Southbank Motel

The room had no hot water, a strong drain smell, and a security door that wouldn’t close properly, so I couldn’t leave it open to air the place out. The curtains were coming down and let light in all night, there was no wardrobe rail or hangers, and the bed was covered only by a sheet. When I called after hours, I was told hot water sometimes runs out when the hotel is full. A staff member came around 10 p.m. with air freshener, turned on the hot water, and it eventually became lukewarm. When I asked why guests weren’t warned, she was rude and dishonest. She blamed me for turning the taps the wrong way, said parking was a problem because guests brought two cars, and said she couldn’t comment on the smell because she had no sense of smell. I was stunned by the lack of accountability. I booked the S1 Hotel, Highgate Hill because it advertised off-street parking, but there was no space when I arrived because the hotel was full, so I had to park on a busy main road. Even getting to reception was difficult and unsafe: thorn bushes overhung the stairs to the rooms and reception, so guests had to crouch to avoid scratches. The handrails didn’t meet current Queensland building code, making a terrible first impression. After waiting about ten minutes, I eventually found a staff member to check me in. After checking out, I saw other reviews describing the same parking shortages, bad smells, lack of hot water and unhelpful staff. That made the few five-star reviews seem questionable. In my opinion, the property should be inspected by the Queensland Department of Health and the Department of Fair Trading. Paying guests shouldn’t be treated this way or have these conditions passed off as hotel accommodation. Do yourself a favour and stay elsewhere. My stay at the S1 Hotel, Highgate Hill was one of the worst I’ve had.

On this return visit to S1 Motel, I was really pleased to see how much had improved. Everything went smoothly and felt relaxing. The room was very clean, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I’ll definitely come back.

The pool wasn’t working, and the motel felt quite outdated. We also had electrical trouble: using the kettle along with the air conditioning, lights and phone chargers kept tripping the safety switch. On top of that, we’d clearly agreed verbally that there would be no security deposit, but they asked us to pay one when we arrived. I was told the bond would be returned the day after checkout, yet it took over 10 days despite repeated follow-ups. The customer service was poor and management didn’t honor what they’d agreed. I wouldn’t recommend staying until communication and maintenance improve. I’d give zero stars if I could.

I’d called ahead and was told a room was available, so I travelled 1 hour and 40 minutes to get there. There was nowhere else to stay that night. But when I tried to pay cash, she refused my $50 note because it had a slight tear and wanted me to go change it. She was rude and hostile, and whatever I said, she acted as if it was everyone else’s problem. She left a woman on her own out on the street in a city she didn’t know. After reading the other reviews, I’m glad I ended up saying the motel wasn’t worthy of my money.