---
title: "Elephant Backpacker vs Mariners Court Hotel: which hotel is better?"
description: "Elephant Backpacker or Mariners Court Hotel in Sydney? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side."
url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/elephant-backpacker-sydney-vs-mariners-court-hotel-sydney/
language: en
source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com)
retrieved: 2026-10-31
---

# Elephant Backpacker vs Mariners Court Hotel

Both are in Sydney, 490 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger.

Hostel · Woolloomooloo
## [Elephant Backpacker](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/elephant-backpacker-sydney/)

- **Guest rating:** 5.6 ·  Below average

- **Location score:** 8.6

- **Score by category:** 2 of 3

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1382434/agoda/?lang=en)

Hotel · ★★★½ · Woolloomooloo
## [Mariners Court Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/mariners-court-hotel-sydney/)

- **Guest rating:** 8.4 ·  Very good

- **Location score:** 7.7

- **Score by category:** 1 of 3

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1825457/agoda/?lang=en)

The short answer

## Pick Elephant Backpacker

It leads in 2 of 3 categories. 490 m apart.

### Choose Elephant Backpacker if you want

-   to walk to the sights (1.4 km / 1.9 km)
-   a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 220 / 40)
-   a newer or recently renovated building (2021 / 1986)

### Choose Mariners Court Hotel if you want

-   the more consistently praised stay (8.4 / 5.6)
-   a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 40 / 220)

### Why is Elephant Backpacker better than Mariners Court Hotel?

1.  460 m closer to public transport (−460 m)
2.  Newer or more recently renovated (2021 vs 1986) (+35y)
3.  11 more sights within 1 km (+11)
4.  Later check-out (12:00 vs 10:00) (+2h)
5.  A larger hotel with more facilities (220 vs 40 rooms) (×5.5)

### Why is Mariners Court Hotel better than Elephant Backpacker?

1.  Higher guest rating (8.4 vs 5.6) (+2.8)
2.  More guest reviews (740 vs 334), so the rating is more reliable (×2.2)
3.  36 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+36)
4.  A smaller, more intimate hotel (40 vs 220 rooms) (−180)

## All compared facts

Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel.

 

|  | Elephant Backpacker | Mariners Court Hotel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score by category |
| Guest rating | 5.6 | 8.4  (+2.8) |
| Location | 8.6  (+0.9) | 7.7 |
| Facilities | – | 4.2 |
| Spa & wellness | – | 0.0 |
| Public transport | 7.9  (+2.4) | 5.5 |
| Ratings & reviews |
| StayVersus score | 5.8 | 8.4  (+2.6) |
| Guest rating | 5.6 | 8.4  (+2.8) |
| Number of reviews | 334 | 740  (+406) |
| Rank in Sydney | bottom 1% | bottom 49%  (+49%) |
| Location |
| Location score | 8.6  (+0.9) | 7.7 |
| Distance to Woolloomooloo centre | 230 m | 290 m |
| To public transport | 530 m  (−460 m) | 990 m |
| To the airport | 9.0 km | 9.4 km |
| Restaurants within 500 m | 114 | 150  (+36) |
| To the nearest food shop | 250 m | 320 m |
| Shops within 500 m | 3 | 3 |
| Sights within 1 km | 37  (+11) | 26 |
| Rooms & building |
| Star rating | – | ★★★½ |
| Rooms | 220 | 40 |
| Floors | 4 | 3 |
| Newest building or renovation | 2021  (+35y) | 1986 |
| Listed amenities | 6 | 15  (+9) |
| Policies |
| Check-in from | 12:00 | 12:00 |
| Check-out until | 12:00  (+2h) | 10:00 |
| Amenities |
| Free Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ |
| Parking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Luggage storage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kitchen | ✓ | – |
| In-room safe | ✓ | ✓ |
| Concierge | – | ✓ |
| Laundry | – | ✓ |
| Free breakfast | – | ✓ |
| Room service | – | ✓ |
| Terrace | – | ✓ |
| Air conditioning | – | ✓ |
| Balcony | – | ✓ |
| Coffee or tea maker | – | ✓ |
| Blackout curtains | – | ✓ |
| Distance to the main sights |
| Australian Museum | 460 m  (−460 m) | 920 m |
| Art Gallery of New South Wales | 330 m  (−150 m) | 480 m |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Australia | 1.5 km | 1.7 km |
| Sea Life Sydney Aquarium | 1.4 km  (−460 m) | 1.8 km |
| Which hotel suits you |
| Couples | – | ✓ |
| Sightseeing on foot | ✓ | – |
| Spa & relaxation | – | ✓ |

## Live prices around both hotels

Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer.

[Mariners Court Hotel prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/mariners-court-hotel-sydney/prices/)

## Location

490 m apart

Elephant Backpacker: city centre: 1.4 km, nearest station St James railway station, Sydney: 530 m, Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD): 9.0 km, 114 places to eat within 500 m, 37 sights within 1 km.

Mariners Court Hotel: city centre: 1.9 km, nearest station St James railway station, Sydney: 990 m, Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD): 9.4 km, 150+ places to eat within 500 m, 26 sights within 1 km.

[Top-rated of 46 hotels in Sydney CBD](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/sydney/area/sydney-cbd/)

## Weather in Sydney

[Sydney weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/australia/new-south-wales/sydney/weather)

## Elephant Backpacker or Mariners Court Hotel: common questions

### Which is better, Elephant Backpacker or Mariners Court Hotel?

Elephant Backpacker leads in 2 of 3 categories, including location, public transport. Mariners Court Hotel is stronger in guest rating.

### Which is cheaper, Elephant Backpacker or Mariners Court Hotel?

Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side.

### How far apart are Elephant Backpacker and Mariners Court Hotel?

The two hotels are 490 m apart in a straight line.

## More match-ups

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-   [Elephant Backpacker vs The Original Backpackers](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/elephant-backpacker-sydney-vs-the-original-backpackers-sydney/)
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-   [Mariners Court Hotel vs Hotel Challis Potts Point](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/hotel-challis-potts-point-sydney-vs-mariners-court-hotel-sydney/)
-   [Mariners Court Hotel vs UKO Potts Point](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/mariners-court-hotel-sydney-vs-uko-potts-point-sydney/)
-   [Mariners Court Hotel vs The Maisonette](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/mariners-court-hotel-sydney-vs-the-maisonette-sydney/)

## Compare now

Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/)

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Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/elephant-backpacker-sydney-vs-mariners-court-hotel-sydney/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/
