By Teresa Barnett

There are times when the services of a hotel are required while the comfort and cosiness of your home is desired. You want to sprawl on the sofa, turn on the TV and watch a good film with a dark and stormy in hand, a box of Pringles by your side and a mouthful of sweet popcorn. You want to have friends over for pizza, a glass of wine and good conversation before moving on to the sofa for more wine. You want to crawl under the duvet with a good book and just get lost in another world or you have no choice but to spend an inordinate amount of time at your workstation because of the crazy amount of work you have to do.

There are times when we yearn for our own stylish apartment within walking distance of the waterfront, the hustle and bustle of the city a short distance away and excellent eateries on your doorstep and then there are times when you want only want to take the lift downstairs to board your coach to the Akademic Ioffe. Those times call for a stay at the chic, yet homely Cambridge Suites in Sydney, Cape Breton – a hotel offering apartment-style accommodation suited for longer stays.

Service with a smile

Once you enter the welcoming lobby area, you’ll be greeted by warm natured staff that will bend over backwards to ensure your stay is a pleasant one. I had a one-bedroom suite bursting with edible delights and wine, although these were chargeable they were reasonably priced. The open plan design means you can mix cocktails and not miss out on anything going on in the lounge. My home away from home had a kitchenette stocked with all the necessary tableware, a toaster, microwave and mini fridge. For me the most essential item had to be the menus in the directory; I ordered a pepperoni pizza which was promptly delivered to my suite.

There is a sofa bed in the lounge with a flat screen TV and another in the bedroom and a bathroom boasting “natural and organic” Pharmacopia products; it is completed with a king size bed so comfortable that I snoozed my alarm until it was time to check out then had to rush around like a headless chicken.

A hot breakfast is included in the suite rate; it’s a self-service buffet affair with the usual suspects eggs, toast and fruit yoghurt all of which are served in a warmly decorated dining room – please note for some reason Cambridge Suites do not serve bacon, which I really missed.

Food aside the facilities are excellent, complementary Wi-Fi, a restaurant named Trio, serving decent food. A small shop serving snacks and tipples (I’m a night owl so snacks are very important to me), a rooftop fitness area with a sauna, hot tub and a roof top patio from which to watch the sunset with a sundowner – they sure know how to make use of the harbour view. If you have a work out regime, take regular classes or prefer a larger gym, Cambridge Suites guests have free use of the magnificent facilities and classes at the YMCA that is less than a two-minute walk away.

The location is excellent lots of restaurants within a stone’s throw of the hotel and The Big Fiddle landmark is only a short walk away as is the Governor’s pub and eatery with live music.

I look forward to my return, when I am certain I will once again be making full use of that snoozing facility on the alarm clock until check out time.

Cambridge Suites
Sydney, Cape Breton
Canada

T: +1 902-562-6500
W: cambridgesuitessydney.com