It’s one of Sydney’s oldest suburbs, famous for its elegant historic buildings and ocean bath pools, making it the perfect place for a family-friendly staycation.
Watch: Amazing Home – The Coogee Castle
Making the two-hour drive from Newcastle, we arrived at the newly refurbished Crowne Plaza Coogee beach with a toddler in tow, ready for our much-needed staycation.
The underground car park made getting to the hotel and checking into our king ocean view room a breeze.
Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach
The room feels airy, light and spacious. The highlight, though, is the balcony with views of the beach. Listening to the sound of the waves crashing makes for a relaxing night’s sleep. Being woken up to one of the most epic sunrises I have ever seen from the comfort of the bed was even better.
That afternoon, we walked across the road and spent time at the Grant Reserve Playground on the headland above the beach’s southern end. Complete with slides, swings and a giant climbing net – it’s safe to say this is a hot spot for anyone with kids.
The hotel’s location means we’re spoilt for choice regarding dinner. Wandering up the esplanade, we settled for some Mexican food before returning to our room to watch a movie. Each room has access to free in-house movies to watch at your leisure.
Up bright and early the following day, we headed to Shutters Bar and Restaurant on the hotel’s ground floor, for the buffet breakfast, which did not disappoint. Featuring everything you would expect from a buffet breakfast and more, the glass windows and ceiling give diners a fantastic view of the sea. Be sure to grab a window seat!
The hotel has multiple dining options to suit everyone. As well as Shutters, there’s a three-in-one dining venue, Estate, which boasts a seafood-focused dining room to share, a tropical terrace bar and a dedicated taqueria.
After breakfast, we walked across the road and set up camp at the southern end of the beach next to the rockpool (Ross Jones Memorial Baths), which is situated next to the surf club. But access to the rockpool depends on the surf conditions.
Parents can rest easy knowing Coogee beach is regarded as one of the safest Sydney beaches thanks to its gentle waves. It’s also patrolled by surf lifesavers every day from 7 am until 5 pm. Although pricey, fish and chips on the beach were a treat for lunch.
Wanting some time away from the crowds, we enjoyed dinner on the hotel’s poolside terrace. There’s a separate ‘pool service’ menu where you can order burgers, meatballs and hot chips. A small selection of drinks is available in the area, and they will even bring it up to you.
The 11 am checkout the next day meant there was time for another stroll after breakfast before returning home with everyone feeling relaxed and rested.