The Alison Randwick

We’ve stayed at The Alison Randwick a few times and can definitely recommend it. The light rail stop is just down the road, so getting into the city is easy, and Clovelly is close by for a morning swim. The staff made our latest visit even better. Pia was especially helpful with the booking and anything else we needed while we were there.

The room was tiny, with nowhere to put a suitcase, and the shared bathroom looked really run down. At night, slamming doors and people talking disturbed my sleep. The hotel feels tired and could use an update, and it would help to have signs asking people to be considerate about bathroom use. The service desk staff were lovely and helpful, especially the new Argentinian employee, who was super helpful. But this felt more like backpacker accommodation than a boutique hotel.

The room was comfortable enough, though basic for the price. A few things let it down: the bedside lamp flickered, the room wasn’t cleaned even though I’d put the sign on the door, and the main light didn’t work properly on the first night. I’d hoped the service would be a bit better.

Staff were pleasant and helpful, but there were a lot of shortcomings. The rooms were extremely small, with nowhere suitable to put a bag or hang clothes. I was travelling alone and can’t imagine how two people would manage. The towels and bath mats were tiny, there were no face washers, and the rough sheets were uncomfortable. It didn’t feel like what I’d expect at a boutique luxury hotel. One second-floor bathroom was very cramped, and the tiles needed a proper clean or replacement. On my first night there was only one roll of toilet paper in each bathroom for all the guests. I also couldn’t send feedback directly because the link in the follow-up email didn’t work.