Rydges Canberra

For the price, even with a free upgrade to a superior king room and breakfast, this just wasn’t worth it. I have photos showing how the room actually looks compared with the limited pictures on the Rydges website. There’s mold under the shower soap holder, white residue on the bathroom tap, broken cupboards, a bulging wall, and a broken-looking thing behind the door. There’s no ventilation button to use while showering. The bed’s also badly dented inward on the side by the walkway, so you sink into it. Owners of Rydges, if you’re making money every day, week, and year from renting these rooms, please spend some on new beds and repairs.

The welcome at check-in really stood out. The young woman helping us had only been on the job for two days, but she was cheerful, welcoming, and keen to help. It was one of the best first impressions we’ve had at a hotel. We didn’t book a luxury room, but our stay still exceeded what we’ve experienced at many other places. A really pleasant stay, with service that made it a great experience.

We especially enjoyed the heated 25-metre indoor pool and spa, and used them a lot. The included buffet breakfast was pretty good, although the filtered coffee let it down. We’ve had better self-serve espresso machines at other hotels, and they seem much more popular. With breakfast included and the room under $200 a night, it was very good value. The room was roomy and well appointed, with good views and two adjacent double beds that were supportive and comfortable for the three adults sharing. The recently refurbished bathroom was stylish and had all the modern conveniences. One piece of furniture in the main room needs repair or replacement, which lowered our rating. Rydges Canberra is near lots of attractions and the CB, easy to get around from, and the $10 hotel parking was convenient. We had a restful, enjoyable stay and would gladly return.

The room was spacious, and the bed was clean and comfortable. The bar food is good and well priced, and the staff showed care about customers’ wellbeing when serving alcohol. Service overall was great, and the location is handy for shops and restaurants in Manuka, within walking distance. My only complaint is the cleaning. The carpet and bathroom floor seemed not to have been cleaned for a while. Black cups don’t give a clean feel, so white ones would be better, and the electric kettles need replacing too. Otherwise, it’s a fine place to stay.