Canberra Rex Hotel in Canberra

There were some positives, but several aspects of my stay fell below expectations for the price.

Room privacy
My room was connected to another via an internal door with very limited sound insulation. Noise from the adjacent room was clearly audible, which reduced comfort and privacy.

Lost key policy
The $100 charge for a lost key felt high, especially as it was not communicated clearly at check-in. Modern key-card systems may be worth considering.
N.B. After a few weeks I found the key in my bag, I returned it and was reimbursed.

Food quality
The food served during the conference was not the best, with many items fried and lacking variety.

Coffee quality
Filtered coffee was offered as standard, with barista coffee costing extra. For a stay at this price point, I would expect better coffee to be included.

Overall, the stay was acceptable but did not fully align with expectations for a 4-star hotel.

Overall, our stay at the Rex Hotel Canberra was a mix of positives and some disappointing details.

On arrival, the exterior of the building was not very inviting, with windows covered in cobwebs, which gave a poor first impression.

That said, the staff were all excellent throughout our stay — friendly, professional, and very helpful. The room itself was great: clean, comfortable, and well maintained. Room service was a standout; the meal we ordered was amazing and well above expectations.

There were, however, a couple of service issues. We ordered and paid for two bottles of water but only received one. We also specifically requested a Coke Zero, but were given a regular Coke instead.

Breakfast was included in our booking, but unfortunately this was the biggest letdown. When we went to breakfast, there was nothing available apart from dry toast, with no condiments in sight. We were handed a priced menu and told to let staff know what we wanted; however, as breakfast was meant to be included, we did not want to order from a menu that required additional payment.

We recently stayed at the Canberra Rex Hotel as a family of three, traveling from Sydney to celebrate the New Year. While there were some positive aspects, our overall experience was disappointing.

Starting with the positives, the reception staff were very nice and courteous, which we appreciated. We liked that it is very near a light rail station and quite close to parks, restaurants, and cafes.

The layout of the hotel posed challenges. Our room was quite far from the lifts, and with only two lifts positioned side by side in a corner of the building, accessibility was inconvenient. It seems the hotel design is to blame, as the lifts are not centrally located like in most hotels.

One of the biggest letdowns was the pool. We specifically chose this hotel for its pool, hoping our little one could enjoy it. Unfortunately, the pool heater was not working, and the water was freezing cold. To make matters worse, we noticed some bugs in the pool, which was unsettling. The staff wouldn’t have known the heater wasn’t working if we hadn’t informed them. It felt like the pool's maintenance and condition were overlooked, which was a major disappointment for us. Had we known that we won't be able to enjoy the pool, we would've settled in a hotel that is far more affordable.

As compensation for the pool issue, we requested and were granted a late check-out, which was a kind gesture from the hotel. However, it didn’t feel adequate given the inconvenience and disappointment we experienced.

Additionally, the King Suite we stayed in had some practical flaws. It only had one bin, which was insufficient for a family of three, as it filled up quickly. Another inconvenience was the shower area, which didn’t have any shelves. This meant we had to place shampoo and conditioner bottles on the floor while showering, which was far from ideal.

Overall, while the reception staff’s service was commendable, the hotel fell short in terms of facilities and maintenance. I hope the management takes these points into consideration for future guests.