Coogee Prime Lodge

I got in after travelling for Sydney’s NYE fireworks the night before and hadn’t slept at all. The staff saw I was early and kindly got me into a room, which I’m very grateful for. I barely had time to appreciate it before falling asleep. It had everything I needed as a base for the Coogee to Bondi walk and other walks: a kitchenette, a large private shower and toilet in one room, a private outdoor area overlooking the street, free Wi-Fi, a TV and a fridge. Many thanks to everyone at Coogee Studio APTS. Kind regards, Mathew Parker

The room had everything we needed, and the beds were comfortable. There was lots of storage, with shelves and a huge wardrobe, plus the kitchen essentials, a strong shower, a fan and an iron. The air conditioning worked really well, though it clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a long time. We were surprised that we liked staying here despite the dirt mentioned in other reviews. Most of the room was clean, but the drawers, the space under the beds and the air conditioner weren’t.

We stayed three nights during the heatwave, and the room was pretty dirty. There was a lot of mould in the shower and on the walls, and my feet kept getting dirty from the floor and deck. The room was very compact, and the basin was too small for brushing my teeth. On the second night, the heat pump and cooling stopped working at 2:30am. I called the help number three times, but nothing was done.

The stay was far too expensive for what we got. The toilet seat was broken and slid about 45 degrees when I sat down. Communication about check-in and other issues was appalling. The room was tiny, with only one bedside table and nowhere else to sit. The bed was on casters, so when I tried to sit up and read or watch TV, a huge gap opened between it and the wall. In the bathroom, the sink was too small and the mirror cabinet got in the way, making it hard to brush my teeth or shave. There was loads of traffic noise, plus noise from other guests on the stairs. The front door needs better insulation.