As someone traveling on a budget, a hotel situated right in the center of the city generally comes as a boon. And Hotel Citigate in Melbourne was exactly that - a boon! Let’s see how!
Hotel Citigate, Melbourne: Entrance
Hotel Citigate, Melbourne in Australia: A Review
Location: Just Perfect!
Outside:
Crammed amid a row of buildings, running parallel to the clock tower of the Flinders street station and enveloped by a multitude of other city attractions; this key location that Citigate affords is every budget travelers dream. It is right there – sticking out its spirit in the center of the city! All I had to do was to take one step outside and the whole of Melbourne came alive in its true colors.
Flinder's street station right across the hotel entrance
Morning, afternoon or evening, no matter which part of the day the world is in – Flinders street station is always a hub of chaos, bustling with people busy running the humdrum of life. The other prominent icons of the city like the Federation square and St. Paul’s cathedral to name a few are a stone’s throw as well.
Inside:
Chaos prevails outside. Yet, inside, it is a silent retreat. Thankfully, even amid the city’s bustle, the hotel of Citigate stands insulated.
Lobby area, Citigate, Melbourne
One step inside the hotel lobby through the automatic sliding doors and one immediately gets a glimpse of the hotels character: quiet and relaxed, greeting visitors like me with a smile. If I were to describe Citigate’s personality, I would say, it reflected an understated demeanor on the outside but showed a sophisticated and classy persona indoors.
Food: Wide range but with limted options for the veggies
One step in the buffet area and the place ruptures into a kaleidoscope vision, with a burst of different kinds of foods assorted for every kind of traveler and taste bud.
My breakfast buffet came with the hotel tariff and the spread was so wide, that it had the potential to spoil anyone silly.
Apricots
Limited for the veggies, still I did manage to pamper myself to some bread, fruits, smoothie’s, juices, dried flakes and coffee!
My plate of bread, fruits and flavored curd
But my favorite from amongst these was the special Indian bread, roti made especially for me by the chef of the hotel!
Indian roti and potato dumplings
Staff: Friendly and Helpful
When it comes to how well you spend your time in the hotel, the staff surely does have a huge role to play. And in my case, the staff made the place from a recommended one to a highly recommended one. Warm, friendly, helpful and courteous, they gave me ample of reasons to come back happy and satisfied with their service. I stood at the reception with a map in my hand and they gave me all their time to help me with the how-to’s and what-to’s of the places I wanted to visit; they left the reception to make me a warm cup of honey and lemonade to soothe my aching throat while at other times just chatted up casually on my expeditions of the day.
The friendly reception area (that's Richard busy helping a customer out there!)
Today, I can recall two people by their names – Ananda, from Nepal and Richard, from Australia – I established a good rapport with them during my stay. In addition, there were a few more, like the lady in the buffet section who helped me with my coffee and toast and that cheerful gentleman in the reception area with a smile so bright that it could make anyone’s day and that young chap on the front desk who made a magic-healer honey tonic for me – all of them ensured that I had a wonderful time in the hotel.
Room: Comfortable and minimalistic
What
does a traveler need after a long day of exploration? A comfy bed, a
clean spacious bathroom and a good night’s sleep? Citigate definitely
provided for all!
Basic yet comfortable: Citigate room
Neat,
clean and minimal furnishings with soft fluffy king size bedding
keeping me warm, it was my perfect shelter for the night for 4 complete
days ensuring I felt fresh for a new day of discovery, each and every
day.
Views: Expensive
Window views are something I really look forward to, especially in an international trip but here, they were nothing to show or speak of, really. All I could see was buildings, all of them taller than my own, leaving me highly disappointed. I learnt that a city view would cost me AUD 30 more which would mean burning a big hole in my pocket; hence I wasn't left with much of a choice but to settle down with what I had.
Buildings and concrete: My View from my hotel room
So this is all I got from the room, but then it didn’t really matter, I was seldom (awake) in my room to savor views like these!
Only toiletries, no freebies:
Nothing much again, this was my basket in which all the items were tagged. I did touch the salty wafers once but on finding it too pricey, not worth my money, I kept them back.
A goodie basket: Items all tagged!
The soaps and other soapy stuff in the bathroom was good though.
My secret window: The Fitness center on the first floor!
Guess what was my favorite spot in the hotel?
It was the fitness center on the first floor of the hotel. Not because it had all those equipments to make me trimmer. But because, it gave me views that I always longed for but never got from my room.
From the fitness center: My best takeaway from the hotel
I came here every day, at least once in the morning, to drink cool water from its water filter while watching the trams pass and the crowds’ whiz by. This was my find, my very own special take away memory from the hotel!
Why choose Hotel Citigate over the others?
For its location, undoubtedly!
Citigate hotel and the Flinder's street station,
distanced by the traffic road in between
Citigate lived up to its name; it was just that, a gateway to the city. Beating in the heart of the CBD, Central Business District, with Flinder's station positioned just opposite and a whole range of trams and buses operating from this area to different parts of the city, it provided for an easy entry to the beautiful world of Melbourne. If you are that traveler who prefers a hotel with easy accessibility to getting around, this is the one for you.
For the 'Location': Go for it!
Traveller Tips:
Getting from the airport to the hotel: Book in advance for a seat in coach that will transfer you from the airport to your hotel. A wide range of options are available to choose from but we opted for the sunbus, they can be recognized by a placard with a kangaroo in yellow and they operate approximately every 30 minutes.
Express Check in: Make sure to slide in a request for express check-in, in case your flight is landing early. Lucky, if you get the request issued, but in the other case too (as in mine) Citigate treats you well. The bathrooms in the fitness center are well maintained and neat, so that you can freshen up there. And as I already mentioned above, the views from there are amazing too. The luggage is secured in the luggage room of the reception till you are granted a room.
Address: 270 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
Contact: 61 3 9654 6888 / http://www.citigatemelbourne.com.au
Tariff of my Citigate room: 240 AUD per night, breakfast inclusive (Note: There is no city view in this type of room.)
