Rydges Armidale

I got back to the room at night and hadn’t checked it properly, but in the morning I found rubbish left behind, a dirty bathroom, and a generally unclean room. I called reception and was told management would get back to me to sort it out. They never did. The rooms were outdated and needed refurbishment, with grotty carpets, stains in the tub and toilet, and walls that looked like smokers had been there for twenty years. I’m an evt member and usually choose rydges because they’re good, but this stay wasn’t. I’ll look elsewhere next time. I’m not sure how this rates four stars. Based on this stay, I’d give it two.

The bed was the highlight for me. It was incredibly comfortable and supportive, with just the right number of soft, feathery pillows to nest into. I had one of the best sleeps in ages and can’t stop talking about it. The rooms are impressively spacious, and Rydges Armidale has excellent amenities and a great location. If you want a deep rest and to wake refreshed, this is the place.

Please don’t stay here. We paid full price for a terrible night, and it was the absolute pits. We’re not small people, but the bed was the size of a small double and lopsided. The mattress protector was so thick that the bed felt overly soft, uncomfortable, and hot. The air conditioner was around the corner and didn’t reach the bed, and there was no fan. By 4 am, I couldn’t stand the heat and lay on a towel on the floor under the aircon. The carpet was filthy, there’s no pool, and it isn’t in the centre of town as advertised. We couldn’t walk into town. I wouldn’t give it even two stars.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated, the staff were great, and the food was lovely. But the room was awful: it smelled badly when we walked in, and we found the carpet soaking wet. We used all our towels to soak it up and left them on the floor overnight so we could walk to the bathroom. Reception gave us more towels after we reported it, but we would have appreciated being moved instead of spending the night with wet socks in a smelly room. The place is very dated and doesn’t deserve a 4.5 star rating. We won’t stay again, and we’ll tell friends and family to avoid it.