BreakFree on Collins

They charge for 4-star accommodation under the mantra group, but the standards are low, and all the rooms are under refurbishment. The bathrooms look ugly and aren’t clean, and toiletries are out of the question. Privacy is a big concern for families because the bedroom gates are sliding frosted glass doors that don’t close properly. And then there are cockroaches. Look at the photos.

The staff tried their best to sort out the problems and replace things when we raised them. My carers, though, found a leaking kitchen, a bathroom with mould and a dripping tap, stained sheets, a mouldy bin, filthy worn cookware, a faulty lamp, flickering lights, an air conditioner that wouldn't stay on, and a large gas burner that kept going out. I was in Room 701 for four days in January 2020, recovering from eye surgery and heavily sedated throughout, so I didn't notice any of it myself. We emailed management afterward in private to help future guests, but got no reply.

The staff were friendly and the location was convenient, but the accommodation badly needs to be cleaner. The bedroom walls were dirty, the bathroom looked disgusting, and I felt completely uncomfortable showering there. There was a hole in the wall tile behind the bathtub faucet, and the floorboards creaked between the bedroom and living room. I wouldn't recommend it, especially at that price. It left me feeling sick and disappointed.

We left as soon as we saw the room and found somewhere much better for less money. The receptionist was asked for a refund, but we couldn't get hold of the manager at the time. When we spoke to him the next day, he sounded surprised we were unhappy and said our room had recently been upgraded. Then update the website photos so people can make an informed choice. The pictures there were nothing like the rooms we saw. Even the so-called reception area was a joke, with a dirty welcome mat, and other guests in the lift had already put us off. The hall smelled of stale cigarettes and had dirty walls. Our door handle was half off, the toilet seat and flush buttons were broken, the cupboards were chipped, and there was a long hair by the stove. The air conditioning was terrible and the balcony chairs didn't sit upright. We didn't even pull back the bed sheets to see what might be underneath. What a waste of time and money.