Novotel Geelong

The rooms were nice and comfortable, and the location was great for the beach and cafes. But the service was shocking. We asked for the room to be done while we were out all day, then came back to an unmade bed with no coffee, milk or sugar. When I called, they said everyone had gone home for the day, so I had to go down to reception to get coffee. For what we paid and the length of our stay, I expected better. I travel a lot and won't be back.

The bed was so comfortable, and the bathroom was clean and tidy, though the carpet looked dated. The lobby is huge once you get inside, which feels like quite a surprise after the small entrance. I had a little trouble finding that entrance even with GPS. The staff were so helpful, they need a raise. We went to Tempo because we were hungry, and Angela the waitress was really amazing. If you're staying in Geelong, come here.

The Novotel has had an upgrade since our last visit, and it looks very nice. Adam at concierge, Noah on the front desk, and Lily and Ava in Tempo all gave us great service. One simple request went badly, though. I asked the night staff to bring a bowl to our room and got a plate instead, with the reply that nothing else could be done. The night manager could have walked twenty metres to the restaurant to get a bowl. Seeing the recent reviews, it's a shame that as a Gold member you don't get treated as well as a Silver member.

We love this venue and have made good use of its tremendous facilities many times over the years. This visit had one disappointing glitch. When we booked, we selected the option to have a bottle of sparkling wine in our room on arrival. It was our wedding anniversary and my retirement week after forty years of service, but the wine never arrived. We emailed and tried to call without success. We bought a bottle with dinner that night, though the mix-up left us a bit flat. The receptionist was very nice and apologetic when I explained it the next morning, and we didn't have to pay for it. Other than that, we loved staying here. The location is great too.