Crown Towers Melbourne

Finding your way around and parking can take some effort. The signs weren't always clear, and if you're unfamiliar with the layout, it may take time to find the right entrance or parking area. Allow a bit of extra time when you arrive. I visited Crown Towers Melbourne for the day and had a positive experience overall. The hotel looks beautiful, with an elegant, luxurious feel as soon as you walk in. Its immaculate lobby and public areas are calm and refined, and make it a lovely place to visit even without staying overnight. The staff we met were friendly, professional and genuinely helpful, which made everything smooth and enjoyable.

The pool was the one drawback. It was school holidays, so it felt more like a public pool than a luxury hotel experience, though I did expect that to some degree. I'd have liked spa baths or an adults-only spa area in the pool section. There isn't a spa unless you pay extra for the day spa, which was a bit disappointing. We stayed in an executive suite, which was spacious, and the room was beautiful. The bath with a built-in TV was my favourite part, such a relaxing bit of luxury. This was my first Crown Towers stay, invited by a friend, and it felt like a treat. It is expensive, but the rooms and service were absolutely 5/5. Staff made sure we had what we wanted and needed, responding quickly and with genuine care. The location along the Yarra is fantastic, with the casino and everything else right there. I've also recently stayed at the Chadstone, which was amazing and had a spa, so that's a great option if you don't need to be in the city. The city location and casino give this one an extra edge. The Conservatory was amazing and worth all the hype. A beautiful, luxurious stay with outstanding service, and I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking to treat yourself.

The location is spectacular, and dining at Conservatory, Gradi and Rockpool was excellent. Service, spa and pool were excellent too. But after years of annual two- or three-night stays with my niece for our joint birthdays, usually in a Premier Room, this Christmas visit with my cousin was a huge letdown. I'd consistently had five-star stays before, apart from the windows, which were always dirty. This time the windows were spotless, and the small walk-in dressing room was fantastic, but the rest fell far short. We booked a Studio Room for three nights, paid astronomical Christmas rates, and room 1025 felt tired, dated and overdue for refurbishment. There was chipped furniture, stained upholstery, marked and dusty lampshades, mould in the shower, marked and dated power points, and no desk lamp. The bathroom amenity box was scuffed and heavily marked, with visible stains and wear. In-room amenities were abysmal. The toilet paper and tissues were thin and poor quality. Opening the tea and coffee drawer felt like being in a budget motel. Condiments were sparse, there were no napkins, and everything was poorly presented, totally unacceptable for a five-star hotel at that nightly rate. I was exceptionally disappointed. Lesson learned, I'll insist on a recently renovated room.

The rooms seemed quite clean and were pretty quiet, which I appreciated, but they need a refresh. There were stains on carpets and couches, dents in the walls, and the rooms felt dated. Drains were partly blocked, the toilet was tiny, and the water pressure was too low to run the shower and spa together. Even the bathtub was short and narrow, so if you're over 1.8m it's a squeeze. No slippers were provided at arrival, so I had to call and ask. The TV was small, but had okay channels and I could Chromecast from my phone. Despite requesting a high floor when booking, I got a low-floor room. Check-in is at 3pm, which feels late. If you arrive around 3:30, good luck, we waited over 30 minutes. The pool was packed with kids and adults, and the hot tub only fits about 4-6 people. The adults-only period from 8-10pm is good, but the pool also closes at 10, so you'd pretty much have to skip dinner to use it. There's a steam room but no sauna, and it might fit eight people. The gym is nice if you want to work out. Bell staff didn't direct valet traffic, open doors or get our bags, so I'm not sure what they were doing. I wouldn't recommend breakfast at Conservatory, it was basic and kind of pricey.