My wife and I stayed in the hotel for 8 days just recently. The rooms were neat and tidy and quite adequate.
Housekeeping did a good job of cleaning them while we were out during the day. However the lighting in the rooms was poor and we had to open the drapes all the way in order to see properly. That was ok during the day but obviously not so at night. Internet is very expensive in the hotel,more so than we are used to in Canada. However there are many Internet cafes within walking distance that you could use at a fraction of the price.
The concierge desk was a hit and miss. There was one fellow during the day that seemed quite knowledgeable and helpful (don't remember his name) and we tried to use him whenever we could. The others on the desk were a disappointment. On two separate occasions we asked for recommendations on a Thai and an Italian restaurant close by as we were walking. Upon reaching both locations, and after one long walk, both were closed down and did not exist. We would expect that the concierge desk should know and have an updated list of restaurants in the area. We did not use them again for restaurants. We did however discover an excellent restaurant on our own that you could walk to but it is a significant uphill walk and worth the taxi fare. It was called The Winery and I recommend making reservations and to sit upstairs. Excellent decor, food and service. It would seem that we always got the best service in Sydney from servers who were not born and bred Australian. We experienced that quite often in the cafes and pubs around the hotel and the popular areas in Sydney
The front desk was always helpful and friendly.
The location of the hotel is adequate and is near Central train station which is a bonus when you get tired of walking back from a day of sight seeing. It is a long walk to Darling Harbor and a significant walk to the Sydney Bridge,Opera House,Circular Quay and the Rocks area. However there are many good pubs in between to rest your feet and have a beer or glass of wine. You will meet people from all over the world in these pubs.
A small bar in the lobby area which always seemed to be busy or full at the end of the day with business types, so we did not use it . Not too many bars in the immediate area at night to enjoy a beer after long days.Best to find somewhere in the more downtown area on the way back to the hotel.
All and all, a decent hotel but preferred a more central downtown location where we stayed a few nights prior to this Mercure