For once (!), a positive hotel review! This is a 5 star review for a 4 star hotel! My experience in Accor-owned hotels in Australia (Ibis Melbourne, associate hotel Outback Pioneer) has been more flawed than flawless. I was excited to try out the Ibis Adelaide, for the simple reason it's ranked (consistently) in the … Continue reading Hotels: Ibis Adelaide
Hotels: Rydges Darwin Central
The shock of the humidity and heat of Darwin slap you in the face like an overheated fish in a washing machine! After a rocky landing at Darwin Airport and a quick zoom across town in a taxi, I hoped that the cooling embrace of air conditioning would set things back on the right track. … Continue reading Hotels: Rydges Darwin Central
Hotels: Doubletree Alice Springs
After the costly disappointment of the Outback Pioneer in Uluru, perhaps any halfway decent hotel would make me sit up and beg! However, most of the Doubletree in Alice Springs was top notch and ready to rock. Let's start with the sheer scale of the lobby! It was cathedral-like in scale. While I still (just … Continue reading Hotels: Doubletree Alice Springs
Hotels: Outback Pioneer, Uluru / Ayers Rock
It's telling when the picture I've chosen for the top of this article contains no visual representation of my room at the Outback Pioneer. The inside was pretty basic. Run by Accor (and equivalent to an Ibis), the Outback Pioneer has both a hotel (your own room) and a lodge (= a hostel) in the … Continue reading Hotels: Outback Pioneer, Uluru / Ayers Rock
Hotels: Ibis Melbourne (Swanston Street)
I signed up for an Accor Hotels membership a couple of years back, when the nearest hotel to Queen's University in Belfast is an Ibis, and learned the joys of actually getting something for free with your Accor card. The group includes Sofitel (posh), Mercure (middle of the road), Pullman (nice) and Ibis (em... cheap). … Continue reading Hotels: Ibis Melbourne (Swanston Street)
Hotels: Grange Motel, Margaret River, WA
Sometimes being cheap (or on a budget) works out and sometimes it doesn't. The Grange Motel fell right in between. The clue is in the title - I had thought I was booking a hotel, but instead these were rooms side by side with a car parking space at the front door and a further … Continue reading Hotels: Grange Motel, Margaret River, WA
Stays: New Norcia Monastery
Yesterday, I published a short blog on the experience and tour around New Norcia and there will be more to come, as you'll have read in that blog. I also stayed at the monastery and this blog shares with you insight into what that looks like. I'm not using this particular blog to comment on … Continue reading Stays: New Norcia Monastery
Hotels: Miss Maud Swedish Hotel, Perth WA Australia
Perth has a wide range of hotels and pricing, like any other major Australian city. For this trip, I was trying to find good quality at a reasonable price (who doesn't want that?) and - with 39 nights to book - to keep prices under $150 per night. This hotel got really good reviews on … Continue reading Hotels: Miss Maud Swedish Hotel, Perth WA Australia
Hotels: Ibis Budget, Auckland
Sometimes the places I stay aren't that glamorous. That's because I had a strict budget for this trip and in certain places that buys a nice hotel and elsewhere not so great! I had arrived in Auckland at the tail end of the World Masters Games and there wasn't much in the way of choice. … Continue reading Hotels: Ibis Budget, Auckland
Inside Hotel Rooms: Rhapsody Resort, Gold Coast, Australia
This place is nice! It's less like a hotel and more like an apartment building. Studio doubles are the smallest room, but offer plenty of space for two people. https://youtu.be/czmtdWvwv1Q
