The space

The Adina is a large property, with 114 serviced apartments, most with one bedroom but there are also two-bedroom connecting apartment options. The building itself a fairly standard structure of concrete and glass, with a spacious, if non-descript lobby. There's nothing flashy here, this is a property designed for functionality. There is a heated pool, sauna and fitness centre.

The room

It always seems strange that serviced apartments are seen as the poor cousins of hotels, because in many ways they offer superior comfort and facilities for the price. The Adina is no exception. My room is huge with a kitchen, a dining table, living area and separate bedroom with king-sized bed. There's also a washing machine and dryer in the spacious bathroom. This is a property that is comfortable enough to invite an extended stay (and as such is perfect for business travellers in town for longer than just a few nights.

My 'Premier Apartment with View' also features a lovely, long curved balcony offering views of the harbour - a perfect place to greet the morning sun with a hot cuppa.

The only negative is that in-room Wi-Fi comes with a charge of $9.99 for 24 hours (You can get 100MB of usage for free, but an average user of the web on a laptop will tear through that in about 30 minutes). And the check-out time is 10am - a little on the early side when many properties have moved on to 11am these days.

The food

As the Adina has no restaurant of its own, there's no in-house room service available. Instead, there are menus for several local delivery places which can deliver to your room. The ground floor of the building houses Mezbah Restaurant and Bar, offering modern Middle Eastern cuisine. This is also where breakfast is available for guests and the restaurant offers a good mix of traditional breakfast fare (such as bacon and eggs) and more exotic, interesting options (such as za'atar manoush). For dinner, I take a short walk to Miss Chu, (501 George Street) the growing chain of Vietnamese street food joints, which offers excellent, quick meals in a casual atmosphere.

Stepping out

The aforementioned SeaLife Aquarium and the Maritime Museum are a short walk away, making these Sydney attractions a good option particularly for families. For those looking for more adult options, some excellent bars are right around the corner. Sydney has long been trying to emulate Melbourne's small bar scene and there are a few nearby that are finally getting it right (including, in the great Melbourne tradition, being incredibly difficult to find). One example is Mojo (73 York St, www.mojorecordbar.com), a bar hidden down a staircase and through a door at the back of a record store. With a ceiling covered in 7-inch vinyl singles, this is a place for hip young music lovers to gather.

The verdict

Although it's not the most stylish property in Sydney, the Adina Harbourside offers a terrific location and good value for those looking for a bit more space (as well as the opportunity to cook or do your own washing) than offered by a traditional hotel.

Highlight

Spacious rooms, full kitchen and washing facilities, plus an excellent location.

Lowlight

Wi-Fi is not included in the price.

Essentials

55 Shelley St, Sydney. Studio King rooms start from $249 a night. A Premier Apartment King or Twin View starts from $339 a night. Phone (02) 9249 7000. See adinaapartmenthotels.com.au