Quest St Kilda Road

The shower had great temperature and pressure, and I liked the shampoo and toiletries. The staff were lovely and the location fantastic. But we had a really bad night’s sleep: the bed was very uncomfortable, and the air conditioning was so loud it sounded like a plane. It didn’t seem to cool properly, more like evaporative than refrigerated, so we switched it off and opened the windows. We stayed on level 2, where the hallways were dark and dingy, and the walls and doors were badly scuffed and overdue for paint. The room was clean but had a dated version of a “modern” look, and the maintenance overall felt behind. From the front, the building looked quite nice, but inside it felt like a cheap apartment block. I chose Quest because it wasn’t the cheapest available and expected a bit more, even knowing it was budget-friendly. We’re not fancy people, just wanted something a little nicer. I wouldn’t stay again.

The location between the city centre and St Kilda worked well, and the free laundry was a real bonus. We stayed 7 nights over New Year, so the price was a little high but understandable. Reception made a good first impression and check-in was easy. The clean room had nearly everything we needed, even a small bottle of milk in the fridge. The bedding and mattress were excellent, and the shower was great. The window was small but let in some fresh air. The TV was placed directly above the bed, and the air-conditioning could have been better. We really enjoyed the stay.

I booked a car park because parking along St Kilda road can be difficult. Our room was at the rear, which made for a quiet night, and the rooms were good in this new Quest hotel. There’s no restaurant or other facilities, though there is parkland across the road if you like to run.

The aircon wouldn’t hold a set temperature, and a man unlocked my door without knocking while I was at the kitchen sink. I’ve no idea if he had the wrong door or was up to no good, but that’s never acceptable and could frighten guests. Hotels need to train their staff better. My spotlessly clean room on the 4th floor had a kitchen with everything needed to microwave treats from the market. There was also a coffee machine with pods, though only 2 felt unnecessarily mean. You can get an UberEats delivery if you don’t feel like cooking. The hotel is a smart new block built around and over a lovely Victorian villa, see photo. I wanted to spend a couple of days in the suburbs away from the mêlée of Flinder's Street. I’m not sure St Kilda Road really counts as a suburb, with upmarket apartment blocks rapidly going up, drawn by attractive Albert Park and the F1 circuit. But the side streets still have traces of early 20th century villas, and nearby Prahran takes you back 80 years and has a wonderful market.