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Saturday 15 August 2015

A Hobart hotel that's cheap but not so cheerful

I often need to stay in Hobart overnight (wanting a bed only) and have two budget, but very good, hotels where I can stay for under $100 a night.

My two favourites are the Alabama Hotel in the city and Montacute in Sandy Bay. Neither offers en suite bathrooms but both are charming, impeccably clean and full of character.

This time I left my run too late and had to resort to a back-up option, heading for the tried and true online booking site www.wotif.com

On a busy weekend (there was an AFL match scheduled), I was surprised to find rooms with en suite bathrooms available at Harrington's 102, well situated in town, for $99 a night. 

I quickly made a booking. Big mistake. I should have done my research. 

If I'd have been better prepared I would have seen that 102 Harrington is ranked 47 out of 47 hotels in Hobart on TripAdvisor.

Not that it's terrible (certainly not as bad as some of the TripAdvisor reports). It just isn't very good. 

The hotel, which promises "luxury accommodation", looks fine from the outside - and the welcome from a Chinese gentleman I took to be the owner was warm and welcoming. He offered useful parking advice, as well.   

At first glance the room was small, but clean and functional. Win. 

Except for the fact that every other guest appeared to be an exuberant young backpacker. And the ones on my floor all seemed to know each other and were happy to shout from room to room even at 10pm. 

It was a cacophony of sound. 

Even worse was the discovery that walls were apparently made from wafer-thin material, so you could hear your fellow guests' ablutions and snoring.

Worse again was the plumbing. Every time a fellow guest took a shower, or went to the toilets, the pipes would rattle and roar like some pre-industrial-revolution machine. And the bed was a bit lumpy. 

Throw in the fact there are no lifts and steep stairs, the TV was not tuned in to all stations, along with the fact that wifi is available only in the lobby and 102 Harrington is unfortunately accommodation of last resort. 

When I checked out at 7.30am there was no one in reception, so I could not report my dissatisfaction in person. And no breakfast is on offer. 

Pity that. In future I'll make sure to book The Alabama or Montacute well in advance. 

Harrington's 102, 102 Harrington Street, Hobart. (03) 6234 9277. www.harringtons102.com.au    

1 comment:

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