QT Canberra

The walls let through quite a bit of sound, and the small balcony dividers could make privacy awkward. Even so, the hotel was clean, modern and well cared for, with friendly, welcoming staff throughout. It’s right in the city centre and close to everything, and the price was great for what we got. We had a great stay and would happily come back.

We expected a lot more for $350 a night, especially after staying at the QT in Queensland and Sydney. We came for an anniversary trip and a local show, but the stay was really disappointing. The bed was comfortable, which was about the only room highlight. The shower leaked and had terrible pressure. Shampoo, conditioner and body wash were in communal bottles in the shower, not sealed or attached, so anyone could have tampered with them. I’ve never seen that in a hotel before. After the show we went to the hotel bar for a couple of drinks, since most places in town were closed or empty on Tuesday. The drinks cost an outrageous $40 for a house whiskey and dry and a vodka lime and soda. A group of business people, men and women, were visibly drunk by 9pm, yelling at one another and dancing in the middle of the lounge. One bartender tried to cut them off, but the other served the table another full bottle of wine, so we left. Breakfast was another letdown. They charged $7 for three pieces of grilled deli ham described as marmalade glazed ham, and another $7 for two pieces of oven baked, burnt bacon. There was also a lot of road work going on. I understand that’s outside their control, but nobody mentioned it during booking. We won’t return and will encourage others to choose somewhere else.

Matthew checked us in and deserves a special mention. Every staff member we met was friendly and gave excellent service, and the food was wonderful, both at breakfast and through room service. We had a lovely, spotless room with nice amenities and a view of the lake and Parliament House, as requested. There was some street noise, but it wasn’t too bad. We booked a twin room that the website lists as having two king singles, but they were regular single beds, so my tall teenager’s feet hung over the end. They were very comfortable, though. The minibar was extremely expensive, so we left it alone, and there was no bathroom exhaust fan. Hotel parking was $35 a day, which felt outrageous when we were already guests, so we used local parking instead.

The QT was lovely for our night in Canberra this past weekend. The rooms were clean and comfortable, staff were friendly, and breakfast was great. Check-in and check-out were easy too. Great location. I’d stay again and recommend it.