Crown Metropol Melbourne

The standout at breakfast was the Indian selection. Our group enjoyed it, and I saw plenty of guests of different nationalities going back for more. Mr. Hive Kitchen & Bar had a huge spread, and the team served it with impressive coordination while staying friendly. Ms. Marissa welcomed us, Ms. Oakley looked after the floor, and Ms. Venus was full of energy and smiles. Ms. Clarice was gentle and courteous, and Mr. Patrick (Walkers) was lovely too. Guests were greeted and personally shown to their tables, which made breakfast feel special each morning. Our group also had an easy check-in since the keys were arranged ahead of time. Mr. Simon deserves a mention for his professional help making it even smoother. The housekeeping team did a commendable job servicing and turning down rooms in such a large hotel. I stayed at Crown Metropol Melbourne with my group. It's at 8 Whiteman Street in Southbank, in the heart of the Crown Entertainment Complex, and has around 650+ rooms. The hotel connects directly to the Crown precinct, with its casino, dining, shops, gaming arcades, bowling, entertainment venues and more. There's ample parking with easy access. The large, elegant lobby is inviting, with tasteful décor that catches the eye without going overboard. The rooms were spacious, comfortable and well laid out, with room to relax after a busy day sightseeing. I liked the carpet, which made the space feel warm and homely. The bright bathroom had the amenities you'd expect from a premium hotel, and the beds were comfortable. On Level 27 there's a 25-metre indoor pool with spectacular views over Melbourne's skyline, a nice place to unwind after exploring the city. Breakfast was another highlight, as were the service and facilities. The stay was comfortable and convenient, whether you're visiting for business, leisure or with a group. I'd happily return and recommend it to anyone visiting Melbourne. Warm regards, Alan Woods

Tim at Valet Parking was the one bright spot on our return to Crown Metropol Melbourne. He was professional, kind and approachable. We came back last week after a Christmas stay hoping for something premium, though that first visit hadn't set the bar high. Once again the service disappointed, with little coordination and staff who seemed disinterested. The location is perfect, but I can't recommend the hotel. After our Christmas room faced another building, we requested a view this time and got a car park instead. The mattress was on a rolling frame that wouldn't lock, so it slid away whenever we leaned against the headboard. We had to pull the bed apart, inspect the locking mechanism and fix it ourselves. Guests paying this price shouldn't be doing their own maintenance. Breakfast was decent, but the coffee setup seemed odd for a luxury hotel. Barista coffee cost extra, and the brewed coffee actually tasted better to us. On our last night I asked for a one-hour extension, from 11am to noon, and was told no unless we paid an extra hourly fee. After I spoke to the Duty Manager, we were eventually given a “pity” late checkout. If they could offer that flexibility, it should have been done graciously at the start. The exchange put us off, and the threat of a charge for the extra hour was hanging over us, so we left before the extended time anyway. The atmosphere was already ruined. By the end of this second stay I was avoiding staff because I didn't want to feel like an inconvenience just for being a guest. For an “award-winning” hotel, the hospitality and management oversight were startlingly poor. I'll do my best to avoid coming back.

The second room was at least clean, but a constant tapping from inside the wall kept my 76-year-old mother and me awake until nearly 1am, then woke us again around 5am. We tried turning the air-conditioning fan up to drown it out, but that rattled too. The two nights we spent at Crown Metropol Melbourne were among the most restless and distressing hotel nights I've ever had, anywhere. My mother found it deeply upsetting, and what should've been a relaxing trip became exhausting and stressful. We'd booked four nights, expecting Crown brand quality and professionalism. Around 9pm on the first evening, when I went to shower, the bathroom was shocking: thick dust, visible mould, a slimy shower floor, sludge around parts of the wet areas and visible excrement on the back of the toilet seat. It clearly hadn't been properly sanitised. The buildup made it seem like prolonged neglect and inadequate cleaning, not a room simply missed during servicing. I felt physically ill. For a hotel positioning itself as premium, it was completely unacceptable. I contacted the Duty Manager and showed them the room. We were moved at about 10:30pm, only to find the tapping in the replacement room. After speaking with the Duty Manager again the next morning, we asked for a full refund so we could leave, or a move to Crown Towers Melbourne because we'd lost confidence in Crown Metropol. We were told a refund wasn't possible because we booked through a third party. So we stayed a second night at Crown Metropol and the tapping disturbed our sleep again. After more discussions with management and escalation to senior staff, we were eventually relocated to Crown Towers. I appreciate that management did move us, but the $100 hotel credit offered during the ordeal didn't reflect how serious the problems were or how disruptive the stay had been. I repeatedly asked for at least a full night's accommodation credit, and they declined. Given the filthy first room, the sleepless nights and the distress to both me and my elderly mother, their response felt entirely inadequate. I've never experienced this level of filth and distress in all my years of travelling. The whole stay badly damaged my confidence in Crown Metropol. I won't return or recommend it to friends, family or professional colleagues.

We booked a High floor King Suite at a reasonable rate after flying into Melbourne at short notice. The 23rd-floor room was clean, uncluttered and had a nice view of the city buildings. All the staff were friendly and helpful. I liked the minibar's wide selection, though the prices were high. The Metropol connects to the Casino, so getting to the restaurants and riverfront is easy and all undercover.