Richmond Central Apartments

The location near Epworth Hospital was the only real plus for me. I was there for nine days and mostly just needed somewhere to sleep. I booked an apartment with cooking facilities, but the only cooking item at first was a saucepan lid. I was asked to text a list of what I needed, and on day three someone brought a saucepan, cutting boards and a frypan. Other listed amenities, like a hairdryer, were missing too, though he eventually found one. I also had to ask for the wifi code. The place was dirty, had a strange smell, and the corridors weren't clean. The bed was uncomfortable, though bearable when only one person slept in it. The shower over the bath felt dangerous. The TV worked inconsistently: I had to leave it on all night because neither the remote nor the control on the TV would turn it off, and I couldn't reach the power since it was wired through a hole in the wall. The daily service mentioned on the website didn't happen. Reception was often closed during its advertised hours. There was one main receptionist, a man dressed casually in a tee, shorts and a baseball hat backwards. I saw several people raise issues with him, including having only one plate in an apartment or curtains torn off the rail so they wouldn't close. One couple laughed and told me to read the reviews. When I complained about the smell, he offered another apartment but never followed up. He seemed to have a rehearsed line for complaints. I didn't try to move elsewhere or ask for a refund because his responses left me unsure I'd get my money back.

I got a Booking.com sale deal, under $200 for a basic night, and the kitchen was fine, with a basic oven and handy fridge. The bed was comfortable, and the toilet and shower were fine. The location is really convenient, close to public transport, Coles and heaps of restaurants. It's a bit confusing that two different hotel chains are in the same building. The rooms and carpet are older, and cleanliness could have been better. There was some hair on the shelving when I arrived, and it didn't seem like the property had had a deep clean. The receptionist and the gentleman who carried my luggage were really nice.

The location is the one good thing, very close to Epworth Hospital. The rooms are badly run down: the bed lights were hanging by their wires, and the oven was dirty with chips hanging out of it. The kitchen had hardly anything in it, with no wine glasses or even basic tea towels. Basic admin was poor too, since I had to call about things like checking in and getting the wifi password. Wouldn't recommend.

The room was dirty, with mould and stains, and the customer service was terrible. I checked in late, after the front desk had closed, otherwise I would have gone straight down to complain and change rooms. After the stay I emailed my complaint with photos and videos and got no reply. When I called to make sure they'd looked at my messages, they asked me to send them again, so I did. A few days later I got a terrible apology. The only compensation offered was free parking and 15% off my next stay. Ha, I won't be staying again. I replied to say that wasn't a satisfactory response, but more than a week has passed with no further answer. I'll go in person tomorrow and try to speak with a manager or someone. I paid full price for a dirty room and awful service.