Oaks Brisbane on Charlotte Suites

The reception staff were pleasant and the location was handy, but the room wasn't worth $550 for a midweek night. It was ready an hour late, and the walls had badly patched holes. There was no ice in the freezer, no tissues or spare toilet paper, and no Netflix. Wi-Fi cost extra, and the coffee machine didn't work properly. At that price, I'd expect the usual hotel basics to be sorted out. I'll stay somewhere else next time.

The location is great, right near everything, and the staff were polite. The carpet in our room smelled bad, though, and there was no room service. We had to keep going down to the reception lobby to get things like towels instead of having them brought up. Parking at $45 a night is absurd, especially when it should be included with the stay. Given the spot in the CBD, it was good overall.

Good location, but I wouldn't come back. The apartment needs a renovation, and the air conditioner rattled noisily. Hot water took ages, and housekeeping came at 3 p.m. while five of us were getting ready to go out. We asked them to return later, but they didn't. Check-in took ages even though three people were behind the counter. We arrived at 1:52 p.m. and were told the room wasn't ready for the 2 p.m. check-in, so we'd have to come back. The gym is pathetic, barely worth listing as an amenity. They should add some dumbbells and a cable machine.

There was a lovely city view from the balcony, and it had an electric socket too. Sitting out there with coffee in the morning was a treat. The kitchen had a microwave, a good-sized fridge, toaster, dishwasher and the essentials, plus a washing machine in a separate laundry room. I liked the little desk area in the living room and its bright lamp. I could cast Youtube to both smart TVs, and there was free-to-air TV as well. The suite was comfortable overall, and the mattress and bedding looked clean. I didn't use the lap pool, gym or sauna, so can't comment on them. The front desk staff were all lovely, and the location was good, within walking distance of trains and lots of shops. The shower had good pressure and plenty of hot water, and was spacious, but there were hairs in it. A couple of lamps were sticky and unclean. I also dislike refillable soap and hair product dispensers because I don't know what's in them, so I end up having to bring or buy those products. I much prefer the little individual bottles. There wasn't a room safe, which seemed odd, though I've seen that in Brisbane hotels before. The king bed was two beds zipped together. That might be OK on a cruise, but not in a hotel for me. It was comfortable enough, though a soft topper would've helped, and I kept sliding toward the middle overnight. The suite felt tired, with frayed carpet and a need for paint. Still, I paid AUD $200 for a Monday night in Brisbane in summer just after Christmas, and it was comfortable for the money. The stay was good, though the cleaning issues put a bit of a damper on it. Maybe I was unlucky; I'd give it another try.