Hotel Reviews

Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Review: The Honolulu Resort You Won’t Want To Leave

In December last year, as Hawaiian versions of classic Christmas songs echoed across the busy streets of the tropical paradise, I spent two nights at the recently renovated Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. The US$80 million renovation has seen the iconic resort (with its origins dating back to the 1950s) reimagined with updated rooms, facilities…

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Review: Hotel Alba is a combination of casual Adelaide vibes and unpretentious sophistication

The newly reimagined building that now houses Hotel Alba is a bright spot on South Terrace, a shining row of pointed white roofs across from the peaceful expanse of Kurangga / Blue Gum Park. Just a quick 15-minute drive from Adelaide airport, the hotel sits conveniently at the edge of the city centre, and combines…

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Hotel Review: Does the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa offer the best ocean views in Honolulu?

There’s no shortage of incredible hotels on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu – and many claim to have the best views of the iconic stretch. But does the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa take the cake? Last December, I spent a night at the hotel to find out for myself – not only discovering the…

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Exploring Docklands : Eat, Stay & Play in Melbourne’s waterside hotspot

Just on the outskirts of Melbourne’s CBD is a freshly revamped District Docklands. Originally built in 2008, a 2021 renovation saw the addition of an entertainment precinct including restaurants, cinemas, tourist attractions and a brewery. I recently visited the area – easily accessible by Melbourne’s free tram network – and here’s a few of my…

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Exploring Denver’s RiNo Art District: How to spend the day, and where to stay the night

An easy trip from Denver’s International Airport on the A Train, and minutes from Union Station, Denver’s River North Art District – known as RiNo – was established in 2005 and sits as part of the city’s ever growing Five Points neighbourhood. There’s a lot to love about the vibrancy of the district, but one…

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Hotel Review: The Ven Embassy Row brings comfort and friendship to Dupont Circle, Washington DC

At 2015 Massachusetts Ave NW, right by Dupont Circle in Washington D.C., on Embassy Row, you’ll find a newly remodeled hotel that very much wants to be your friend. And, as it turns out – it’ll likely be a mutual feeling. Inspired by a Scandinavian “hygge” design aesthetic that leans towards coziness and minimalism, and…

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Review: Central Station Memphis by Hilton Curio Collection is an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind destination hotel

I’ve always loved and gravitated towards hotels that reimagine existing spaces – but the Central Station Memphis by Hilton Curio Collection has to be the first I’ve experienced that is built into a fully functional Amtrak station. And the result is simply sensational. First opening in 1914, Memphis’ Central Station (then the “Grand Central Station”)…

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Hard Rock Hotel New York Review: A music infused gem in the heart of Times Square

Many will know the Hard Rock brand for having delivered music themed cafes/restaurants around the world for the last 50 years – including recently closed locations in Sydney* and on the Gold Coast. However, the brand’s true star power these days is found in their hotel & casino brand. With locations from Sentosa Island in…

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Moxy East Village Review: Perfect hotel comfort opposite New York’s Webster Hall

Having opened in September 2019, the Moxy East Village sits as one of the newer hotels in the ever-booming Manhattan – and the most recent of the four Moxy by Marriott hotels to open in the city. For those unfamiliar with the Moxy Hotels brand, they are designed around being playful and affordable, with carefully,…

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EVEN Hotel – New York Midtown East Review: Where fitness and wellness meet comfort

Not far from Grand Central Station in New York City sits a striking, tall and thin 35 floor building with four distinct colour strips on it. This is EVEN Hotel’s New York Midtown East location, one of four IHG have for the growing brand in New York. You enter on the ground floor and are…

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A King Room at Hyatt Centric

Hotel Review: Hyatt Centric, Melbourne – A true reflection of the city’s vibrancy

In a semi post-pandemic world, scratching even the tiniest travel itch serves serious relief. However, my latest hotel stay went beyond such relief… I’m talking euphoric non-stop eye-rolling action. Allow me to indulge you in paradise on Melbourne’s Downie Street, Hyatt Centric. I’ll start with standard housekeeping: 277 rooms, 25 floors, indoor pool, a gym,…

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Hotel Review: Moxy Chelsea provides guests a cozy, masterfully designed stay in the Big Apple

A stay at a Moxy Hotel is always a unique experience; it’s a boutique brand that does well to bring in inspiration from its surroundings. Their Chelsea, New York, location – which opened in February 2019 – is no exception. A garden engulfs you as you walk through their cozy lobby, the smells of plants…

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Rooms Hotel Kazbegi Review: An oversized cabin with dream-like views in the Republic of Georgia

Nestled within the Caucasian mountains is a little Georgian town called Stepantsminda, or more commonly known as Kazbegi—for the name of the mountain range it is housed in. Rooms Hotel is a rather popular boutique hotel brand in the Republic of Georgia, with branches in Tbilisi, Bakuriani, and Kazbegi. You would be forgiven to believe that you’ve…

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West Hotel Review: A strong atmosphere makes up for a lack of space (Sydney)

As part of Hilton’s boutique-minded Curio Collection, West Hotel comes to Sydney off the back of a strong and prodigious history of hotelling. Although unlike the Hilton chain, Curio clearly skews more designer, and focuses on more than just a few details to echo that ethos. Does Sydney’s property really fit into the brand’s identity?…

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hilton sydney

Hilton Sydney Review: History gets a slick refresh

Hilton Sydney is one of the city’s most reliable CBD hotels. It’s been that way for a long time, but not necessarily because of the guest rooms. The location, directly opposite the Queen Victoria Building, is of course one of the primary reasons for the hotel’s enduring success, despite stiff competition from fresher-faced and more…

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Little National Hotel Sydney Review: Designed for city staycations

The gentle tune of minimalism sweeps through Sydney’s Little National Hotel. Opened in September of last year, the latest from Canberra-dominating Doma Group is a conscious push against the often irresistible excesses of big-city hospitality. Not just that, the hotel’s soft, soulful accommodation is an obvious embrace of Japanese-influenced, less-is-more philosophy, gently sketched onto Sydney’s…

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A Short Stay in Gyoza City at JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya

Business hotels are one of the most common types of hotels available across Japan, offering no-frills accommodation with a very affordable price tag. But not all business hotels are created equal, and the hotel boom in Japan has left tourists spoiled for choice, with some now offering a few exciting features. JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya…

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Hotel Review: Portland’s Jupiter NEXT sets the benchmark for modern boutique hotels

One of the most iconic hotels in Portland is the Jupiter Hotel, a refitted motel designed for hip, creative guests – the sort who might be attending a show at the equally iconic Doug Fir Lounge, a music venue that sits underneath the accommodation. In June 2018, some 14 years after it opened, the hotel…

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Amari room

Amari Pattaya Review: The tranquil side of Thailand’s resort city

Much has been written about Pattaya’s notoriously party-minded Walking Street, but to think the chaotic stretch of neon lights and nightclubs defines this otherwise quiet beachside city would be just plain wrong. Pattaya, located along the eastern gulf of Thailand, is a perfect postcard of peace and genuine escape from the capital city of Bangkok….

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Hotel Review: Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger delivers true comfort to Honolulu, Hawaii

Arriving just in time from my Hawaiian Airlines flight, as I was en route back to Australia at the end of last year from New York, I was lucky enough to sit on the balcony of my room at the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, and witness the majesty of a Waikiki Beach sunset. That’s not…

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Review: Ace Hotel New Orleans captures the very best of the brand for The Big Easy

Those who have travelled around the USA likely have come across the Ace Hotel. And if you haven’t stayed at one of their 8 American locations, or even passed it by, you’ve likely heard about it – from the now iconic rooftop bar and pool in LA’s revitalised Downtown District, to the celeb hangouts and spectacular…

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Azerai Can Tho Resort Review: Wellness and relaxation on the Mekong Delta

It’d be tough being the very first Azerai property, being that it’s a brand started by famed hotelier Adrian Zecha and operating under the inevitably high expectations that come with the territory. The award-winning Indonesian stalwart is most famed as the founder of the super luxurious Aman hotel brand, which now boasts acclaimed properties everywhere…

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The Astro Motel Review: Big on personality in Santa Rosa, California

Making the short 2 hour drive from San Francisco to Santa Rosa is always a popular way to start any California Wine Country adventure. After all, the Sonoma County city is one of the best located destinations for anyone wanting to get away to the country side and really dig into some of the most…

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Ever wanted to stay inside an old insane asylum? This luxurious boutique hotel in Buffalo, New York has you covered.

Hotel Henry in Buffalo, New York, sits inside a building with an inauspicious history: for a century, and dating back to 1870, it was the site of an insane asylum as part of the Richardson Olmsted Complex. The hotel opened in May 2017 following a decade long restoration project that is seeing the entire campus,…

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The Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane brings new life to a restored Heritage-listed building in the CBD

A little over a month ago, the Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane finally opened its doors on the edges of the Brisbane River in the city’s CBD. It’s in the walls of a grand, heritage-listed building on George Street, a short walk from the Queen Street Mall and the South Bank. The history of the building itself is…

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Hotel Review: Moxy Times Square rethinks urban camping in the heart of the Big Apple

Situated a five minute walk from 42nd Street in Times Square, on the corner of 36th Street and 7th Avenue, is the world’s largest hotel in Marriott’s boutique chain, Moxy Hotel. Moxy Times Square is one of four of the brand in New York City (also Downtown, Chelsea and the East Village), and opened in…

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Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour Review: Upping the city’s standards

The ongoing redevelopment of Darling Harbour hit full speed in 2017, with the opening of Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour reinvigorating the city’s exhausted luxury lodging landscape and immediately gathering acclaim. A gleaming glass tower of 35 storeys, high above the sparkling harbour and its myriad of neighbouring buildings, the high-end property exudes a modern opulence…

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The Table Bay Review: A legendary Cape Town hotel

With a history tracking more than two decades, The Table Bay still shines like the brightest, most vigorous star on Cape Town’s impressively eclectic Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Gorgeously dressed in an impeccable façade of yellow, blue and white, its an immense feature of the waterfront’s colourful scene, screaming luxury from across the bay and…

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Pacific Hotel Brisbane Review: A comfortable stay in Spring Hill, with an Asian influenced kitchen worth the trip

In Spring Hill, Brisbane, you might have driven past a white building with a fairly unique, cascading design. If you spotted it, you probably thought it was an ordinary office building. I can’t imagine how many times I’ve driven past it without noticing it. But office building it it not. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s been sitting…

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Review: The Calile Hotel brings true five-star luxury to Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley

This month marks the one year anniversary of the opening of one of the finest new additions to the Brisbane hotel scene, the five star Calile Hotel, set on the edge of the Fortitude Valley, on the booming and revitalised James Street. Local architects Richards and Spence designed the $100 million urban resort, with balconies…

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