Botanical Motel — Hotel in Barwon South West

Comfort Inn Botanical Hamilton VIC – A Disappointing Experience

We stayed at the Comfort Inn Botanical in Hamilton, VIC, on January 4th for one night. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst experiences we've had in terms of customer service and value for money.

Our travel time to Hamilton was approximately four hours. While en route, we received an SMS from the motel at 2:45 PM saying...

""Dear Customer, Thank you for choosing to stay in The Botanical Motel. Room: xx Late & weekend check-ins: Keys will be in the room and the door will be unlocked. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us on 0413166396. Check-out: 10:00 AM You get free parking in front of the room. Have a lovely night. The Botanical Motel""

Because we were travelling, we didn’t see this message until after we arrived at the motel. Upon arrival at 6pm, we found the reception closed, with a sign instructing us to call a mobile number.

When we called, the person who answered was abrupt and unprofessional, telling us to wait. A few minutes later, the main door opened, and a man greeted us with a curt “Yes, what’s your name?” After I provided my reservation details, he asked for my name again. He then stated that a message had been sent earlier in the morning (which was not accurate, as the SMS was sent at 2:45 PM) and informed us that the key was already in our room, Room xx.

The room itself was disappointing. It was cramped and poorly equipped:

There were no cutlery except for four wooden stirrers.

No plates or bowls, despite us bringing our own breakfast items.

The bathroom was dirty, with black algae in the shower.

The sink was blocked and required hand plunging to drain properly.

To make matters worse, at 9 AM the following morning, a carpet cleaning van parked adjacent to our room. The operator started a steam-cleaning machine that was extremely loud. Even with the door closed, the noise level was unbearable and made it impossible to enjoy a quiet morning before departing.

Checkout was equally unpleasant. When I said “Good morning” to the attendant, he didn’t reply and instead gave me an unfriendly look, as though I had overstayed. I handed him the key and left.

This was an extremely poor experience overall, and I cannot recommend this motel to anyone. The lack of basic customer service, cleanliness, and amenities, coupled with the disruptive noise, made for an...

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