Ibis Budget St Peters

A good-priced place for an overnight stay, right in the middle of Sydney, with handy on-site parking for just $10. McDonald's and KFC are very close, and it's convenient for the medical facilities at RPA. The room was clean and tidy, with a jug and tea and coffee facilities. The staff were lovely, and they even found my reading glasses after I forgot them. I just needed a bed, shower, and coffee before heading out, and that did the job. Thanks, guys, I'll stay again.

The location worked well for me: it's handy to a bus stop for Central Station, and with the window shut it wasn't too noisy, despite being near Botany Bay and 24-hour fast-food places. The bed was reasonably comfortable, the paint looked fairly new, and I had a hot shower. But for $108 or $118 a night, the room felt too sloppy. The building is three storeys with no lift, so hauling luggage means taking the stairs. The prefab bathroom was tiny, with no shower curtain and a 20-30 cm drop back into the main room. The double bed was two singles pushed together, and the sheets didn't match properly, leaving the mattress exposed. There was no bath mat, and the basin in the main room had someone's leftover shaving whiskers in it. Furnishings were sparse, just tea and coffee facilities, a small fridge, TV, and air-conditioning. There's a poster suggesting you take the stairs for exercise, but there's not much choice anyway. I don't fancy coming back.

The location is the only good thing here. This is a budget hotel, so I wasn't expecting lots of extras, but a clean room is basic. The bedding had stains and there were cobwebs on the window. A powerful sewage smell in the room was nauseating. I told the front desk and asked about changing rooms, but they said I could only do that at 9 in the morning, with no explanation. I was travelling for work and couldn't be around then. The plumbing really needs attention, and I suspect mould in the sink in the room may have added to the smell. Staff service was terrible too: some customers got pleases and thank-yous, while others were ignored.

I booked ibis budget St Peters because it was practical: close to the city, parking included, and near my tattoo appointment. I wasn't after luxury, but I did expect decent hygiene. After about half an hour asleep, I woke to find bed bugs in the bedding. I was bitten several times and started itching almost straight away. The mattress showed clear signs consistent with an infestation, and I have video of the bugs and bed. I sat in the chair by the window while trying to work out how to leave. Around midnight, the room felt uninhabitable and like a health concern, so I had to go. With no help available and the emergency number unanswered, I ended up sitting in my car in the middle of the night. The number I called is posted on the front door of IBIS St. Peter’s hotel, and I'll attach the details to warn others. This caused a lot of distress and inconvenience. I only needed a safe, convenient place to rest before my appointment, not a hygiene issue that risked bringing pests with me, on top of the open wounds on my body. I also wasn't given a refund. Future guests should inspect their rooms carefully before settling in.