Firstly I want to mention free Wi-Fi!!!! Like a great Score, started January 2013!!! I'm a regular jet setter who stays at 5 star hotels or resorts but none of them have offered free Internet use. It was exciting to see here. The Wi-Fi was very slow so go downstairs and use one of their 3 Computers.
A group of us came to Melb on an adventure weekend and had a blast, it was great to come back to a comfortable atmosphere and bed. We stayed at Citadines for three days.
When we first arrived we were given the key cards to the top floor, two bedroom Standard apartment (level 25) room 2505. The views were amazing and all rooms had windows facing out into the city. The apartment itself is nothing amazing but it did the basics of a simple stay. I was surprised there was no laundry as all the other apartment complexes I've stayed at had this as a standard feature. There was a self serve laundry service but after purchasing tokens etc it would have cost $10 for a wash load, sort of crazy to be honest.
Counter staff were fantastic and polite at all times, really made the stay more enjoyable.
Unfortunately though I did not give this hotel top marks like the other places I've stayed at simply because the cleanliness was not up to hotel standard. It wasn't necessarily bad cleaning, but when I first hopped into my bed there were long hairs on the pillows and brown stains on the sheets. Lipstick on the doors and I'm a fella so I know it wasn't me..... Unless I was drunk trying to be a drag queen!!?! It was definitely from another set of patrons. Just some fine attention to detail would have made this room perfect. There is no room service on Sundays so be prepared, we had no problem with this but I think others would.
I never made a complaint to housekeeping but they were very co operative.
The hotel interior looks new and the amenities looked new in the apartment so there was no wear and tear evident at all.
The kitchen is very impressive and you have all the utensils you need for a good home cooked tea and dishwasher, with a large fridge.
The main bathroom floor was leaking water whenever I had a shower, i aussume a leak in the shower floor window, this will need to be looked at in the future.
There is a lap pool and small gym down in level one. A great, efficient elevator system. Didn't need to wait for a lift very long at all... Very impressed as some hotels you can wait for ages just to hop into a lift.
Location was excellent right near Hungrys, KFC and China town restaurants surround this part of the CBD. There is a tram stop directly outside the main entrance and taxis are always waiting outside, very convenient location.
There was a night club right next to the Citadines entrance and there was a lineup but the club patrons were ok and you needed a swipe card to get into the lobby. It was safe inside the buildings at all times.
Value for money was not too bad at all $320 for a 2 bedroom apartment, quite a steal really.
Now..... Would I return again??
- answer is no... If I was to stay in an apartment I would assume it comes with a washing machine after all that's what self serve apartments are all about! But overall was a great stay and I would still recommend it to my friends.
Nice work Citadines keep up the good work