Wyndel Chatswood - Post Office Lane

The apartment is conveniently close to the shopping centre and station, and reception staff were polite. But for the rates we paid, especially during the busy New Year period, we expected it to be clean when we arrived. The toilets and kitchen were dirty, the towels stained, and the furniture was old, with stains on the chairs and carpet. There were too few amenities, including no handwashing liquid, so we bought our own laundry and dishwashing soap and powder. The kitchen utensils weren't enough to cook a full meal either. White powder was spread over the balcony. We asked to have it cleaned, but it wasn't done during our 4-day stay, so we didn't use the balcony. Overall, a below-average experience.

During our 6-night stay, not once was the room serviced. We weren't given extra trash bags or toilet paper, and the body wash and shampoo weren't refilled in either of the two bathrooms. The hair dryer was broken too. The room itself was old and smelled bad, with visible water stains and an unpleasant odor in the bathroom. I doubt it had been cleaned properly: when I pulled out the chair under the vanity, it was covered in dust, and there were used orthodontic rubber bands left by a previous guest. We arrived close to midnight and waited a long time to check in. The website clearly said 24-hour check-in, but no one came out. I had to call the reception number, and it took about 40 minutes before we could check in and pay the deposit. Why advertise 24-hour check-in if that's what happens? Is it really acceptable to charge guests while maintaining a place like this? This was the worst hotel experience of my life, and I never want to return.

We spent 12 nights here for cricket and sightseeing. The apartment was large and comfortable, and it was clean, though it could use renovation. It's very close to a rail station, with plenty of local amenities, but the kitchen is short on utensils and cookware for a longer visit. This is a slightly odd setup: it's a partly residential apartment block, more like an Air BnB than a hotel. There's no restaurant or bar, 24-hour reception, daily service or toiletries. When reception is open, the staff are kind and helpful.

We're a family of 5 and paid for a room for 5, but it was only made up for 4. When we tried to open the sofa bed for my son, it hadn't been prepared, and there was nobody at reception. Neither of the room phones worked, so we called a number we found through Google. It connected us to an overseas operator, who told us after an hour that the sofa bed was an extra. I'm here now and already regret staying at sebel chatswood. There was no welcome drink or amenity, no upgrade, and they're trying to charge more for parking than accor offered by email. Never again.