Meriton Suites Coward Street, Mascot — Hotel in Sydney

Meriton Suites fell short of what is expected of a five-star hotel, think twice before booking Below is our review from our stay between 4-11June 2022, relevant photos attached.

1. No daily housekeeping service This is the first time my family stayed at a hotel that does not provide daily housekeeping (change of towels, linens and replenishment of toiletries) due to “COVID-19 safety guidelines” (image 1, middle) as explained by the hotel, which seems ironic since the pandemic is extra particular about cleanliness and hygiene. We were only informed of this upon arrival at check in, in contradiction to our booking attachment (image 1, bottom). The hotel staff provided a slip of paper informing us of the services provided, which also indicated the halting of express service. However, the the booklet which was placed inside our suite indicated that express service will be provided daily (image 1, top). Confused, we approached the staff at the reception to clarify and confirm whether there was still the express service or not. To our dismay, the staff on duty became defensive and rudely cut our sentences off just to emphasize that there was no express service.

2. Poorly-maintained room The suite appeared spick and span on the surface, but it was not difficult to notice the dust on the bed linens and pillowcases if you take a closer look at them. A quick wipe on the surfaces of the built-in wardrobe and tables caused our wet tissue to turn grey and dirty. (image 2) It was not long before one of my family members developed an allergic rash on the neck (image 3) due to all the dust on the pillow. In addition, we found a cluster of dust and hair behind the toilet bowl (image 4) as well as pieces of garments in the dryer from the previous guests who stayed in the suite (image 5), very disturbing and disgusting. Is this the “extraordinary service” that Meriton claims?

3. Lack of essential amenities We’re talking about the most basic things here. Even the non-5stars hotels we’ve stayed in would always provide toothbrushes, toothpaste, comb, shower caps and bedroom slippers. But none of these were provided in our suite. Since the suite provided a washing machine and dryer for guests to do their own laundry, I would have appreciated it if detergent or washing powder were provided, in consideration for the guests who were only staying for a week or less. The smallest volume of detergent we could purchase at Woolsworth was 1L and needless to say we used less than half of it during our short stay and could not bring it back given its bulky size and weight. If I knew about this earlier and I could have packed some myself, but no, we only found out when we entered the room. Given all that dust, and perhaps more on the floors of the room hidden behind the disguise of the grey carpet, it would have been nice if the hotel could provide a vacuum cleaner so that guests could at least clean it themselves if the hotel doesn’t want to.

Despite the disappointing experience, there were still some highlights to our stay. Most of the time the staff at the reception were friendly and accommodating. The kitchen appliances and equipment were very complete and made our stay very convenient. The hotel is located close to train station (5-10min walk) and supermarket at then Mascot...

I will give them a 2-star rating for their denial to accept my preferred payment method and made me feel so bad. 4-star rating for the room and service. Average 3-star. It’s high time they should start accepting apply pay or tap pay. My friend booked this hotel using Booking.com and he was due to pay at the reception. Since my flight arrive early he confirmed with the hotel and got me authorized for checking in. The hotel reception specifically says; ID and “any payment method” to pay and deposit. I have been living in Australia for the last 3 years, while I admit the fact that Australia is not fully cashless but, I have never carried my credit/debit cards anywhere. I walked all the way from the Airport thinking I can freshen up and wait for my friend, the receptionist had a great surprise for me. She checked my ID and when everything was good to go; there comes the first blow. I cannot tap and pay. I have all my cards saved in Apple Wallet and yet, she refused to take that. She treated me like I am some sort of beggar who intruded into the hotel. I explained the situation, I even said my friend will be here within an hour and still she refused to check me into the hotel. I said I can do a bank transfer as I have enough funds; then she said it will take 2 business days to confirm and that’s not possible. I was thinking, why all these stunts? Yes, I don’t want to wait. It was their fault that they didn’t specifically mention in the e-mail regarding presenting a physical card.

I was so tired from the overnight shift, no sleep and walk from the airport. I offered her my original ID for safe keeping, I even was ready to give her my phone to keep it as security. But, she said they cannot do anything and asked me to wait at the reception after getting me to fill in all the forms. Terrible start of my first getaway trip from the covid lockdown life in Melbourne.

The room was quite normal. I would give The toilet cleaning was not up to the mark, I have stayed 4 nights and yet, the stain in the toilet bowl was still there even after 4 times cleaning. One time, the cleaning people left their cleaning solution right on the dinner table of the room. The beds weren’t heavy even as they kept moving if I hit on them accidentally. Of course, it was two single beds that can be tied to make a queen size if required. When I checked out, luckily the hotel manager was at the reception and she was so friendly. She knows how to manage the guests and she made me feel good. She acknowledges my issue and apologised on behalf of her staff. Anyway, I would steer away from Meriton unless they take apply pay. It’s such a shame that the cafe downstairs, in the same building, takes apple pay and Meriton wants me to pay by inserting the card even if I have a coffee ordered...

Disappointing Stay at Meriton Suites Coward Street

I had an extremely disappointing experience during my recent stay at Meriton Suites. For a hotel that prides itself on being five-star, the conditions and service were simply unacceptable.

On the first day of my stay, I found a previous guest's water bottle and body lotion under the bed, indicating a severe lack of proper cleaning. As if that wasn't bad enough, after a few days, I discovered that the blanket was dirty and covered with disgusting yellow stains. To make matters worse, there was no housekeeping service available in the evening, forcing me to clean the filthy blankets and pillows myself. This is unimaginable for a hotel of this caliber.

Moreover, I felt overlooked as a person of color. When I went to the front desk for assistance at night, a male staff member was busy helping other guests, and a female staff member who was organizing her belongings left without even acknowledging me. As a loyal Meriton customer, this treatment left me feeling deeply disheartened.

After the male staff member finished assisting other guests, he told me someone would come to my room within five minutes to check on the cleanliness, especially the condition of the blankets. I returned to my room but, after waiting for 40 minutes, no one showed up. I called the front desk twice more, only to be told that they had tried calling my room but received no answer. I reiterated my request for a clean blanket, a simple need that went unmet for far too long.

It's important to note that the hotel does have its merits. Its proximity to the airport is convenient, with a taxi ride taking just 10 minutes. The hotel is also only a few minutes away from the metro, which provides direct access to Circular Quay, where you can see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The hotel features amenities such as a swimming pool and gym, and the apartment interiors suggest that it could be a good choice.

However, throughout this trip to Australia, I stayed exclusively at Meriton Suites, but this experience has left me extremely disappointed. From cleanliness to customer service, I was let down in every aspect of my stay. I hope Meriton Suites takes this feedback seriously and improves their management and cleanliness standards to prevent other guests from having a similarly unpleasant experience. This stay has severely damaged my trust in the Meriton brand, and I sincerely hope they make necessary changes...