When I travel with a group of friends, I always like to look at apartment options for the flexibility to be able to cook and not eat out daily. Chanced upon Aria Hotel Apartment as we ran out of hotels to book for our business trip so we had to share a 2 bedroom apartment.
In terms of location, it is within 20 mins walking distance to the exhibition area and surrounded mostly by offices and business buildings. There was not much selection in terms of cafes or restaurants near enough to the apartment for a quick lunch or dinner but there is a Woolworth supermarket about 5 mins by foot from the apartment.
The reception is very basic and closes in the evening so for late check ins or early check outs, you will have to visit their sister property Experience Bella about a block away. The service is prompt and polite with no extra frills. For guests who needed to check out, they do store your luggage for you at the reception.
In comparison to the reception, the lift lobby is pretty tight on space and definitely not suitable for big groups.
The corridor is also quite narrow between rooms and personally I hated that the tiles made it look like a hospital corridor.
The apartment was generally quite dark even with lights on as the entire apartment was lit only by the dining table light and the table lamp which are both orange lightings. The living room area was of a good size with a small little balcony. The sofa was good enough for 2 persons and there was a working desk next to the TV console.
There is a small dining table sufficient for 4 person to dine together and a full length mirror for you to check your OOTD before heading out. A whole wall of cabinets also hides the washer and dryer for any washing needs.
The kitchen is a full kitchen and the size is surprising huge enough for 4 people to be in the kitchen at the same time. A huge refrigerator and dishwasher, oven and stove were available for cooking of meals. For quick meals, they also provide a microwave, electric water heater and a coffee machine.
The first room is the master room with a double bed and has direct access to the bathroom. The room is relatively basic with warm lightings and TV and many wardrobe space for clothes.
The 2nd room is at the end of the apartment with 2 single beds. There is no TV in this room and is much smaller than the first room with a pretty small window. There is also a small wardrobe for clothes and instead of a full door, there is a sliding door separating the room and the living area. Generally, the beds are on the harder side and has good support but the pillows are too soft.
The bathroom and shower is in the same space and has 2 doors, one to the main master bedroom and the other to the dining area. This configuration can be a hassle as the other occupants cannot use the toilet if someone is using the shower. The master room occupants can also be disturbed by the bathroom since it is directly connected. The size of the bathroom however is great although the shower temperature was erratic and can be difficult to adjust. Some basic amenities like shower caps, shower gels and shampoo was also provided although I don’t see any toothbrush. Another downside I felt where the towels and hand towels provided as they felt very dated with fraying ends.
Overall, the apartment has daily cleaning services which is why it is called a hotel apartment and that is a great combination of the convenience of a hotel and the space of a live in apartment. There is no breakfast options as there is no café in the same building but having a full kitchen and a super market nearby, you can breakfast in the apartment saving you some cash. I loved the size of the apartment but the location is not one of the best.
Address: 285 City Rd, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia
Rooms start from: SGD 134
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