The Sister City of Brisbane, CA. True Story.

Advantages: Everything you need, neatly packaged into an attractive city
Disadvantages: Not on many people's itineraries - though it should be!

.... Eating out in Brisbane is relatively cheap and easy. I breakfasted at the Hilton where they let me in despite my board shorts and thongs, and also at the Pancake parlour in one of the food courts. Coffee Club also tempted me one morning, and though they're a chain of the Starbucks genre, they actually have a wide ranging, cheap breakfast menu as well as more varieties of hot drinks than you could ever possibly want. Pane e Vino served me a delicious dinner one night, and Australian Home Made offered up Thorntons style chocolates and ice cream for my evening hunger pangs. I stayed at a youth hostel but all the big chains have hotels in town, and there are several independents too. For getting around during my stay I relied entirely on my feet, but busses zoomed past constantly, most passing the junction of Elizabeth and William Streets which...

zoe_page 12.01.2006 · Read review
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Review of Brisbane (Australia)

Worst hotel ever!

Advantages: You don't have to live there
Disadvantages: You will always have the memories

...My girlfriend and I stayed at the Worst Western Astor Metropole Hotel and Apartments for one "god forsaken" night. Never again... Some of the "fun" that we encountered: 1) Staff that couldn't speak conversational English. 2) Slow lifts (that we believe were operated by arthritic monkeys pulling on ropes and pulleys). 3) No assistance in locating our room (the building is like an evil M.C. Escher painting). 4) No free champagne / chocolates (as advertised with our booking) and when my girlfriend asked about them, she was ushered back and forth between two reception areas, and was finally abruptly told "will you just take a seat and wait?". 5) The rooms were appalling, with: chipped paint; exposed chipboard in the bathroom; leftover "hair" from a previous guest in the bathroom; a wall-mounted hair dryer that appeared...

Bugsy1978 01.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Best Western Astor Metropole Hotel & Apartments, Brisbane

Brilliant Brisbane

Advantages: Lovely
Disadvantages: No Star Attraction

...Brisbane is like a second home to me, I have been there many times because to see family. What I like most about Brisbane is the friendly atmosphere. This is what makes it so special. I can't imagine a more relaxed city. Brisbane lacks a big name attraction to draw as many tourists in as Sydney, but there are loads of places to visit in the near vicinity. The Gold Coast is an hours drive south. There you can find miles of white sand beaches, casinos, huge theme parks and a wicked nightlife. To the north is the sunshine coast, which is a lot quieter, but has some spectacular scenery. Brisbane itself has it's own unique charm. The Queens Street Mall is great for shoping and South Bank, in the city centre is a nice area for leisure. There's always lots of sport going on in the city. The Aussie Rules at the gabba is great fun. Don...

MattSlat 14.01.2001 · Read review
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Review of Brisbane (Australia)

Brisbane only a short walk away

Advantages: location to city, price, location to facilities
Disadvantages: not handy to CBD for disabled people

...We booked this accommodation through wotif.com and found it very handy to the city centre without being too close and expensive. It was approx. 1.2km walk (across Storey Bridge) to the CBD and around 800m to the Queensland Museum. Accommodation fine for travellers who are spending more time out and about enjoying Brisbane itself. Chinese restaurant attached to hotel (Adam's Oriental) is brilliant and lovely food. We found it to be a traditional style chinese restaurant with a chef who has catered for the King of Brunei and numerous Prime Ministers. Cafe however has seen better days with poor service. Otherwise great place to stay (only 200m to Coles supermarket too). The room we had was value for money and would recommend this to any travellers needing something that isn't going to hurt the bank balance but still be in walking distance...

tiger96_nz 24.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Sapphire Resort, Brisbane

Booking.com helps hotels cheat customers.

Advantages: extensive database of hotels, many quite inexpensive
Disadvantages: if a hotel cheats you, they will apologize, but do nothing.

...Booking.com: Colluding with Corrupt Hotel Owners to Cheat Customers? I am sorry to have to write this review, but I have tried for months to get Booking.com to address my complaint. I have reserved rooms using this service in the past, and have been very pleased. This, however, came to an end this summer. I booked a room at the Travel Inn in Reykjavik, only to find, upon arrival, that my wife, son, and myself were escorted to a car with no explanation. Eventually the clerk told us that we would be driven to the "other" location. The Travel Inn has, it seems, bought space in the Pavi Guesthouse (over a mile away). I would have refused on principle, but I know the situation in Reykjavik is such that I might have had no options. We were driven there, the driver stopped along the way to encourage me to withdraw money from...

seth66 23.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of Booking.com

Delegates, delegates everywhere

Advantages: Professional, well-oiled conference machine
Disadvantages: Bland and a bit tacky despite a refurbishment

...The Sheraton Brisbane is located on an improbable wedge of land in a relatively unfashionable and hilly part of the city. While its proximity to the airport is average (about 20 minutes by taxi, 30 during peak hour) the Sheraton is close to most forms of public transport (trains and buses). The hotel's main claim to fame is as a conference venue for large gatherings of like minded people. I’ve just returned (to sunny – not) Melbourne after a two day stint at a national conference which attracted in excess of 1 000 delegates. Check in Even after a recent 8 million dollar refurbishment, the lobby still looks like a glitzy bus station. The main bar is located front and centre for those in need of immediate refreshment after a long flight. On conference days (about three quarters of the year) this area is jam packed...

researchguru 13.04.2003 · Read review
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Review of Sheraton Brisbane Hotel

Hotel International

Advantages: Location, breakfasts
Disadvantages: Poor rooms

...I recently went on a cultural girlie trip with a friend to Paris. I was left to do all the booking. I was looking for a reasonable hotel, near a metro stop, which included breakfast. I came across the Hotel International on various travel sites and it seemed fairly highly rated so I booked us in for three nights. LOCATION: The hotel is located 6 Rue Auguste Barbier in the 11th Arrondissement. The nearest Metro stop is Garcourt which was a two minute walk away and it was a five minute walk to Republique which gives good links to other lines. It's not really central enough to avoid the Metro and walk to the attractions but it was located so close to a stop that it seemed ideal. PRICE: Prices vary depending on size of room and season. There are singles, doubles and triples available. We paid Euro254 for the whole time...

tartlette83 17.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Hotel International, Paris

hotel olsanka

Advantages: Cheap and cheerful
Disadvantages: Not so easy to access the town centre of prague.

...hotel olsanka prague Having been to prague recently and having stayed at this particular accomodation a few years ago, I was keen to give this place one final chance as I had had a really rubbish stay at this place. Similarly to my previous stay, I had notice that the Hotel seems to be advertised much cheaper on accomodation websites compared to near enough all other places to stay in prague. getting to the accomodation The details of getting to prague town centre are covered in my previous prague accomodation review, and whilst this accomodation is not as easy to get to location wise, a tram journey needed to get the accomodation from one of the central location's of prague town centre. booking process I booked this accomodation using a third party reservation booking website and paid around seventy euros...

costas1234 02.12.2008 (31.05.2009) · Read review
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Review of Hotel Olsanka, Prague

sachas hotel

Advantages: good price,great location
Disadvantages: no window

...****Sachas hotel- Manchester**** I booked this hotel last minute as i had a job interview in Manchester and needed somewhere quite cheap ,that was also near the centre. **Location/Getting there** This hotel is located in Tibb street which is a 2 minute walk from Piccadily Gardens or 10 minutes away from Chorlton street bus station.The Train station is a little bit further away say maybe a twenty minute walk but i don't think that this is that bad .You can also get a tram from Piccadily gardens and this goes to quite a few places.You could also get a taxi to the hotel but i am not sure what parking is like if you were to take your own car. **Reception/staff** Since i had never been to Manchester before i phoned and asked the staff for directions -they were very nice and helped me out.When i got there i think i got the same...

katie22008m 04.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of Britannia Sachas Hotel, Manchester

Sleep, swim, drink, eat, BUNK

Advantages: A superb hostel - everything
Disadvantages: Nest of little visitors but this didn't phase us

...Bunk hostel is just on the very outskirts of the city centre of Brisbane (about a 10 minute walk) near the nightlife and entertainment of Fortitude Valley and directly next to Chinatown. If you arrive by bus or train into the Brisbane transit centre, the courtesy Bunk van will come and collect you. The hostel was really lovely - clean and modern and was probably one of the best looking places we stayed in. This may be due to the fact that they not only offer hostel accommodation but stylish loft apartments too. The hostel offers a variety of rooms from singles, twins, doubles and dorms, all with stylish modern décor. We booked an 8 bed dorm costing us $28 a night per person (roughly £14). The dorm was lovely and one of the best we came across with a screen down the middle of the room with 4 sets of bunks on either side giving each...

frankiefromings13 11.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Bunk, Brisbane