Guest reviews Sofitel Brisbane Central

by eatcandies57 Brisbane, Australia

Accor Gold benefits not recognised at Sofitel Brisbane

Room was okay, though it is showing its age. There were also some bugs flying around in the room. Hand sanitiser in the lift was also empty (this has happened more than once). Main problem with this hotel though is that Accor Gold benefits are not recognised (e.g., room upgrade, welcome gift, turn down service). I asked both at check in and check out and was told that Gold is treated as the same as Silver at this hotel. Hence I only received the welcome drinks (vouchers). I was quite excited when I qualified as Gold at the end of last year, but did not know that each hotel can decide whether or not to recognise this. I would understand if this a COVID-19 thing but this should be made clear on the Accor website as well as the Sofitel Brisbane website. This is quite deceptive and misleading, and should not be allowed. I will not be relying on Accor live benefits anymore as it is just not worth it (and a bit of a scam if you ask me). Disappointed.

by CJMc63 Sunshine Coast, Australia

Fabulous suite stay

I contacted the hotel direct to make a reservation and to arrange for suite upgrade as I am an Accor Plus Diamond member. I was assisted by a lovely lady and I ended up booking a package deal with some good extras. I was to have a junior suite but on arrival was upgraded to a classic suite. The room was excellent with a separate lounge and powder room. There was a super large bathroom with huge bathtub,twin vanities and even a separate desk and seat to allow you to put on makeup etc. There was also a walk in robe with safe and ironing board and iron. Only thing missing was a fold out luggage rack however the ironing board worked perfectly for this. There was 2 large Tv's one in bedroom and one in lounge. There was a great view out the window and the electronic curtains provided excellent blockout which ensured a good sleep in. The bed and pillows were super comfy as usual. All the meals we had were tasty as usual and very reasonable price wise with our Accor plus discount. We both also enjoyed our a la carte breakfast. Service was good in the restaurant with all the staff friendly and efficient. Only time we found it a bit difficult to get service was at the bar as they were pretty busy when we were there and there was only a couple of staff. Due to the club lounge not operating we were given a cheese platter and 2 drinks at the bar which was nice however I am looking forward to a time when the executive lounge reopens. The location of the hotel is good with only a short walk to the Queen St mall however the current detour due to the lower escalator being closed for maintenance could be a bit annoying for some. I didn't mind the extra distance as it burnt off my big breakfasts. Car parking was convenient right under the hotel and was included in the package. Check out was a bit messy with some issues with eftpos debit payment so hopefully cash will eventually be returned to an acceptable payment method and/or the credit card surcharge abolished. All in all we had a really good weekend stay and are keen to return for another city break.

by hobart_10 Noosa, Australia

OK

At the outset I must say that I appreciate it must be very hard for older hotels such as the Sofitel Brisbane Central to update with the huge costs that would be entailed so it must be very hard to compete with the new hotels such as Emporium and The W in Brisbane which are really cutting edge, with exciting decor and up to date feel. I must say I was expecting something more contemporary from the Sofitel. Our room had a fairly dated fitout. It looks like it has recently had some work and new carpets but we found our room quite dismal, and lacking in any form of personality or excitement. This was brought home to us even more when 2 weeks later we stayed at the 2 year old Novotel in Southbank Brisbane which is such a nice hotel with innovative design in their rooms and contemporary room lighting etc. I don't like to be harsh as I appreciate hotels have been doing it tough all last year but the lighting in the bathroom and the hotel room itself was not great - poor lighting for make-up, shaving etc and no ceiling lights made the main room very dismal and poorly lit at night. Supplies such as tea bags, body lotion, soap etc were not replaced once we had used them on the first day, which really surprised me. On the positive side the beds were soft and comfy, staff friendly and location good but the feel of the hotel wasn't at all one that gives any excitement or joy. Maybe a good functional hotel for a business stay.

by BrisbaneBoy_50 Brisbane, Australia

A Delightful Stay in a Difficult Time

The Sofitel is a family favourite: it has been the venue for many family celebrations and happy times. My wife and I planned our three day stay well in advance and were looking forward to the experience very much. Alas: the visit coincided with three days of heavy rain and a worrying head cold on my part. The hotel itself, however, was a joy. The fabric of the hotel is occasionally showing its age: the months long struggle to fix the escalator from Ann Street was only a real issue because of the rainy weather. The wonderful lunch and breakfast buffet is also gone - a casualty of Covid 19. Balancing this was the warm courtesy and friendly service of the staff for whom nothing was too much trouble. Our check in was smooth and trouble free; there was a hiccup with the account at departure that was quickly resolved. We look forward to another visit - post Covid this time.

by Emily C Sydney, Australia

Is there anyone left who gives a sh%*?

The whole experience was shonky, The food is so ordinary I wonder if they have a chef at all. We had a tasting plate with a drink. Tasting plate? What a loads of rubbish, the management should be done for false advertising, bits of cheese and some crackers. Any idiot can do that, Take a bow chef for your creativity and effort!?! FYI $52 for 2 glasses of wine! I think its extremely irritating when at breakfast (pre-booked of course) that you are kept waiting for 15 minutes in a queue?? There was not enough staff to handle breakfast - Is it too much to ask for an efficient breakfast service so you can get to meetings etc? Watch what you are billed! If you have the displeasure of staying at the Brisbane Sofitel, they like to charge things to your bill (that you did not have) and hope you don't check. So it seems management have a strategy to provide no staff (cut costs) and bill you for things you did not have - great way to make money. Not for me. I have cancelled all the future booking with Brisbane Sofitel. Giving this joke of a hotel 1 out of 5 is way too generous!