Clovelly Hotel — Restaurant in Sydney

Every time I've been here (as there are not many choices around me locally), I've had an awful and disappointing experience. Having worked in food hospitality for over 8 years, I completely empathise with hospo workers and the pressures they face – especially in a pandemic! But this place is so consistently bad that I've lost my patience with it.

Bar service is always such an ordeal, with staff constantly ignoring me even if I make eye contact/smile/try to get their attention, even when it's not busy! I've noticed that they tend to prioritise serving people who seem to be their friends - which I understand, but at least acknowledge me after 10minutes rather than always pretend I'm not there. Once they do serve me, they are blunt, disinterested, and rushed, even when it's not busy. Then they get all enthusiastic once they serve someone they know / start chatting with other staff. Makes for a poor and confusing experience, especially when I try to be as nice and patient as possible when interacting with them.

During another visit when the dining area was only 30% full, I asked a staff member for a takeaway container for my leftovers. They told me to wait back at my table as they'd bring me one, which I had no issues with. Once seated, I noticed that they were just having a casual conversation with a friend (not staff) for 15 minutes before they started looking for a takeaway container, only to come to my table another 10 minutes later saying that they actually had none available !!!!! I fully understand supply shortages, but they were super flippant about it and didn't seem apologetic at all – especially after telling me to just sit down and wait as they chatted to their friend. They just came back and dismissively said "We actually have none haha".

Also, the rude security guards (except for one on one occasion) always seem to be on a major power trip (as other reviews have stated). The music is always SO LOUD, which is fine at a bar etc but it's also excruciatingly loud in the dining areas, which is just impractical. The food selection is dismal (but the portions are big, which makes it a bit better). Literally go anywhere else, even go and support millionaire Merivale at the Coogee Pav instead...

The Cloey haven’t been offering rooms for long, so I’m being forgiving with my rating on the basis that I’m sure they’ll iron out a few issues that are not quite right. We had room 4 which is a well appointed, compact room with a sea view. Being newly renovated I’m sure all rooms, like ours, are fresh and modern. |Arriving back for our second night we were surprised that our beds weren’t made and our room wasn’t serviced. It was too late to make a fuss so we just got on with it. Getting back for our third night and finding that the bin was still unemptied and the bed unmade, we found that the ‘hotel guide’ had been delivered (maybe we were the first to use the room?) which explained that you had to inform reception if you want the room serviced more often than once every 3 days (in fact it was more complicated than this but I’ll spare you the details). We thought this was odd.|Reception is only manned for check in and check out so it’s not easy to raise day-to-day issues. |If they find a way to service the rooms properly every day this will be an excellent hotel. The location is pretty good if you want to be in the eastern suburbs. You’re just above Clovelly beach with Bronte and Coogee just a 20 minute walk away. Access to Sydney central takes 30-50 minutes via a direct bus or bus to Bondi Junction and train.|We were concerned that it could be noisy (the Clovelly Hotel being a popular pub) but that was not a problem. We enjoyed our stay but they need to get room...

They seem quite proud of the rooms but they are letting guests down. The decor and quality of furnishings are very good. We stayed in room 14 for 7 nights then room 13 for 8 nights. If we hadn't paid a lot of money up front we'd have left on day 5.||Room 14 has a huge bed. Would comfortably sleep 4! But it leaves very little floor space. We are not large people but had to have a plan as to who could walk where. Because of lack of space wardrobe doors and drawers could not be opened properly .||Servicing the room was unbelievable. It wasn't done properly until day 5. Because we'd asked for clean towels each day , until then, that was all we got. Receptionist was helpful but not always around. ||Room 13 was smaller but had a smaller bed therefore we had a bit more floor space.||But it had its let downs too. And once again, no servicing of the room. I suggest that staff try staying in these rooms in these conditions for a week. ||Day 13 - a hotel information file appeared in the room. A bit late in the day.||I complained 3 times . After the last time, day 10, I gave up because the manager was so disrespectful .||In a long period of travelling all over the world I have never had this...