AC Hotel Melbourne Southbank

Ankit and Mindy gave great, knowledgeable, friendly service, and I was impressed by Sinil training so many bartenders while also serving. But they’re clearly understaffed. Most things seem to be a 10-15 minute walk away, apart from the mall and convention center. The shower was awful. The bathroom is already tiny, and it gets soaked; there are things on every wall you can bang into. It’d be nice to get ice or use a microwave without having to find someone to do it for you. When you call down to have things brought to the room, they don’t arrive. The room’s cleanliness and upkeep also decline the longer you stay. The restaurant’s card surcharge was confusing, and we were unpleasantly surprised that we couldn’t avoid it because they don’t take cash. A few times we were charged more than expected. That was especially confusing given how different it is in the states, and even the server seemed confused while cashing us out. We spend many nights in Marriotts around the world for work. We probably won’t use AC for stays of multiple nights in future, but it was an experience, and thank you for having us.

The room itself was nice, neatly made and well presented, and the young woman who helped us at check-out was warm, friendly and professional. More staff like her would make a huge difference. But our engagement getaway got off to an uncomfortable start at check-in. My partner picked AC Hotel Melbourne because it seemed to tick all the boxes. We aren’t city people, dress very casually and are on the bigger side. That shouldn’t matter in hospitality. The first staff member we met in the foyer was welcoming and clearly explained where check-in was. At the desk, though, the tone changed. We felt judged straight away. Nobody explained how to use the key card in the elevator, and there was little acknowledgement or communication. Our payment kept declining because of a temporary issue with the CommBank app. The staff member stood silently looking away, without telling us the payment was declining or offering reassurance. We felt awkward and uncomfortable, and honestly wondered if we were being treated differently because of how we looked or dressed. It put a real dampener on what was meant to be a special trip. There was a noticeable amount of dust on the benches and glassware, there was no water or jug in the fridge, and the air conditioning barely worked. With better customer service, this review would have been much more positive. Hospitality should make people feel welcome and comfortable, and that was lacking at check-in. I hope management takes the feedback on board and improves things for future guests.

We had a relaxing stay, with friendly, helpful staff throughout and a stylish atmosphere. The modern hotel is beautifully designed and clean, and the rooms feel new, comfortable and thoughtfully detailed. Breakfast was included, delicious and had plenty of variety. Its location in Southbank is excellent, close to everything and convenient for getting around.

The steak was very good quality and cooked perfectly, with plenty of chips and a generous amount of mayonnaise. The shiraz was reasonably nice too. We went for the NYE steak night deal and were given a table for although there was 3 of us. Service was good, considering it was opening night, I believe.