Mantra on Little Bourke Melbourne — Hotel in Melbourne

Hotel date - 4th October 2019

Good points- Spacious room and great location. Bad points - Unhelpful staff, noisy air con and poor quality and limited breakfast.

Overall it was a terrible experience and the reasons are as follows.

When we arrived at the hotel we couldn't park the car for valet parking because there were no spaces so we had to drive around the block and still no spaces. I ended up parking illegally and then running into the hotel for assistance and they did't help at all. They just told me that I couldn't park where I parked (i already knew that) and just told me that I will just have to wait for a space so I had to drive around the block yet again, which actually takes about 10 minutes because of all the lights, pedestrians etc. I came back around for the third time and luckily there was a space. I shouldn't have to rely on luck to park at a hotel of the Mantra's so-called standard. I vented my frustration to the staff when I checked in but they clearly couldn't care less so I left it there, but it was not a the welcoming start that I wanted.

The bed was comfortable but unfortunately we slept for less than 3 hours because the air con wouldn't cool the room enough for us and it was so noisy that it kept us awake. I tried to turn the air con off so we could get some sleep but it wouldn't turn off. I ended up calling the reception just after midnight and they said they could do nothing because it is what it is and can't be turned off. They offered to look for another room but we declined because it was so late and we were all unpacked and set up and it just wasn't worth the hassle. We watched TV all night and we were totally exhausted by the morning.

The buffet breakfast was probably the worst hotel breakfast that we have ever had. The choice was minimal and it was cold too. Because there was limited choice I decided to have toast but they only had one toaster, which it was faulty. Another customer was trying to use it but the rotation kept stopping and it just left bread under there to burn and real ease smoke everywhere. I had to point out to the limited staff that the toaster was on fire and they said they will deal with it soon so I just switched off the toaster myself. So breakfast was a waste of time and money.

When we checked out we wasn't asked if we enjoyed our stay so we told them how bad it was but again they clearly weren't bothered. All they said was that they will let the manager know but we have heard nothing from the Mantra with regards to our stay. This tells me either the message wasn't passed on or the manager doesn't care either. I really don't understand the lack of care and attention in the Mantra. It seems like a 2 star hotel where customers are just and inconvenience. We stay in the city a lot and we have our favourite hotels but we occasionally like to explore other hotels too and that is why we chose to stay...

• Location: Excellent. In the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, close to tram lines, restaurants, cafés, and the courts, which makes the area feel safe.| • Room: Quiet and functional. The design is utilitarian, but the cleanliness stood out. The shower stall is very small (I honestly don’t know how someone twice my size would fit), but credit to the housekeeping team — the glass walls and doors were kept spotless and streak-free throughout my stay.| • Check-in: Underwhelming. As part of the Accor Hotel Group, I expected warmth and hospitality, but the receptionist was task-driven and impersonal. He even interrupted my check-in to discuss another guest’s TV issue, which felt unprofessional.| • Checkout: Extremely unpleasant. I was asked to make an additional payment, despite showing proof from my bank account that the charge had gone through. The staff member (Kirtika) first called it a “holding” fee, then said it wasn’t showing in the system and blamed a “glitch.” For a reservation made over 30 days earlier, this excuse is unacceptable. It left me feeling that either the system or the service staff were not being transparent — and as an Accor member, I find this very disappointing.| • Overall: While the location and housekeeping are commendable, the service at reception fell far below expectations. Check-in lacked warmth, and checkout left a sour final impression. Accor needs to address the professionalism and consistency of front-desk staff at this property.||Finally, I was surprised to see this property listed with a Traveler’s Choice 2025 award on TripAdvisor. Based on my experience, especially with the professionalism of the reception staff, this recognition feels undeserved. Until service standards improve, I believe this claim should be reconsidered.||I will be following up to...

The positives about staying at the Mantra in Little Borke Street are, firstly, it is in a great location and very close to the CBD, shopping and excellent cafes, restaurants etc. Secondly, we dealt with an outstanding Guest Services Agent by the name of Nini. She is destined to go places and should have a great career ahead of her. The dual rooms that we stayed in were well designed. Unfortunately, our overall experience was quite poor, and most likely we would not stay here again despite the Mantra's good location. Unfortunately, housekeeping was appalling. We understood that our rooms would only be serviced once during our 9-night stay. That was fine, however, after being out all day to comeback and find that our room had not been professionally serviced was just unacceptable. The rubbish bins had not all been emptied and placed back where they belonged, no fresh, clean towels, facewashes and hand towels had been left to replace the old ones. The bed was not made once during our stay and the linen (sheets) had not been replaced, again, unacceptable. The bed was most likely the most uncomfortable that I have slept on anywhere in the world, even my swag would have been more comfortable. The sofas in both rooms need replacing as a matter of urgency as the support underneath the cushions is virtually gone which caused sagging and bad, uncomfortable posture whilst seated watching TV etc. It was also apparent that no detailed dusting and cleaning of surfaces had occurred for some time, this needs to be addressed immediately. Bathroom floors and carpets also require a thorough clean. Whilst the buffet breakfast was acceptable there was certainly much room for improvement. I would not like to eat there on a very busy day as they appeared to struggle with even...