We decided we'd be the last group off since we couldn't pick our hire car up until midday and couldn't check in to the hotel until 2pm. While it was nice not to have to wait around off the ship, the truth is it's not much better waiting on board other than you still have access to the buffets, but there is only so much you can eat. We were off by 10am, in a maxi taxi by 11am and at the airport waiting for our car soon after.
We spent our final night of our holiday at the Grand Mercure The Hills Lodge in Castle Hill Sydney. I specifically chose this hotel as the kids wanted somewhere with a swimming pool. Unfortunately the weather was so severe that it absolutely bucketed down and all we could hear was the clap of thunder, it was so close that someone in the same suburb actually got hit by the lightening! Needless to say no swimming happened that night.
Other than the disappointment of that, the hotel was rather nice. We had 2 ground floor rooms which both could fit 5 people in. It was close to the local shopping centre, restaurants and an AMF bowling centre was right night door. We had the buffet breakfast the next morning which was really nice. The staff were friendly and helpful, rooms where clean and well presented. There was plenty of parking available also.
