Melbourne CBD Central Apartment Hotel

The apartment was very spacious and well equipped, and surprisingly quiet with the bedroom at the back. During our four days, its central location meant we could walk to most of our engagements. There was a tram right outside, plus four stations within a five minute walk. The price was great value, and it'll be our first accommodation choice on our next Melbourne trip.

Check-in was easy, and the location was great. The apartment had the basics without extras, and everything was a little dated, but it did the job. You do need to wash your own dishes and take out your rubbish. I don't mind leaving things tidy, though we still washed the dishes and wiped the microwave before using them because they hadn't been cleaned for the next guest. For the price and location, I'd probably stay again.

The location may be handy, but this place wasn't worth it. The apartment was run down, badly maintained, and seemed not to have been cleaned properly between guests. We left it cleaner than we found it. Check-in was frustrating too: apparently there was only one staff member working at a time, and after ringing the bell several times we waited at least ten minutes for help. Dust covered nearly every surface, including furniture, curtains, the TV remote, and shelves. The couches were stained and filthy, the walls were marked and had holes, and the whole place felt appallingly dirty. I wiped down the bathroom and kitchen myself. The bathroom mirror still had splash marks, the showerhead was broken, and the toilet seats had bubbling, worn plastic. We didn't feel okay walking barefoot anywhere and even wore flip-flops in the shower. The doonas were the final straw: several blankets had brown or yellow stains, and one had visible blood stains. Absolutely revolting and unacceptable. There was air conditioning only in the living room, with no AC or ceiling fans in the bedrooms, so summer would be unbearable. The room should never have been rented out in that condition.

Room 205 smelled foul, like rancid spices. I bought room spray, but the smell was so rank it made no difference. The electrical switches had thick grime and I had to wipe down every surface. The carpet was dirty enough to turn my white socks brown. The shower was part of a Jacuzzi and awkward to get in and out of. Don't stay here if you want to enjoy your Melbourne trip. There was only one person working at a time, and reception closes at 1 p.m., so you can't leave your bags there.