I don't think hotels are a strong point of Canberra, but the Pavilion is not at all bad. It's very well located and reasonably priced (at least compared to others). You're within walking distance of the tourist information centre, as well as the shops (with a LOT of restaurants) of Dickson. You're about 2km from the lake.

The hotel dates from the early eighties, but has obviously been refurbished. There's a signature atrium with a lot of greenery which is nice, even if pretty dated in style. This is also where the restaurant and bar are located. We had dinner at the restaurant one night and the food was quite good, if perhaps a little on the expensive side. The service in the restaurant was OK without being great. The service in the rest of the hotel was very good otherwise, although the day we left the room cleaning staff began cleaning the room before we had left! We came back to our room after putting our bags in the car to find the room being cleaned already.

Speaking of the room, it seems they all come with a queen and a single bed, handy for some. The bathroom arrangement is a little odd, with a fridge with tea/coffee facilities (free) together with the washbasin in an area off the main room, then a door through to the bath/shower and the toilet. This is a bit quirky and might not appeal to everyone. There was a large flat-screen TV with local channels and the bed was comfortable although a bit bouncy. Air-conditioning was effective and quiet. The room sizes do vary somewhat and seem reasonable.

We did however have a significant issue with our room with clanging pipes and plumbing noises that kept us awake in the early hours of the morning. We complained about this and received apologies but no other action or compensation. It might have been a one-off problem, or it might be a general problem in the hotel.

The elevator from the lobby to the room levels was being replaced during our visit. An inconvenience for those who find stairs a problem, although presumably it should only be a temporary problem.

Breakfast is buffet style and is very complete and reasonable value at $19. Wireless Internet is available in the rooms but it's not free. There's free off-street parking.

Stayed here on 26 Jan. Room on 2nd floor was ok, but it was too hot. When I asked about this at reception I was told the air conditioning fan is kept on low because of the fan noise. So it might as well be off as it was useless. Thankfully we could open the window even though there was a storm - but it was the only way to get some air in the room. It's a pity, as the room was nicely finished, but without air conditioning on a summer's day its too hot and we won't stay here again.

Stayed for several days. Good location. Friendly and helpful staff. Clean rooms. Good services. The atrium area and bar was very pleasant area to have a drink or two at the end of the day. The food was excellent. Inter et service was not complimentary and business services a little pricey though. Id stay hear again.

My friends and I went for a weekend in Canberra recently. After looking around for hotels on deal sites, we came across Pavilion on Northbourne. The price was very reasonable, especially compared to other hotels we were looking at and the reviews seemed good. We had a lovely stay, it is a very clean, modern and comfortable hotel. The staff were friendly and helpful and the garden atrium was an awesome addition. Very close to the city and shops. Would definitely stay there again.