Getting to your terminal

A stay only makes sense for some terminals. Here is what the journey takes from the hotel to check-in at each one.

Terminal	How you get there	Hotel to check-in	Cost
Best forTerminal 1	Paid hotel shuttleFirst run 04:30 or 05:00; sources differ	20 min	A$24

Our view

Who it suits: International travellers who want a bigger hotel close to Terminal 1, with the train nearby.
Why we would choose it: One guide puts it under a kilometre from the International terminal, with about 271 soundproofed rooms. Wolli Creek station is a 10 to 15 minute walk.
The compromise: The shuttle is paid, and sources disagree on the price ($10 to $12 a person) and the first departure (04:30 or 05:00). Some guests report traffic noise.
Worth paying more?: Over the two hotels at the terminal, only if you want a fuller hotel and your flight is not at dawn.

The practical details that matter for one night before or after a flight.

Family rooms: A Family Room of about 38 square metres with one king bed and two singles, sleeping four. A Deluxe Room with two queen beds also sleeps four.
Rooms: About 271 soundproofed rooms, by one guide's count.
Getting into Sydney: Wolli Creek station is a 10 to 15 minute walk; sources differ.
Formerly: Mercure Sydney International Airport.
Parking: Limited self-parking, first come first served, listed at $25 to $30 a night. No package found.

Sydney Airport Hotel Guide is our own guide to this airport. Its page on Novotel Sydney International Airport has more from our stays and our tips.

Other stays we recommend on the same short list, and what you trade by choosing them.

Typical total A$349–A$538

It only works this well for Terminal 1. A domestic flight from here needs the transfer bus or the train.

Typical total A$355–A$418

Rooms are small, 9 to 11 square metres for a double, which is tight for a full night with luggage.