Name: Q Station
Address: 1 North Head Scenic Drive, Manly, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, AU
Price range: $119–$319 per night
Rating: 8.33

What guests think

Q Station is a unique, heritage-listed retreat inside Sydney’s North Head, celebrated for sweeping harbour views, a tranquil bush setting, and rich history, with many guests enjoying walks, the small beach, and on-site shuttles to Manly.

Rooms are simple and heritage in feel, with many noting no air conditioning or limited ventilation, thin walls and noise, occasional external bathrooms, and dated fittings needing maintenance. Cleanliness and dining are mixed: many find spaces tidy and dinners good, while several report musty smells, mould or pests, average breakfasts, closures, or poor service. Staff are frequently praised as friendly and helpful, though reception missteps and variable shuttle wait times occur. Expect a peaceful, character stay in an exceptional setting, with trade-offs in comfort and convenience.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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Facilities

Historic setting with shuttle buses around the steep site and to Manly, a small beach, and on-site dining and tours. Some report limited opening hours, occasional long shuttle waits, tired outdoor areas, and slow Wi-Fi.

Related guest reviews

8

David

Mar 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Dining closed on Monday and Tuesday, this was not mentioned in any way before arriving, only told at reception, which was not a great start. Transport in and out of Manly for dinner was good.

8

Barry

Dec 26, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Great efficient check in. Shuttles around the vast space are good although there was one long wait during a busy period. Boiler room restaurant was good although the Maitre d’ didn’t give me the discount I was entitled to as an Accor Plus Platinum member. Breakfast was good.

8

Jeff

Mar 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The history of the Q Station was very interesting and right on the doorstep of Manly. Would recommend planning ahead to book a tour or two with their excellent guides. It is a heritage site so rooms are small and basic and little in the way of ventilation with door closed so if you don't like the heat at night perhaps visit in the colder months NIce options to eat on site or in Manly only 5 minutes away. Buffet b'fast was nice. If your active you could easily spend a full day exploring the site.

8

Gabriela

Mar 17, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Walk back into history. Good size bedroom with a comfy mattress, the toilet block outside was very clean and had everything we needed. The only negative is that the shuttle bus can take quite a bit of time sometimes as it picks up people around the premises but not an issue unless you are in a rush. Lovely staff.

10

Alexander

Nov 10, 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Q-Station sind die alten, aber hervorragend renovierten Gebäude der ehemaligen Quarantäne Station. Mit eigener Badebucht. Der Blick auf Sydney ist phantastisch! Transfer nach Manly zur Fähre mit dem Q-Station eigenem Bus und dann mit der Fähre mitten in Sydney nach 20 min Fahrt ankommen ist toll.

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8

Dr

Feb 26, 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

We loved the history of the place as the quarantine station for Sydney. Great location on North Head. Fantastic views. Friendly helpful staff. Convenient shuttles on demand,

8

Roderick

Feb 18, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

The history, views, beaches and buildings of Q Station are marvellous. Accomodation is somewhat basic: there was an ancient and not entirely pleasant smell to our room, but it added to the experience if we set our minds to it. The mattress was poor. Because the roads around the Station are very narrow cars are not allowed, and so shuttle busses take you everywhere. The experience of being regularly piled into a bus with 8 or 9 others is great; it feels communal and opens up conversations. One wonders a little about Covid …. We will go again, and probably pay more for a bigger room.

8

loic

Jan 25, 2026

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Stayed 1 night

Nice staff and great location. Shuttle bus to Manly. Very quite. Rooms and facilities are old, so don't expect a premium comfort (noise insulation between the rooms is not good). WIFI is slow.

8

Graeme

Oct 22, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Have been staying here for years. The property is starting to get a bit run down and needs maintenance upgrade. Guttering, decking, paintwork etc. Buses to rooms not running on schedule, 35 minute wait to get down on arrival & 40 minute wait to get up when leaving. However, that said, the establishment, its beaches, wildlife & walks are wonderful with very friendly & helpful staff.

10

Clare

Jan 6, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

Peaceful stay in stunning surroundings steeped in history. Be aware that heritage rooms have no air conditioning or windows that can be opened, only fans so if you are prone to feeling hot, it may not be as pleasant. Staff were extremely helpful and catered to everything. We didn’t take out our car during the whole stay and used the shuttle buses which helped us relax even more. Loved a morning coffee and swim at Quarantine beach, right at our doorstep. A great place to get away from crowds and enjoy the tranquility of a national park.

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Cleanliness

Feedback varies: many describe rooms clean and comfortable, but others mention musty smells, mould, pests or rodents, sewer odours, and some worn or slippery outdoor areas.

Related guest reviews

8

Hideaki

Nov 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

清潔だし、対応も良かった

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10

mark

Mar 28, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

Great Stay so close to Sydney. Quiet and clean. Good Restaurant

10

Michael

Feb 19, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

The property is full of amazing history and views amazing But the only small issue was the floor outside our stay’s wet and was mouldy and slippery when wet needs to be looked at thanks

6

owen

Oct 28, 2025

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Stayed 4 nights

Fantastic outlook, peacefull, shuttle service excellent, small rodent problem(mice)

6

loic

Feb 10, 2026

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Stayed 1 night

Nice staff, room was ok, but the bathroom was dirty and full of bugs and spiders

2

Darren

May 25, 2023

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Stayed 1 night

Room was disgusting 1/10. Curtains cover in mould, fridge noisey and would not close, bath/shower drain would not drain, ironing board soaked, phone for shuttle did not work, room heater did not work, room full of bugs. No one from the venue will respond to any contact. Dont be fooled by the photos, very misleading. Extremely small rooms. Would never stay here again.

8

Kym

Nov 26, 2023

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Stayed 3 nights

A lovely quiet get away, fabulous breakfasts, and a terrific view.

8

Anna

Apr 25, 2023

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Stayed 2 nights

The room was lovely, spacious and clean, and we enjoyed sitting on the verandah in the evenings enjoying the views and ambience. Only downside was no air-conditioning - it was pretty warm in the room at nights. The site is very interesting with many historical buildings, and only a few people around when we were there so it was peaceful and relaxing. The ghost tour was a disappointment though. The guide focused more on showing us dodgy photos of apparent recent sitings (on his phone and that he'd printed out) than the history of the site. I imagine there'd be countless fascinating stories from a site of such unique historical significance, but we heard very few of them. It was a shame. I'd recommend skipping the silly tour!

10

Belinda

Oct 6, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Great place to stay! So beautiful here, the views are amazing. We love the wildlife and nature walks. Room are comfortable and clean.

6

cath

Aug 18, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

Staff lovely in bus Our room 78 it did smell of sewer - it was cold - I would suggest some spare blankets - more milk in fridge for tea and coffee and the water was not hot for our showers on Monday morning Could you please contact me in regards to the above

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Rooms

Basic, heritage-style rooms; some have external bathrooms, thin walls and noise, and dated decor. Many note no air conditioning or windows to open, leaving rooms hot in warm weather, though beds are generally comfortable and some rooms have views.

Related guest reviews

4

Lukas

Feb 1, 2025

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Stayed 5 nights

Bathroom outside the room is not really privat. People walk along our room and could see through de windows what means no privacy. The room was very dark and not homy. There was no coffee table in the room. To less shuttle buses to the ferry and back. I wouldn't recommand the hotel to any friend.

4

Sandra

Jan 2, 2026

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Stayed 8 nights

They had me in a room that was next to the breakfast room and it was an awful stay, constant noise and people eating right in front of my room. Started st 6am through 11 am.

10

Mikala

Apr 11, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

Beautiful location, lots to do, staff are excellent. The only thing was that in the shower it's pretty aged and go lots of black spots from something that doesn't come off. On my second night, I could also hear someone snoring through the thin walls and that kept me up a little. That was pretty disappointing considering how empty the place was, they surely could have spaced us out more.

6

Philip

Mar 20, 2023

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Stayed 1 night

It wasn't clear from the website that the room only has french doors onto a public balcony, but no windows. The room needed to be ventilated prior to arrival, especially since it does not have air-conditioning.

8

Melodie

Feb 18, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

Large rooms, beautiful harbour views with 24 hour shuttle bus to rooms from reception, as it’s quite a walk. Only complaint was there was no air conditioning in the rooms or fly screen doors to allow air flow overnight. On wall heating for winter, but probably wouldn’t stay here in summer again.

6

Charlinda

Oct 2, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Location is amazing and quiet. Room was disappointing with only a ceiling fan for cooling that didn’t go faster than low. No windows to open for ventilation so a very hot night. Restaurant closed for private function so disappointed as we were planning to eat there.

8

loic

Jan 25, 2026

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Stayed 1 night

Nice staff and great location. Shuttle bus to Manly. Very quite. Rooms and facilities are old, so don't expect a premium comfort (noise insulation between the rooms is not good). WIFI is slow.

8

Steve

Feb 19, 2024

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Stayed 7 nights

We had booked a Queen Heritage room with a view, 8 months before our stay, which was confirmed at reception. Upon checkin, we were taken to a tiny, dingy and dirty room with no window, no clothes storage and was NOT what we had booked & paid for. We complained and were finaly moved to a Queen Heritage room. This room was great but had no fly screens on the windows, and with large spiders and insects everywhere along with possums walking around under the windows at night, we had to keep them closed at all times. No air con in any of their rooms, so very hot in summer. We also found the constant need to call for a shuttle bus to take us to the car park, breakfast dinning, and every other part of the Q Station annoying, sometimes having to wait 15-20. The property is VERY steep, and walkin to the various parts on the station was really hard work. We think they need to have all the rooms air conditioned. They say it is not inline with the original historic theme of the buildings, BUT, they have oil heaters, LED lighting, cieling fans and hot water systems, so their argument is moot. Would we stay there again, no, unfortunately.

8

Johanne

Jun 30, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

Paid for harbour view room, which has a shared deck looking west across the harbour. Location and view are beautiful in good weather. Sunset view is amazing. Lovely romantic setting. Room was basic set in historic building - the interior walls are corrugated tin painted, joins and gaps around external doors caused cold draughts for the wall heater to cope with in Winter. The bed was comfortable but the room needs a freshen up. Old smells covered up with room freshner. En-suite also needs a reno - loose vanity tap, rusty vanity frame, chips in the bath.. If you’re ok with those minor flaws and happy to pay $$$ - it’s a comfortable stay. Coffee/tea also very basic. BYO tissues, and milk if you want more than a thimble in your tea/Nescafe 43 bean coffee. Not 4 star. Not worthy of a photo. Contrasting, the Boiler House Restaurant interior ambiance, food and service for dinner was excellent. The outdoor area for lunch also looking a bit tired and needs a freshen up to improve resort/retreat feel, which is what you splash out on. Happy to pay the higher room rate for more luxury than what is currently being offered.

8

Linda

Mar 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stuffy rooms and no crockery or utensils

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Service

Staff are widely praised as friendly, helpful and accommodating. A minority cite reception or billing issues, poor communication, or inconsistent restaurant service.

Related guest reviews

10

Sarah

Dec 29, 2024

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Stayed 3 nights

So quiet and lovely staff.

8

Dave

Nov 24, 2023

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Stayed 2 nights

Staff were excellent throughout the whole facility.

6

Emma

Oct 21, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Room wasn’t ready at 2pm. When I asked for a portacot to be put in the room, the staff member I spoke to didn’t know what a portacot was. Once one was located, it arrived mid-nap. For $280 a night, a few bottles of water in the fridge would have been nice to include. Cool gimmick staying at the quarantine station, but we won’t stay here again.

6

P Cheron cano cunha

May 12, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

It was a night out to celebrate our Wedding anniversary and after I booked I did make sure that the staff knew about it by calling and an email. They did say they will make it unforgettable. Also we had the rain forecast for the whole Saturday and all morning Sunday. I could cancel my booking because of that but I did think that doesn’t matter the weather we will have a great time, because they will make us feel very special. For my surprise when I got there no one mentioned nothing about that. I did mentioned the reception at the checkin time, and he gave us a wine bottle, but just after I mentioned. It was the only thing we could get to remember our Anniversary. According to them we could not have a room upgrade because we were in 4, (2 adults and 2 toddlers). We did not have nothing special at the dinner at the restaurant too. The room had a leak under the sink, also the bedside lamp in the kids bedroom was not working. The breakfast was included in the price, and it was very average. Doesn’t have a barista to make your coffee, only an old coffee machine. The staff did not have a smile in their face, seriously, I just think did not worth the price I paid. I wish my memory about this place could be different. The history side of things was very interesting but unfortunately we will not head back.

6

Charles H

Oct 17, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

Two receptionists were awful; one , the manageress was a bully; self entitled witch; I was seconds from canceling… and I would have missed out on a great stay

10

Ida

Jan 16, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

We had an amazing two nights such an interesting place to stay. Super friendly staff great breakfast. Enjoyed the cafe down by the harbour, forgot our swimmers so missed a dip. Lots of history. Overall a very enjoyable stay very peaceful.

6

Lyndon

Apr 21, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

Service and meal at Boiler room Resturant very poor.

10

Mary

Sep 21, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Great location with amazing views and very friendly staff

4

Anthony

Oct 19, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

The staff were very welcoming as were the shuttle bus drivers. I was double charged for the room after explaining that I paid through Wotif. Unfortunately it is very loud in the evenings with people arriving back to their rooms and even more so early in the morning with kids running along our balcony making loud noises. I would only recommend this place to people wanting to stay with their families.

10

Clare

Jan 6, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Peaceful stay in stunning surroundings steeped in history. Be aware that heritage rooms have no air conditioning or windows that can be opened, only fans so if you are prone to feeling hot, it may not be as pleasant. Staff were extremely helpful and catered to everything. We didn’t take out our car during the whole stay and used the shuttle buses which helped us relax even more. Loved a morning coffee and swim at Quarantine beach, right at our doorstep. A great place to get away from crowds and enjoy the tranquility of a national park.

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Location

Scenic, peaceful position in North Head with harbour views, nature walks and easy access to Manly via shuttle and ferry. Some find the steep layout and shuttle reliance less convenient.

Related guest reviews

8

John

Jan 2, 2025

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Stayed 4 nights

Quiet, friendly and safe. Limited on site facilities with poor opening times. Requires a convenience store.

10

Linda Vibeke

Jan 14, 2026

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Stayed 5 nights

It was all so fine!Neat to be in a National Park but yet so close to the City

10

Ray

Nov 3, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

great location, peaceful, good walking through the national park next door

8

Angela Marie

Nov 8, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

Awesome position with an abundance of history.

8

Robert

Jan 19, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Great location with plenty of history. Lots of walking opportunities.

10

Graham

Feb 12, 2023

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Stayed 1 night

Very relaxed stay. Wonderful views. Very efficient shuttle to Manly & back

10

Noel

Dec 15, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

Stunning views of Sydney Harbour. Very peaceful. Full of history. Comfortable bed and modern bathroom. Helpful staff. Lovely beach. Shuttle bus quick and easy and on demand. Manly buzzing with restaurants, pubs, cafes and more beaches.

10

John

Jan 11, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

This place is worth every cent, it’s just incredible, a real hidden gem in and amongst Sydney Harbour.

8

Jenelle

Aug 28, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

Delivers the one thousand miles from care. A quirky place given its history, with views to soothe for days

8

Kepa

Oct 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Amazing location on headland with birdsong and bush.

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Dining

Boiler House dinners are often enjoyed, but several guests found service or value lacking, faced closures or booking issues, or considered breakfast average. A few report good breakfasts and a pleasant café by the wharf.

Related guest reviews

8

David

Mar 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Dining closed on Monday and Tuesday, this was not mentioned in any way before arriving, only told at reception, which was not a great start. Transport in and out of Manly for dinner was good.

8

Barry

Dec 26, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Great efficient check in. Shuttles around the vast space are good although there was one long wait during a busy period. Boiler room restaurant was good although the Maitre d’ didn’t give me the discount I was entitled to as an Accor Plus Platinum member. Breakfast was good.

10

mark

Mar 28, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

Great Stay so close to Sydney. Quiet and clean. Good Restaurant

8

Graeme

Jun 12, 2024

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Stayed 1 night

We liked the sense of history at this location. The buildings by the wharf and the old hospital displayed interesting information about the old quarantine station. The Boiler House restaurant was very good. The serves were generous. However, the buffet breakfast was rather substandard and not good value.

8

Daniel

Jul 12, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

Our family of four stayed in cottage s1 for three nights. The cottage has been well decorated but has a strong musty smell. The exterior has a lot of silicone, so if you like saying “do your best and silicone the rest” you will also like staying here. The microwave was hard to work and the lamps stopped working but everything else was good. Shuttle was easy and catching a bus down to the Manly Wharf was fast and cheap. The Boiler House restaurant was fine but we decided not to eat there after the first night as they didn’t tell us the kids could eat for free and charged us the full amount. We could have done more and stayed longer but ran out of time. We’d definitely stay again.

8

Max

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great experience with great staff. Historic Quarantine station on the shores of Sydney Harbour. Romms are basic but the ambience and location are sensational. The restaurant Boilerplate is RUBBISH and the bistro by the wharf should be open for Breaky and late refreshments.

6

Lyndon

Apr 21, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

Service and meal at Boiler room Resturant very poor.

8

Andrew

Feb 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice little spot for a staycation. However, early check-in isn't available, after several call and emails leading up to the reservation (including day of) I was told they wouldn't know until 11am on check in day whether or not we could check in early. I was looking to check in at 11 so this was no use to me unfortunately. Included breakfast was bloody good through.

6

Kevin

Jan 27, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Fantastic location but the accommodation is basic (as you would expect). We were there during heatwave conditions and none of the rooms have air conditioning and because of there construction/age, have next to no insulation. Strongly suggest you avoid staying there if it’s going to be hot. The rooms were clean and tidy. We enjoyed an amazing meal at the Boiler House restaurant.

8

Daniel Samir

Sep 26, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice location in the National Park with a lot of history. We enjoyed the walks in the national park but also the history walking tour and the dinner restaurant. The rooms are simple with a great view. However, some things just need an investment in the rooms. The bathtub could do with a change and definitely the blow dryers as well. The blow dryer when using it, sounds like it could blow up in flames any time :). Overall still a nice experience and a good place for a short stay.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$143
February	$149
March	$137
April	$136
May	$136
June	$126
July	$117
August	$132
September	$154
October	$139
November	$166
December	$159

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $136	2 $260	3
4 $197	5 $137	6 $136	7 $136	8 $136	9 $177	10 $184
11 $119	12 $125	13 $131	14 $125	15 $145	16 $193	17 $183
18 $130	19 $130	20 $125	21 $147	22 $130	23	24 $198
25 $135	26 $125	27 $135	28 $137	29 $125	30 $165	31 $182

Q Station

Prices for Q Station

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Suite, 1 Queen Bed Detached Private Bathroom (Heritage)

Suite (Retreat)

Room (Q Room External Private Bathroom)

Suite, 1 Queen Bed (Heritage)

Room, 1 Queen Bed (Heritage)

Cottage, 3 Bedrooms (Officers)

Room, 1 King Bed

Room, 1 Queen Bed (Heritage Harbourside)

Guest reviews of Q Station

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Q Station

Considering this hotel for your Sydney trip?

Prices for upcoming dates

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20 $137	21 $136	22 $134	23 $135	24 $136	25 $190	26 $319
27 $125	28 $136	29 $135	30 $136