Crystal City Hotel

My child left some important things in the room, then had to head to the airport with their tour group and couldn’t go back for them. I wasn’t expecting much when I emailed Crystal City Hotel, but they got back to me promptly and said the group’s tour guide would collect the items that evening. Five stars for customer service. Thank you to Mr. Kanellopoulos and the other staff!

The metro is very close, and the hotel was quiet, clean, and affordable. My room was small but well kept. The bathroom had a full tub, reliably hot water, and good pressure, though I missed having a counter or shelf. The elevator only fits two people, so there can be a brief wait, but usually I didn’t have to wait. Breakfast is a buffet with a modest selection, including vegetarian choices. There weren’t ready-made vegan options, but the staff kindly made me a fresh salad when I asked. It’s a reasonable choice for a peaceful stay near the metro.

We paid $149AUD for the night, and the room was disgusting. Staff told us it had been cleaned and was one of the “nicer” rooms, but it clearly hadn’t been. There was rubbish from the previous guest on the bedside table, a used towel in the cupboard, a horrible smell in the bathroom, a used hairy bar of soap by the sink, and hair in the bathtub. The bed wasn’t made properly either, and I found food crumbs in the sheets when I got in.

We stopped in for lunch and got tasty food without much of a wait. The coffee was lovely too, and our server was friendly and accommodating. I’d recommend it for a quick bite.