Alpha Hotel Canberra

We paid a lot for the room and even had to add $8 a night for parking, so I expected far better. Across three nights our room was never serviced, and I kept having to ask for clean towels. The showers were extremely poor too. One night another guest was singing and yelling on their balcony late into the night. With no 24-hour reception and nobody available to help, I ended up sitting in my car for quiet for half the night. The next day, staff banged on my door at 11am and rudely told me I should have checked out an hour earlier. That was my mistake, since I thought I’d booked three nights, but they could’ve handled it more politely, especially given what had happened overnight. I later found out there was plenty of space available when I booked the third night, and I had considered switching hotels. Friends of mine staying there were just as unimpressed and had the same service problems. I wouldn’t stay here again.

The area was peaceful and quiet, and having plenty of parking was handy. We were happy with the stay overall, though it’s a bit far from the city. The carpets needed a better clean and we spotted a few spider webs in the room. It was comfortable enough, and better cleaning would make a real difference.

It’s a nice place and close to everything you need, with places within walking distance depending on your age and ability. There’s no microwave, which was a letdown when trying to keep food costs down.

The stale smoke smell hits you as soon as you enter, and the peeling carpet and neglected, unhygienic rooms make the whole place feel run-down. It looks like they’ve tried to rebrand what’s clearly an abandoned hotel, but it shows. I can see why people were sleeping in their cars in the car park. I regret not doing that myself. Save your money and book somewhere else.