Holiday Inn Dandenong (near Melbourne, Australia)

What is your Priority Club status?
Diamond
They have different key cards for each status - not just the card holders

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked Queen Standard
Received King Suite

How are the rooms?
The suite is kind of pathetic.

According to IHG, this is a new hotel which opened in June 2023, but the building exterior appears old. I couldn’t find what was on the site before. The layout makes no sense to me.

Hotel website says the suite is 30sqm, but it’s an elongated rectangular shape (see diagram). There are 34sqm rooms with 2 double beds but not called suites.

The bedroom is all bed and no space. The bathroom is between the bedroom and sofa room, with a useless corridor between the two. The space in the sofa room is not that useful. IMO, the bathroom should have been at one end with the bed and sofa in a bigger space like a junior suite. Furthermore, the suites are on the inside of the building, to me it would make more sense for them to be on the outside (see diagram).

Ground floor is the restaurant and bar, first floor has about 8 rooms and a covered carpark (chargeable). The second and third floors are a square ring with an inner courtyard which allows natural light into the internal rooms, but the doors into the courtyard are locked. For some reason the suites are all on the internal side rather than facing outwards, thus constraining their layout.

There is a fridge and a tiny alcove which barely fits the kettle. The bathroom is adequate. There is a tiny round table but no desk. Soft and firm pillows are provided, but there is nowhere to put the pillows you don’t want. Several sockets and USB outlets.

How is the exec. lounge?
None

What was good and what was bad?
Service was good.
Breakfast was better than expected for HI, with egg/omelette station, lots of fresh salad and cut fruits. There is a juice / smoothie maker and many different whole fruits and vegetables provided (carrots, celery, etc)
Kids under 12 stay and eat freeBad - room layout as mentioned
Took a long time for water to heat up to get hot water
TV not responsive to remote controls
Parking is $12, but you can park in the shopping centre opposite for 5 hours free then on-street free between 9pm and 10am (also $2 all day in the shopping centre). You can stop in the hotel's car park for free while checking in, also the hotel car park has no cameras or barriers anyway.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
There were no acceptable options in Melbourne CBD for this night, so I paid 14000 points and spent $5 and 45 minutes on the train to get here.
I would consider it if I wanted to save money again.

Pics