Marriott hotel brand to return to Sydney

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Deicorp to open a new Sydney hotel next year. 

Courtyard by Marriott Sydney Crows Nest is expected to open in late 2027. 

The new-build hotel will form a central part of Falcon & Alexander, Deicorp’s $640 million mixed-use development in the heart of Crows Nest, just north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

It will be operated by independent hotel manager Trilogy Hotels for Marriott, the media release says. 

Courtyard by Marriott Sydney Crows Nest will occupy the first three levels of the development and is set to feature 100 guest rooms. 

Hotel facilities are expected to include a contemporary restaurant and bar, meeting space, and fitness facilities.

The signing marks Courtyard by Marriott’s return to Sydney, joining existing properties in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Darwin.

“Sydney remains one of our most important markets in Australia, and the return of the Courtyard by Marriott brand to the city is a significant milestone," says Tristan Cooper, Marriott International’s director of hotel development for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

"We believe the hotel will generate strong demand and contribute to precinct activation through its contemporary guest offering, and we look forward to seeing the entire precinct come to life.”

Earlier this year, Deicorp announced a separate collaboration with Trilogy Hotels and Marriott to deliver Sydney’s first AC by Marriott, as part of the Hyde Metropolitan development on Liverpool Street. 

Football fans turning their backs on World Cup hotels

Oops. Those turbo charged cash registers ready to rort FIFA World Cup visitors to the US are screaming to a halt.

Hotels in the 2026 World Cup’s 11 US host cities are reporting underwhelming demand for stays during the tournament, new data released this week by the American Hotel and Lodging Association shows. 

The AHLA, which represents more than 30,000 properties nationwide, surveyed members in the host cities, and close to 80% of respondents reported that bookings were “tracking below initial forecasts” for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19, the New York Times reported. 

The report - based on 205 responses from hotel operators and owners, many of whom own multiple portfolios across multiple World Cup markets - indicates that current performance is very soft compared to the expectations of the hotels themselves.

Over 70% of respondents in San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia and Boston reported that booking pace was below expectations, with over 60% saying the same in Los Angeles, New York City, Houston and Dallas.

Citing the feedback from members, the AHLA concluded that “indicators suggest the anticipated economic lift [from the World Cup] may fall short of expectations.”

The report also says that some properties are “pausing investments around World Cup-specific activations, brand partnerships, and temporary renovations amid uncertainty” due to slower-than-expected demand. 

It also warns that if bookings fall below expectations, host cities will not generate the tax revenue that FIFA and others promised.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has regularly made claims that the World Cup will have a $30 billion “economic impact” in the US, but a significant portion of this projected impact relies on tourists piling into the country during the tournament.

And it casts further doubt on how many international fans will travel to the US for matches.

Hard to guess why foreign tourists would avoid visiting the US while the orange shitgibbon rules. 

Sydney goes French for four days and nights in July

Sydney's four-day Bastille celebration of all things French returns in July. 

Now in its 14th year, the Bastille Festival returns to Circular Quay and The Rocks from July 16-19. 

Free to attend and open to all, the festival will offers four days of gourmet food, French wine, live Gallic music and cultural performances in the heart of the city.

The expanded 2026 edition will feature 130+ exhibitors, 80+ dishes, 110+ free performances, and a new French-inspired flea market at Gateway Plaza. 

For the first time, the festival will extends beyond Circular Quay through a collaboration with the City of Sydney's busking program. 

“Every year, our aim is to share a slice of France right in the heart of Sydney,” says Vincent Hernandez, founder and festival director. 

“This edition promises to be our most ambitious so far, larger, more daring and more immersive, inviting visitors on a true ‘Tour de France’ of flavours, culture and experiences.

“Our goal is to make every dish feel like a journey, whether it’s a traditional specialty or something completely new inspired by French cuisine.” 

There will be close to 20 bars across Circular Quay and The Rocks. 

The program features cabaret and roaming mimes to a selection of incontournables, bringing Parisian energy to the harbour city. 

“At its core, Bastille Festival is about connection, to food, to culture, and to each other,” says Hernandez. “It’s about creating joyful, unexpected moments that bring people together.” 

See https://bastillefestival.com.au/sydney/

More than a guide book: Tokyo Story is also a love story

Tokyo is one of the most fascinating cities on the planet.

Huge, sprawling, intriguing and decidedly different.

Tokyo Story is both a guide book and a homage; full of local wisdom and insider tips.

I wish I had read a copy before a recent visit - here you'll find suggestions on the best hangouts, shops, bars and eateries.

If you want to know about hidden laneways with historic secrets, or tranquil temples to visit, you'll find all the details here. 

Similarly if you want to lowdown on anime and manga collectibles, or want to know the different noodle dishes on offer and where to find the best.  

But you'll also find useful facts on public holidays - there are 16 of them annually - and discover that Christmas Day is a working day like any other in the Japanese capital.

So lots more than the usual hotel recommendations and food markets.

Melbourne-based authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh say they have been obsessed with Japan since their first visit in the late 1990s.They have written 10 books on the country.

If you want to know about Tokyo's distinctive neighbourhoods - each with their own feel - you've come to the right place. 

Each chapter has nuggets of fascinating info across Tokyo’s rich history, culture and nightlife. 

Think fashion tips, ultra-cool listening bars, crazy moments of pop culture or where you might be able to buy a robot. 

There are also handy tips on navigating both Tokyo and Japanese etiquette. 

A delightful book for paging through if you have Japan on your travel radar. 

TOKYO STORY: A GUIDE. By Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh. Published by HARDIE GRANT EXPLORE. RRP $39.99/NZ$45.

Fancy feast for a good cause

How about a fancy feast to raise funds for a good cause?

Some of the biggest names in the restaurant industry are volunteering to help food charity Alex Makes Meals (www.alexmakesmeals.com) run its third annual fundraising event.

Feast to Feed on June 20 will feature some of Australia's top chefs and food personalities at the Great Hall of the NGV in Melbourne with each of the guests curating a dish, matched to premium wines.

The event is driven by the charity's mission to tackle societal food security, one healthy and nutritious meal at a time.

This culinary curators include TV personalities Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, Nat Thaipun, MasterChef winner in 2024, food consultant and Thai cuisine star; MasterChef alumni, cookbook author and pastry whiz Emilia Jackson, and Andrea Vignali, co-owner of Al Dente restaurant.

The event will be MCd by Sofia Levin, food journalist turned MasterChef judge.

Each of the guests will designing a signature dish to be matched with wines from Yarra Yering, Rob Dolan Wines and TarraWarra, among others.

The food stars will be roaming the room during the evening. 

All proceeds from the event go to supporting the charity’s kitchen operations, distributing fresh, healthy and nutritious meals via their 50+ partner charities.

Producing over 4,100 meals per week, Alex Makes Meals has grown from its humble beginnings during Covid to become a vital player in the city’s food relief ecosystem.

Founder Alex Dekker said: “Alex Makes Meals empowers organisations to provide fresh and nutritious meals to people experiencing food insecurity. Unfortunately, the need continues to grow.

“This is our third Feast to Feed gala, and the biggest one yet, in a new, larger location at the NGV. We’re so grateful to the chefs who donate their time, expertise and profile to the event, creating a genuinely unique food and wine experience for guests.

“Sponorship from the One Light Many Hearts Foundation means every ticket sale allows us to distribute about 250 meals. We see Feast to Feed as an opportunity to support vulnerable people throughout Greater Melbourne, and to have a lot of fun doing it.”

Tickets to the event are $275 per head and there will also be both live and silent auctions.

Tickets at events.humanitix.com/feast-to-feed-2026/tickets

Image: The 2025 Feast to Feed. Supplied.

Doing the south of France in elevated leisurely style

Barge holidays are great way to explore France at a leisurely pace and French Waterways has just upped the ante with a luxury spin on the concept. 

French Waterways has announced a voyage along the historic Canal du Midi that combines luxury barge cruising with excursions through and above the Mediterranean countryside by vintage Citroën 2CV and helicopter. 

From May-October, cruisers can visit medieval villages and a 17th-century château, enjoy private wine tastings at Minervois vineyards, shop local markets, and, aboard the hotel barge Savannah, enjoy gourmet meals prepared by a private chef. 

All-inclusive six-night charters are available from May through October, starting at $US32,000 for four guests or $US39,000 for six.

“A Canal du Midi voyage on the Savannah truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Rosie Mansfield, CEO of French Waterways. 

“From serene cruising amid stunning nature and engineering marvels to private wine tastings and thrilling excursions like a fun-filled drive in a vintage car and a breath-taking helicopter flight, it’s the ultimate immersive escape. And the itinerary can be tailored to suit your family or group of friends, making it one of the most flexible in France.”

After a welcoming Champagne reception aboard the Savannah, guests will spend a week cruising the UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi’s locks, aqueducts and stone bridges from La Redorte to Bram, taking in villages, vineyards, wheat fields and sunflowers.

Guests can take to the roads of the Languedoc-Roussillon region at the wheel of a vintage Citroën 2CV, as well as flying over the spectacular Château de Quéribus and Château de Peyrepertuse ruins, the Carcassonne citadel, the Étang de Leucate, and Salses fortress by helicopter.



The itinerary also includes privately guided excursions by chauffeured Mercedes Viano to Minerve, named one of the prettiest villages in France, and a local vineyard for a private tasting with the winemaker. 

Wines have been made since Roman times in the Minervois. 

Visits to Narbonne, a founded in 118 BC, Mirepoix, and Carcassonne, are also among the highlights.

The Savannah has three double cabins and a single cabin with en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning, and a sun deck with shaded dining area, loungers and a spa pool.

Departures are available from either La Redorte or Bram, with transfers from Narbonne or Carcassonne included.

For more info visit https://www.french-waterways.com/