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Things to do in Sydney: Stay at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach
Sydney is such an amazing city with great beaches, restaurants and plenty of things to do, and one of those great beaches is Coogee Beach. I was invited down to stay at Crowne Plaza Hotel Coogee Beach to showcase some of the interesting things to do in this area.
The hotel has a real holiday feel to it even though it's in Sydney and not far from the CBD. I was greeted by my hostess then taken to High Tea in the beautiful Bluesalt Restaurant and Bar on the seaside of the hotel. The High Tea was substantial and with a glass of Chandon, was the perfect way to start the stay. There were four of us sharing this treat (2 other bloggers, myself and our hostess) and we couldn't finish it all between us. As you can see from the photo the food was awesome. The turkey and cranberry sandwiches were amazing, along with the lemon meringue tarts, jam and cream scones and savoury pastries. I wanted to try a bit of everything but couldn't fit in another bite.
After High Tea I was checked into my King Size room on the top level. I was so thrilled to have an actual mini office to set up my laptop which overlooked the ocean. The room was clean, bright and I loved how I could open the doors to my own balcony. I stay in hotels quite a bit and one of my biggest problems is lack of fresh air. In this room I had it all; view, comfort, privacy and fresh air!
Once I settled into the room, I decided to go and explore the local shopping centre. I discovered there are a number of great cafes, restaurants and a few boutiques. One in particular caught my attention, Cargo Store, which has some great clothes and accessories. Worth a visit.
Along the beach is the Coogee Pavillion which is a really cool place to go and have a drink, coffee or meal. When I checked it out it was buzzing with the locals enjoying the ambience.
After exploring the area, it was time to meet my colleagues for a cocktail and meal at Oceans Coogee #oceanscoogee which is part of the hotel. Thankfully it was still unusually warm weather for this time of year so we sat outside and ordered our cocktails and range of tapas. It's a great venue, with a large inside area and live music. A few groups were inside having a great time singing along with the performer.
It was Sunday so we could have had $30 1/2 kg of prawns & 2 Coronas & $10 Mojitos however, being bloggers, we wanted a range of things to share and photograph. I took a sneaky pic of the prawns anyway because they looked so awesome. The meal was very enjoyable and my favourite was the salad of Figs with Charred Asparagus, Prosciutto, Wild Rocket & Goats Cheese (GF) $14.
We shared Crispy Pork Belly Bites (DF) (GF) with spicy paprika salt Fried White Bait (DF) Lamb Skewers with tabouli hommus & mint yoghurt Canadian Scallops (DF) with romesco, citrus chilli crumble, Sweet Potato & Corn Empanadas (V) with chimichur and Chicken Skewers.
I also had a cocktail 'The Murphy' 18 Hendricks gin, St Germain, Basil Syrup, Apple and Lime served neat. Very nice!
I had a bit of work to do so retired back to my room relatively early, caught up with what I needed then fell blissfully asleep in my king bed listening to the sound of the ocean and enjoying the fresh air into the room.
The buffet breakfast the next morning was very enjoyable in the Blue Salt Restaurant, which is light, roomy and overlooks the ocean. There is plenty of food to choose from plus a coffee machine to make your own brew exactly as you like it.
Due to a late checkout I decided I'd then go to the Coogee to Bronte Walk - actually you can walk all the way to Bondi but I didn't have time for that. The walk is magnificent, with ocean views, boardwalks, lookouts, nature, birds and it passes a very old cemetery. I decided to go into the cemetery and look at some of the older graves, it made me wonder about the people that were buried there and what type of lives they had. The oldest grave I saw was 1895.
The walk has many hills and steps, so you need a decent level of fitness to complete it. Once I reached Bronte I enjoyed a coffee and banana bread at one of the local cafes before heading back to the hotel.
It was a very enjoyable stay, and considering Coogee isn't that far from my inner city apartment, I felt I was actually on a holiday, I can see why so many Sydneysiders choose to live in this beautiful part of the city.
THINGS TO DO IN COOGEE
Take a dip in Wylie's Baths - Sydney's most spectacular tidal pools with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean. Or you can enjoy a Tai-Chi by the Sea to re-energise in the morning. www.wylies.com.au
Swim with the Gropers at Clovelly Beach - head over to Clovelly Beach for some snorkelling and spot the Blue Gropers. I loved this little beach as it's so calm and tranquil.
Stand Up Paddle (SUP) - learn to do this with the experts at www.letsgosurfing.com.au
Visit Goldstein Park for a BBQ. You can order a BBQ from room service with 24hrs notice.
Get up early and watch the Sunrise.
Enjoy a glass of bubbles watching the Sunset.
Take a yoga class at www.thelivingroomcoogee.com.au
Head over to Centennial Park for a bike ride
FOOD & WINE
The Little Kitchen - British inspired fare 275 Arden St, Coogee
Le Petit Cafe - French pastries, crepes and other delicacies 63a Dudley St, Coogee
Cafe De France - French restaurant inspired 19 Havelock Ave, Coogee
The Rooftop at Coogee Pavillion - four indoor and outdoor bars and Mediterranean bites 169 Dolphin St, Coogee
A Fish Called Coogee - the local fish n chips - 229 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
Barzura - coffee and views straight across Coogee Beach, 62 Carr St, Coogee (Love the name Carr Street) ;)
There you have it. Whether you are a Sydneysider looking for a nice getaway or visiting this City; put Coogee on your radar.
MORE INFORMATION: www.coogeebeach.crowneplaza.com
DISCLAIMER: I was a guest of Crowne Plaza Coogee Bay. Views are authentic of my experience. Read more about Sydney Chic Values and Disclaimer
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