Oaks Brisbane Lexicon Suites

The air conditioning kept switching back to heater, but staff said it was working. Service around the issue was very bad, and some reception staff were rude. There were cigarette butts in the pool. If you book through a travel agent, get them to put everything in writing.

The position is perfect, very central, with gorgeous city views and a lovely big terrace for warm evenings. Staff were friendly and helpful. I'd consider coming back if the administration and maintenance improved. We paid $3,300 for eight nights for three people in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, and those parts of the stay weren't up to scratch. We used two apartments because of our travel arrangements. One had no sink plugs; the other did, but the kitchen tap barely trickled. Reception said the maintenance man was on sick leave, and I wondered how long the water issue had been there. The terrace sliding door in the second apartment was very difficult to open and close. Guests do need to tell reception about problems in the apartments. The kitchen was poorly equipped. The pots seemed like charity-shop finds, there were no coffee facilities beyond instant coffee, and we had to buy dishwashing liquid because only one tiny detergent sachet was under the sink. Only a tiny sachet of sugar and long-life milk, tea bags and instant coffee were provided. There was no salt or pepper. After two days a kind young man at reception gave us a coffee plunger, called a French press in Aussi, and apparently had to go out and buy it. For the price, coffee-making equipment and basics like salt and pepper sachets seem reasonable. I've rented a central apartment in Paris before where previous tenants left cooking oil and condiments for the next guests; I did the same when I left. That might be a good idea for this complex too. We didn't know what facilities the hotel had unless we used QR codes. There was nothing printed listing them, as you find in most places. A simple sheet wouldn't cost much. We only discovered as we were leaving that a warm pool was available, and never saw information about breakfast. The TV had only channel 9, with no Sky or Netflix. The administration was a different experience indeed. Compared with a cheap motel in NZ or the motel we used in Beaudesert, this complex could do better. Yes, I'd use it again if they fixed the administration problems.

Getting around from here was easy, with transport and plenty of restaurants close by. The apartment had a roomy living area and a good-sized balcony, but it needs attention. The bathroom is due for renovation, and the air conditioning seemed to cool only the living room. Noise through the night and sunlight coming in from 5 or 6 a.m. made sleeping difficult, especially in the second bedroom, which badly needs blackout blinds and better soundproofing.

The executive one-bedroom apartment had plenty of space, but the tea and coffee setup was a letdown for the price. There were four freeze-dried aurora coffee sachets, four aurora black tea bags, and no milk. Reception brought milk after I asked, but for an expensive one-night stay, that was worse than what I've had at three-star campsites and cabins. I was also left waiting around 15 minutes when I arrived at 5:50 p.m.; nobody was at the desk, and I was in a virtual work meeting. The lift was being repaired or upgraded and had plastic sheeting on the walls.