Adelphi is in a great location--Flinders Lane--which is close to the National Gallery and lots of great restaurants like Movida. It is a bit tired now, the faux Constructivist furniture never looked great and it now it's shabby. Each floor used to have a selection of works by leading Australian photographers. These have gone and the art now is really bad decor. The roof top pool was always a gimmick but the slick design of the outdoor area has gone and it's pretty tacky up there now. Breakfast service was very slow but food was good when it arrived. In December 2012 there was a lot of noise in the morning from nearby construction. Nonetheless, for Melbourne it's still an appealing hotel, particularly if there are mid-week bargains.

Don't bother. The receptionist ignored us when we arrived to check in, answering the phone instead. While the bed was comfortable and the bathroom was good. The room and bathroom were a great size.

Pretty much everything else was bad. Our toilet was so loud it couldn't be flushed at night. The cistern filled for about 30 mins. On the second night our room wasn't made up - as requested they kindly moved us to a second room. The air-con didn't work so the room was a humid 24 degrees all night, there are no windows that open so we didn't get much sleep. And when I opened the blinds in the morning there was mould covering the edge of the window. I have added some pics. The receptionist in the morning could barley give a sh*t. This hotel needs a total revamp, especially for the price you pay. The location is fantastic though.

Two years ago, my friend and I decided to have a girls' weekend in Melbourne - she travelled from Queensland and I from Perth, WA. The photographs of the Adelphi on the internet looked appealing and someone had told us about the unique overhanging pool so we thought we'd book it - although it was quite pricey. What a rip-off!!! The twin room had all the charm of a prison cell. It's very well for the management to bang on about the 'minimalism' of the decor - but does this also encompass tatty and cheap? Yes, clean right angles and lots of grey - but the furniture is cheap and nasty. The bathroom had no ventilation or extractor fan so steam and smells lingered - not to mention the flimsy wall provided no privacy or protection from unpleasant bathroom sounds. It was a twin room - but coffee for only one person was provided in the room. You had to pay for the bottled water - which is extraordinary considering the cost of the room. The famous pool was shabby, grubby and neglected. The staff were clueless. We had a glass of wine in the charmless (yes... yes... I know... it's minimalist) bar one evening. The first glass was served and then the barman just disappeared, never to be seen again. On Sunday morning the lift stopped functioning. Everyone trying to head downstairs on the Sunday morning had the experience of waiting and waiting for the lift - then finally realizing it was not functioning. Could the staff not have put a little sign on the lift doors on each floor? It seems an obvious courtesy. While waiting for a taxi, I watched guest after guest come to the front desk and report the lift was not working. One would imagine the staff would think of putting up a sign, just to stop every single guest reporting the same thing. As I said, clueless. So I am warning everyone: do not be deceived by the photographs on the website. This hotel is grossly over-priced and suffers from delusions of luxury. I have only just started posting reviews on Tripadvisor, which is why this report dates from 2010. But you can understand how disappointed the experience was, given I am still able to write about it with such intensity two years later.

Stayed at the Adelphi in Melbourne. The lighting in the bathroom was so poor my wife had to apply her makeup by "braille". I had the same experience when trying to shave. It was like someone had cut the power to the bathroom and we were having to use birthday candles. The rest of the stay was good. Clean room, comfortable bed and friendly staff.