Check In Recently had a two night stay at this new hotel.Check in was quick, efficient and easy. Got a detailed run down of the hotel and globalist benefits. Without a doubt not only was the check in agent very professional she was extremely enthusiastic and clearly happy to be working at the Hotel. Indoor pool and gym are on the 5th floor. A Globalist amenity of two in house cocktails was also provided: Room I had booked a Bay View Room (basically a mid tier room) but was upgraded to a King Suite. The Suite was approx 60m2 and made a very efficient use of the space. Furnished in a Scandi type style which looked stylish in that Ikea type of way. Not sure how it will age though. It was also a proper suite with a door separating the lounge/living area and Bedroom area. The living room also had a separate guest toilet.When I first arrived the room was stifling hot - however the aircon did a stellar job in reducing the temperature. If it can handle the West Facing Afternoon sun on a 38 degree (100 F) it can handle anything.Table seating in Lounge Area: Sink Area in Living Room Mini Bar and Nespresso Machine
Note Gingerbread Oak Milk and Irn Bru belong to the health conscious guest - not included in minibar). The minibar included quite a few locally sourced items - which is a key goal of the hotel. Lounge Seating Area - also included 55" UHD TV. Bedroom. The bedroom also included a large laptop sized safe in the drawer under the TV. Bathroom. This had a good size separate bath and walk in shower. Also had a heated towel rack which would be good in winter. The Shower Gel etc are large refill bottles. The Suite also included the normal bath amenties you would expect, dental kits, moisturizer etc. Local branded bath salts were also included. Bonus points loved the Robes!Bath:Shower: Vanity - with an almost elbow shot, please subscribe to my OF for the full elbow experience. Service The hotel has only been open for about three weeks and to be honest it does show in the service. Certaintly a lack of attention to detail, inconsistencies and I guess a level of general confusion. However all the staff are really friendly, eager to please and helpful. Strikes me as a place that has hired on personality knowing that training and experience can be learnt. Also like many places, Melbourne is battling with Omicron and with isolation requirements they are doing well just to find staff. Dining Surprisingly good. The main Restaurant is Toma on the 25th floor. Currently this also offers the complimentary Globalist Breakfast The breakfast was of a very high standard. I don't think it is stainable for the long term, but at the moment the Globalist Breakfast includes a choice of Main, One Side and one of the Bakery Choice. Juice and Beverages are also included. Breakfast Menu: Seating: Also had a room service meal from the Restuarant which was also very good. Slight Negative I was charged a public holiday surcharge on the order which I found to be a bit tacky and technically illegal as it wasn't listed on the Menu. Room Service: Location Ok. Close to many transport options. On the fringe of what passes for Melbourne's Red Light District but gentrification is happening at quite a pace, so within a few blocks you have a brothel, strip clubs, a lifetimes supply of Meth, a dozen kebab shops and trendy restaurants. Technically in the highest assault crime area of the CBD but that is really only because of the nearby nightclub district of King Street. I doubt the average guest is going to be assaulted because some 18 year old thinks they are the reason his going home alone after striking out at the local nightclub.Besides there's normally four police officers outside the Holiday Inn/Covid Quarantine Prison next to the Centric. Overall Generally speaking I had a good stay. However the big problem with this hotel is noise. The bulk of the standard suites are "bay view" which is code for "train view". Unfortuntely, as is a growing trend worldwide, the building appears to have been constructed as cheaply as possibly and the windows are not properly insulated leading to a LOT of noise from the trains below. Even on the 18th floor this noise could often be overwhelming. My suite faced a curve on the track which was also where the trains would break going into Spencer Street Station. You do not know real noise until 4,5 or even 6 trains go past at the same time: Another potential drawback is the bulk of the standard rooms are quite small and with only 11 standard suites out of 277 rooms, the chances of Globalist upgrades will be pretty small when normality returns. Sitting in a 30m2 room watching the windows shake as the trains go by would certainly lead one to reflect on exactly where their life went wrong. Floor Map: That said - this stay was quite enjoyable and if the price was right I'd return.