Parramatta Hotel in Mantra Building

The hotel is handy for Parramatta CBD, and the rooms are comfortable and roomy. They do look worn, though. The hot water came and went, and there was mold along the shower curtain seam. They also hold a $100 bond even when the room has been paid in full, and it takes several days to get released.

The staff were pleasant, but the hotel feels badly in need of some care. It's very dated, especially the bathroom. The toilet seat in my third room hadn't been cleaned. I had to ask to move because the air conditioning fan in my first room rattled so loudly I couldn't have slept with it on. The next room had the same problem, and the third was better. I wonder how many times management will just acknowledge the bad reviews and say sorry before anything is actually fixed.

The location is convenient, close to the train and Westfield, and the front desk person was friendly. My apartment had a full-size fridge, basic cooking gear, and a washer dryer. But the train noise was noticeable, and those conveniences didn't make up for how grubby and neglected the place felt. I won't be back, and it's disappointing that this wasn't up to Mantra's usual standard. The smell hit as soon as I stepped out of the lift. It reminded me of an Indian restaurant and followed me into the room. I could open the balcony door for fresh air, though with the way the building is laid out, everyone else could watch me watching TV, like a live Gogglebox. The room felt worse the longer I stayed. The light switches were filthy, with years of dust built up. There was black mould in the shower, cracks in the walls, and grime in the kitchen. Everything felt icky. The mattress seemed like it might date back to 2000, when this place perhaps last met the minimum for a four-star hotel. There were no shower caps or other amenities, which I thought were also a minimum standard for four stars.

It was nice to get away from home for a bit, but I don't think the prices were fair. The bed was okay, though a little too hard for me. I was uneasy about wires sticking out of the corridor walls near the lifts. Calling reception on 2 was a joke: I tried three times and got no answer. My husband eventually got through once after several tries. We wanted dinner at the restaurant, but it was closed, and I don't remember seeing it open at all.