Novotel Melbourne St Kilda

I liked getting a free drink on arrival. Our room was clean, and staff were friendly. One room for our group wasn't quite ready when we arrived, apparently because of a booking mix-up, but staff tried to sort it out quickly. A few small repairs would have brought the bathroom up to a higher standard, but we enjoyed our stay overall.

Housekeeping were wonderful representatives of the hotel, friendly and helpful, and happy to do anything we needed. The location is great, right by all the transport, and close to amenities. The beds were soft and comfortable, and the hotel was quiet. I didn't like the daily parking fee or that I couldn't open my windows, but otherwise it's an excellent place to stay.

We spent six nights here and never needed the car. Public transport and places to eat were so close. Staff went out of their way to make the stay enjoyable, and we liked the buffet breakfast and late afternoon snacks and drinks in the bar. After busy days walking around the bay and visiting the city's art galleries, it was lovely to come back to our room.

The location was great for our one-night stay, and the staff were lovely. On-site parking was useful, and after the heating and air conditioning got stuck at 20 degrees and left the room freezing, the staff kindly credited the parking charge. We appreciated that. The bathroom was a letdown. There were lots of long black hairs in the bath and shower, the tap was so stiff that the kids turned it full blast and got sprayed, and the plug wouldn't stay in while the bath was filling. The shower was also tiny, with a height that wouldn't suit anyone over 5'6.