Ipanema Holiday Resort

Alexa, the building manager, was a great help and gave us some really good tips on local restaurants. My girlfriend and I stayed a few nights over Easter and had exactly the sort of stay we’d hoped for. We’ll be back next time we visit the Gold Coast.

Free parking and a convenient location were the only positives for me. I stayed four nights, and the air conditioner wasn’t working when I arrived. Reception said someone would come and check it, but nobody showed up until late the following day, and nothing was done. I later got an email saying a replacement would be installed on my last night. No one offered to move me to another room, so I had to put up with no air conditioning during a week of 30 degree days and over 90% humidity. I won’t be back.

Good value, and it’s an easy walk to the beach and tram stop. There aren’t many shops nearby, though there’s a surf club, Irish pub, Domino's Pizza, BWS and a few takeaway spots within a short walk. The hotel and room are nice enough, but the mattresses felt cheap, lumpy and hard.

The room had plenty of problems once we came back from Cavil ave. On arrival, my wife and I saw that the keys were ready for pickup and assumed the room was too, but it wasn’t. We were early, so we let the mess go at first: rubbish lying around and a strong smell of crap sprayed over the toilet from the previous guest. When we returned, the room was ready, but the upkeep was rough. There were holes around the room and badly matched patch jobs in the bathroom. The shower nozzle was broken, there was mildew and mold, and the fridge stank. The TV was cooked, with only the power buttons on the remote working. The Salvos mugs were crap, according to my wife. Out on the balcony, the furniture looked like it came straight from the 1950s, stains and all, much like the couch and bed. The couch and bed linen also had questionable stains and marks. I paid $360. For that, I’d rather have stayed in a backpackers, where the amenities and cleanliness would have been a 100% upgrade. Wouldn’t recommend it. Save your money and the pain of a penicillin injection.