Rydges Melbourne

The suite was large and a good deal, with everything we needed. Having a washer/dryer combo was especially handy, and the staff were attentive. They even brought me a smaller pillow when I asked. The beds are comfortable if you like them soft, though I’m a bit Goldilocks and prefer a firmer one. The location was great, too. I was looking forward to the rooftop pool, but it was tiny, and there’s no sauna. For such a large, busy hotel, the leisure facilities were disappointing. Nearby rivals offer more, and with Melbourne’s unpredictable weather, I’d have liked somewhere relaxing besides the room. The room was clean, although the glasses tasted faintly of cleaning spray. Food and drinks were mixed. Room service was average, 5/10, and the kids pasta was bland for nearly $20. The lemon pancakes at breakfast were lovely, but the chocolate croissants were dry and quite bitter. We weren’t keen on the bar either: limited choices, pricey drinks, and not a particularly warm vibe. A few improvements to the leisure facilities and food would make this comfortable stay much better.

The location was excellent, the bed was very comfortable, and the clean gym had great equipment. I also liked the Chromecast/stream cast option, though it often dropped out and got frustrating. The lobby felt modern and well designed. Housekeeping caused the biggest problems. Our room wasn’t serviced after the second night even though the “please refresh our room” hanger was clearly on the door. Reception couldn’t say why, but offered drink vouchers, which we appreciated. We were told someone would come right away, then waited about 40 minutes for the refresh. It was around 5pm, and we were trying to get ready for dinner. There was still no housekeeping on the third or fourth nights. When we asked again on the fourth night, staff said we’d apparently chosen the green/sustainability option at check-in. We definitely hadn’t requested it, and the woman who checked us in never mentioned it. Since the room wasn’t being serviced anyway, we agreed to a $10 per night credit and confirmed that with the male staff member at the desk. We ate at the downstairs bar to use our food and beverage credit. At checkout, though, we were told there was an outstanding room balance. I asked to apply the credit, which we’d been told would be $60, but was then told we had no credit at all. The woman checking us out was blunt and dismissive when I tried to explain. There was no apology, just “all good, you can go,” which left a very poor final impression. The room lighting, especially in the bathroom, was also very poor and made it hard to do makeup or see how we looked in anything close to natural light. The shower has no door, so water soaked the floor, and the wet bath mat stayed there for days. The hotel has good features, but the repeated housekeeping problems and lack of communication really affected our stay.

The manager welcomed my Mum and me personally, and even gave us complimentary coffee. It was a thoughtful start that made the service feel warm and accommodating. Our room was spotless and tidy, and we were very comfortable. Rydges Melbourne was amazing. Highly recommend.

For our wedding anniversary, my husband had a wonderful stay. We arrived to a handwritten card, champagne, and chocolate in the room, a generous way to kick off the weekend. I manage a hotel myself and can be pretty particular, but I’d have been very happy to check a guest into this room. It was impeccably clean, modern, tasteful, and had everything you’d need. The rooftop pool looked beautiful, though it wasn’t warm enough for us to use it. We’ll have to return in summer. The hotel offers contactless check-in and checkout at a kiosk. I usually prefer speaking with someone, but it came in handy at checkout, when there was a line and we could leave quickly without waiting.