my room was ready, even though we were a bit early. I also received a goodie bag filled with various snacks and a bottle of Australian sparkling wine, which was a nice touch from the staff.
It was unclear if the bag was being given to all guests or just platinum members.
My standard King Room was quite basic but functional, and what you’d except at typical Holiday Inn.
After checking in, we went up to the rooftop to get our first look at the Sydney skyline. It was a gorgeous day, with not a cloud in sight, and I knew we would be in for a treat later in the evening.
The centerpiece of the rooftop is a small wading area with one of the best poolside views of Sydney.
Since it was still early, we strolled around Sydney Harbour and grabbed lunch at the art museum. I ordered a nice piece of Australian steak, which was delicious.
As the afternoon passed by, more and more people started pouring into the Harbour area to camp out for a nice vantage point to watch the fireworks. We quickly stocked up on beverages and snacks before heading back to the hotel.
A doorman was outside making sure only registered guests were allowed to go inside the lobby. Security was tight throughout the night, so if you were thinking of inviting a couple friends to join you, unfortunately they will be denied access.
After getting ready and of course drinking a few beverages to warm up, we headed back to the rooftop.
This time, there was another doorman guarding the door and checking everyone’s bag for contraband. The Old Holiday Inn Sydney has a strict no carry in alcohol policy on the rooftop for New Year’s Eve.
I was later told by a staff member that it’s due to local regulations, but I was quite surprised those rules applied on private property. To be fair, the drink prices were quite reasonable, and they could have easily charged twice as much.
The rooftop was already starting to fill up and quite a few guests had already begun standing around to claim their own spot. To prevent people from cluttering the rooftop, hotel prohibits bringing any kind of chair or blanket, so if you want a good view, you’ll have to do it the old hard way and sit down on the hard floor.
In addition, no tripods are allowed of any kind, although I was able to bring in my GoPro mount, and you’d probably get away with something like a gorilla pod.
Luckily for us, there was still a small window of space at the edge of the rooftop overlooking the Sydney Harbour. I’d suggest coming up to the rooftop at 5 PM to maximize your chances of landing a nice spot. While waiting 7 hours for fireworks is not ideal, the view is unparalleled
We quickly started chatting with our neighbors, three Australians from Adelaide. As they say time flies when you have good company. Combined with the fact we could legally purchase alcohol from the rooftop bar, the hours quickly passed and the sky started getting darker.
At around 7:30 PM the planned events began with a stunt plane that performed various aerial acrobatic maneuvers around the Harbour, much to the delight of the crowd.
Sydney is a bit unique in that it has not one but two fireworks, with a family fireworks show designed for those with kids, followed by the main fireworks at midnight.
At 9 PM, the family fireworks started, and the crowd roared to life. Even though these were billed as the mini version of the main event, there was nothing small about these fireworks with an impressive show featuring multiple launch pads and roving spotlights that synchronized with the music.
After the family fireworks were over, it was another three hours before the main event. Thankfully, the weather was just slightly chilly, and the free flow of beverages kept us feeling warm. By 11 PM, the entire roof was packed as it seemed like the entire hotel was there. From the rooftop, we would see the now huge crowd of revelers getting ready to cheer in the New Years.
In the distance the ships lined with white lights began sailing into the harbour, providing a colorful backdrop for the fireworks to come.
At one minute to midnight, the harbour started to roar as the crowd began counting down. As the clocked hit zero, fireworks exploded in a fury over the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
Words cannot begin to describe how magical the fireworks were so here are some of the photos I managed to take:
Even photos really don’t really do it justice, to see the video highlights, click here.
Once the smoke had cleared, the moon appeared right behind the opera house. Underneath it was a set of small clouds, providing a magical moonscape to start 2016.
Overall, this was one of my most memorable and favorite points redemption. Being able to watch the Sydney Fireworks from a rooftop and soak in the atmosphere without dealing with the crowds was a huge plus. The Old Holiday Inn Sydney put on an excellent event and I wouldn’t hesitate anyone to stay here during New Year’s Eve.
How to Book the IHG Old Holiday Inn Sydney:
Currently a three night stay will cost you 105,000 IHG points, which is a bargain compared to the $1000 a night rate the Old Holiday Inn charges for New Years Eve.
The hotel has drastically shrunk the amount of award space being released as at it seemed the majority of guests did pay the nightly rate to stay at the Old Holiday Inn Sydney. If you want to snag this hotel with points, you’ll have to check religiously around 330 days before award space is released.
