Country Plaza Queanbeyan

I’m on a work visit and writing this on my last night. I wish I’d written sooner. At reception, the worker seemed hostile. The first thing I was asked was, “do you smoke or vape,” then “what’s your name,” with no welcome or friendly, professional greeting. I felt like I was begrudgingly allowed to stay. The room was very dated, badly laid out and looked as if it had been furnished from a second-hand shop. Maybe they were going for vintage country charm, but it wasn’t practical or appealing. The floor and carpet were uneven enough to make me feel like a drunk pirate. The air conditioner’s heating didn’t work, the parking was tight and janky, and housekeeping and bed making were poor. The pillow smelled like a sweaty old man’s head. Simple cheap things were extortionately priced, $2 for a Vittoria coffee pod and $7 for a toothbrush. The cramped bathroom had a badly angled screen that made me feel like I was in a glass coffin being waterboarded. The taps had two settings, skin-boiling or Scandinavian ice. There was mould in the grout that had been treated with bleach, leaving a nasty chlorine smell when I arrived. The appliances were Kmart Anko brand, and a towel rail at the bathroom entrance took out both my left and right hip. There was a portable basketball ring outside my door, overflowing ashtrays in the “smoker’s area,” and drums of pool chemicals beside the pool, where swimming wasn’t available. My room key couldn’t access the gym or laundry. The walls were poorly soundproofed, so I could hear the guests next door having a nice conversation while I wrote this. I’d like a few basic comforts when I’m away for work, like an accessible power socket and enough space to set up a laptop. Instead, the desk space was taken up by three desk lamps, a floor lamp and an alarm clock. I also want a room where I can unwind before the next workday. The whole place needs modernising. There’s a big difference between country chic and designed by Bernardo's. I didn’t enjoy my stay.