BRISBANE
TRAVEL REPORT

Otels hope you enjoy the following Travel Ideas
from travel writer Douglas Lucius.
Best wishes on your next trip!

 

Brisbane: On Your Way to Australia's Gold Coast
 
By Douglas Lucius
Copyright © Otels, 2009

Brisbane is a cheerful, modern, and extremely clean city of 2 million (the third largest city in Australia) enjoying perhaps the best weather of any major Australian city: warm in the winter, not too hot in the summer. Brisbane sits in a lush and tropical setting, barely an hour’s distance from the sea and the fabled "Gold Coast".
 
Brisbane draws tourists not only as the capital of Queensland, but also as the ideal stopping-off point on the way to or from the "Gold Coast" further south: a long stretch of beach resorts including Coolongata and Surfers’ Paradise. These destinations begin less than an hour out of town, offering ocean sports and a lively, relaxing milieu. Mt Tambourine and surroundings are a few hours further south and inland, offering Australia’s most lush farmland. I recommend it as a beautiful area to take a drive through. Those seeking a more low-key holiday will want to head for the sophisticated beach resorts to the northeast of Brisbane.
 

Getting There
 
Brisbane is in the southeast corner of Queensland, a half day's drive north of Sydney on the far eastern edge of the country. Brisbane airport (BNE) is located northeast of the city center and provides domestic and international passenger services.
 

Tourist Attractions
 
In Brisbane's compact downtown, the two long blocks of Queen Street Mall (“The Mall”) provide an attractive tree-lined pedestrian mall. Combined with the parallel Elizabeth and Adelaide Streets, here you will find plenty of shopping, entertainment, outdoor cafes/restaurants and bars to relax, eat, drink, and pass the time. The Casino lying between the river and the Queen Street Mall is a grand old building and popular destination among locals. Edwards Street is the northeastern border of the mall and offers several large bars and nightclubs attracting the younger crowd.

A 15 or 20 minute walk to the northeast of the Mall is Fortitude Valley, Brisbane’s very popular fashion and nightclub district, another magnet for the younger crowd. Chinatown and its many restaurants are also in Fortitude Valley, though connoisseurs of Chinese food may not be entirely impressed.

   
Hotels in Brisbane
  
Every hotel seems to offer a small swimming pool suitable for short laps (but not long swims). Broadband and Wi-Fi Internet are common at hotels, with all seeming to offer the same rate structure: about half an Australian dollar per minute, with a maximum of $29 per day (a maximum easily reached in an hour). Most hotels also offer a small laundromat, a welcome way to save money for backpackers and families overnighting in Brisbane.  Here were my findings:

  Sebel CitiGate King George Square is a large modern hotel conveniently located just east of the City Hall and King George Square, at the corners of Anne and Roma Street, and less than a ten minute walk to Roma Street station, the principal railroad station for both national and regional rail routes. It is also not far from “The Mall,” the Casino, the river, and Central Station. And it is even closer to the expansive underground bus station at King George Square, the nerve center of one of the world’s best bus transit systems.

Sebel CitiGate has attractive rooms, lit in a way that calms the senses. Beds are spacious and comfortable. I found working at my desk comfortable too. The Internet access was good, and the $29 a day fee is the same as in any other hotel. There is a stylish restaurant and a cool bar on the first floor. The hotel offers a decent-sized gym and swimming pool on the top floor, providing some intriguing views of the city’s modern architecture. It also has a laundromat. Everyone working in the hotel was accommodating and gracious.

  The Hilton Brisbane has an entrance above Elizabeth Street, and is a short walk through a passage to The Mall, and is a few steps from Edwards Street.  The 20-story pyramidal atrium with its natural sunlight, and many plants hanging from the indoor balconies, is a joy to walk through.

The Hilton Brisbane's rooms are wonderful and have prices to match. The standard rooms are the roomiest units in its class I saw amongst the four hotels I visited, although I am not sure they are worth the extra price. However, the King Executive Suites are large and newly renovated, extremely attractive, well-lit, and comfortable. The large desks facing the windows are perfect. The top end King Deluxe rooms and suites are large, but not quite as inviting as the King Executive Suites: I wouldn’t pay extra money for them.  Both executive rooms provide access to the executive lounge, and all the free breakfasts, drinks, and free Internet access that includes.

The cheery atrium includes large restaurants, cafes and bars. The Hilton includes the largest gym and swimming pool I saw, and also has tennis courts. Wi-Fi Internet is available everywhere, again at the standard $29 per day rate. The Hilton was my favorite amongst the four hotels I saw. You pay for what you get, and the room prices are fully 50%-100% above the other rooms mentioned in this article.   

The Mercure is located on the river, not far from the bridge leading to the cultural center. The immediate surroundings offer little in terms of attractions, but are only a few short blocks from the Casino and The Mall. It is popular with flight crews, which is always a good sign.

All rooms are spacious, and nicely furnished, if not lavish. The riverside location offers wonderful views of the river, although “Riverview” rooms are decidedly more expense. Broadband internet is available at the standard $29 per day rate.

The lobby and hallways tend to be colorless and the restaurants are limited. The swimming pool is adequate but small-ish, with space for sunning for only a few hours a day. The desk help and concierge were exceptionally helpful and accommodating of needs such as left luggage, electrical adaptors and the like. 
 
    
The Sebel Suites Brisbane is two short blocks down Albert Street from the Center of the Mall. There are several stylish cafes and restaurants at the corner. This is less of a hotel for over-nighters and more of a short-term apartment hotel suited to those staying weeks rather than days.

Many of the units are studio suites: large hotel rooms with a certain amount of space devoted to a living-room-like settings. The others are “one bedroom suites” offering a large room containing living / dining / kitchen plus a separate bedroom. These units are designed for more extended stays. I could not see the actual rooms, but the pictures tell me that for a small increase in price, the one-bedroom suites are the way to go.

The swimming pool is a little smaller than the other. If the view from the swimming pool is anything to go by, the rooms’ views are not great. There is also a small gym. Broadband Internet is available at the standard $29 daily rate. It does not seem to offer a laundromat.

   
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