Adina Perth Barrack Plaza - 3 Nights, Perth, Australia

Despite being right in the city centre, the apartment was surprisingly peaceful. We booked directly through eclub for nearly half the price that weekend and got a deluxe two-bedroom apartment with a nice city view, just like the pictures. It was tidy, with comfortable beds that suited a family, and Netflix and coffee were a welcome bonus. The venue is close to shopping malls and the train station, which made it ideal for concerts at Optus. The reception staff seemed very helpful.

The studio was surprisingly comfortable and looked newly refurbished compared with what I’d seen in older reviews. It had a microwave, dishwasher, small fridge and a working balcony. Housekeeping is scheduled for the third day of a stay, but you can ask for necessities or amenities. I stayed almost a week and found the CBD location excellent, with lots of shops and restaurants nearby. There are many homeless people just outside and a few steps away, and there’s no security at the property. Nothing happened to me, but I’d suggest 24-hour security at the automatic front door, since passersby can enter. Guests could be disturbed by what’s going on around the entrance. I asked for early check-in, but the staff member on duty couldn’t arrange it and suggested an upgrade plus a $120 housekeeping fee and the price difference. That wasn’t much of a solution.

The two-bedroom apartment was clean and good, and the rooms had been renovated. Early check-in was great. The customer service was friendly and very caring when my friend had an accident. At night, though, the people outside the hotel could feel a bit confronting and scary.

We stayed six nights and the one-bedroom apartment was perfect for us. It was modern, very clean, quiet thanks to the double glazing, and had everything we needed, including a washing machine. We could enjoy the view from the balcony and were close to all the shops and the hop on hop off bus.