Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport, An Ihg Hotel

“Highly convenient overnight accommodation in a comfortable well-serviced hotel close to the departure terminal.”

Review of the Holiday Inn, Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne The flight was due to depart for 07.15 h which required arriving at the terminal around 05.00 h that morning. The challenges of an early hour, getting to the terminal with minimum stress and, importantly, catching the flight clinched our de… more

Review of the Holiday Inn, Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne The flight was due to depart for 07.15 h which required arriving at the terminal around 05.00 h that morning. The challenges of an early hour, getting to the terminal with minimum stress and, importantly, catching the flight clinched our decision to overnight at an airport hotel. The Holiday Inn was well placed. For example, we were able to travel to the airport at a time to suit on the afternoon of the day before departure – check in from 15.00 h on – courtesy of a friendly family driver. And, moreover, she was able to return home before the challenges of traffic build-up during the late afternoon/early evening at the time of the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year. We had earlier booked the hotel on-line and checking-in formalities were efficient/minimal. This had included making a booking for the shuttle bus – hotel to terminal the following morning – and, for the evening of arrival, book a table in the hotel restaurant. We knew from the experience of others the competitive nature of these bookings. (And, the following morning when – having awoken earlier than planned and tried to travel on an earlier shuttle – we could only make a request that was not ultimately met – and this, despite the friendliness of the shuttle driver. Everyone turned up for their designated shuttle time. But then the shuttle was running a highly efficient 10 minutes round trip.) We had been given room no. 427 on the fourth floor of the hotel with a long-distance view across the freeway outside and to the distant hills north of the city. Ambient light outside had already gone by the time we left the room heading for the dining room that evening. Double/triple (?) glazing provided a haven of silence throughout the evening/night. What freeways? We had booked our dining table for 18.00 h. We presented ourselves to the desk at the restaurant on the ground floor and were shown to a table for two in front a services counter to one side of what appeared to be a dining room half-full. At the rear of the dining room, however, adjacent to a full-width wall mirror were a couple of empty two-seater tables. When we asked to switch tables, the concierge handling our booking agreed – but not the seat in the corner which was already booked for others. Familiar with the quantity of foods/plate that are typical of many popular restaurants locally and the disrupted night to follow we chose to eat lightly - sharing a meal with a couple of contorni on the side. Thus, we enjoyed a fish basket from the entrée menu with a bowl of fries and a green salad in support. Food was delivered within minutes of ordering – it came well-presented/delicious-to-look-at and ate well. It was, as required, sufficient for the day. The meal cost $43. We signed for it at the table and a short time later headed to reception to pay for the meal. Accommodation for the night Tue/Wed had cost $190. (On request the following morning a receipt was issued showing payment for both the overnight stay and the meal.) The external temperature at 03.00 h - the time we had requested our early morning call - was 0.3 degC. We were already awake, dressed and packed. (On an aside here – the call came at 3.30 am - half-hour late. Whatever.) The room had been clean, well-presented and warm - bathroom facilities the same. The floor plan of the hotel is made up of three residential blocks with centrally located elevators. From the room this represented a short walk around a couple of corners from room to elevator towing our four pieces of luggage. The hotel was, as expected, quiet. In the lobby on the ground floor the shuttle customers were arriving one-after-the-other … disciplined, quiet and carrying sleeping kids. There’s an easy-to-use bag weighing machine in the outside lobby (that is between you in the inside lobby and the shuttle bus outside). There’s an automatic glass door between the two lobbies that requires you to have your wooden key available to action the door to re-enter into the inside lobby after being outside – weighing your bags, checking on the shuttle, talking to the driver, etc. The door works one-way without your door key – inside to outside. No hassle, there were a few people milling around in the inside lobby to whom you could wave/request entry. The Holiday Inn Tullamarine Airport represented an excellent choice and, not least, given the ease with which everything worked as planned … on-line booking, telephone back up, arrival, dining, overnight, departure and value for money. Staff had been helpful and friendly. Peter Steele 23 June 2023

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