Recently I spent four nights at the Goodearth hotel Perth Western Australia. Here's how I got on.
I booked my accommodation through hotelclub.com and can report that the website was safe and secure when processing my payment of $A428 for the four nights. At $107 per night (approx 45 pounds) it seemed good value to me.
Initially, I tried to book this hotel through a Queensland travel agent. They told me there were no rooms available for the period I wanted, and tried to cajole me into going to another inner city Perth hotel.
That was when I tried doing the booking myself on the internet, and fortunately, found accommodation at the Goodearth on the nights I wanted.
So Ciao readers should be aware that just because a travel agent states there are no rooms, it is worthwhile trying the internet instead !
On arrival at the hotel, I stepped into the cheerful, welcoming lobby.
Two staff were on duty for check-in, and I didn't have to wait long for room allocation. Staff attitude was helpful and courteous.
A minor problem ensued about the breakfasts. I wasn't sure whether my reservation included breakfasts as well. I asked the check-in clerk, and he assured me that because I would be staying a few nights, breakfast was included.
So the next morning, I ate a full and hearty cooked breakfast in the dining area. This looks out over the nearby Swan River, or it did until high-rise construction hid most of the view. But you can still see the most attractive capital city river in Australia if you look carefully from the breakfast room.
Food, I rated as good. The hot dishes included the usual b & eggs, scrambled, fried etc, as well as hash browns, tomatoes pancakes and waffles. Tea (including herbal) was available along with coffee and hot chocolate. Free newspapers were available at the restaurant entrance, but you had to be quick to get one.
Attractive prints of Rottnest Island adorned the walls. I found the carpet in the dining area a bit dull, but overall it was a pleasant breakfast experience.
Not so pleasant was when I carefully checked about the breakfast I'd just had. I just had a hunch that they'd made a mistake at reception and I'd been misinformed.
In fact, this proved to be true. The Goodearth started charging me for breakfasts as an extra. So I had a word with the front desk, and when this didn't get me anywhere, I asked for a friendly chat with the manager.
He proved to be a good sort of a bloke, and we worked out that a) my accommodation voucher didn't include breakfast, and b) because of the inconvenience, I would not be charged for the breakfast I had just eaten.
You may be wondering about my room. I had asked for non-smoking, high up, ( the hotel is about seven or eight floors approx ? ). My studio room - in fact a kitchenette - faced to the river, and if I craned my neck from the very compact balcony, I could just see the Swan River. Perth appears to be in the midst of a building boom, and this has had meant that the Goodearth has lost some of its formerly fabulous views. However I was quite satisfied with what I'd been given.
My room had a small ensuite, with a curtained shower area that was part of the tiled room. It looked very compact, but the shower worked well, with adequate hot water.
One free soap and one shampoo bottle awaited me as freebies.
Ciao readers be aware - the Goodearth walls are perhaps not quite as soundproofed as they should be. It is an older building, but has been refurbished quite nicely.
I found the kitchenette in the room more than suited my holiday requirements. It has a small gas ring stove. Toaster, microwave, fridge, some basic pots, cutlery and dishes kettle etc were all supplied.
Although there was no internet in my room, guests can access pay machines in the lobby downstairs.
As regards the double bed, I must report that unfortunately I'd got a dud as regards mattresses. After a couple of nights on a distinctly sagging mattress, my back was complaining, and I was forced to seek a Chinese massage at the inner city suburb of Northbridge. This proved to be somewhat over vigorous, and possibly the cure was worse than the affliction. Anyway, this could have been avoided if the bed had been OK in the first place.
I discussed this point with the hotel manager, and he assured me that if I stayed at the Goodearth on another occasion, he would make sure a firm mattress was provided. For the duration of my stay, the hotel staff replaced the sagging item, and the replacement, although not perfect at least let me get a better night's sleep without my back complaining.
Room decor was in bright cheerful pastel colours such as light cream and blues. A stucco ceiling completed the interior design. Room cleanliness was good.
No review of the Goodearth would be complete without mentioning the fridge in the lobby area which had plastic containers of microwaveable food. The first night I dined on beef sausages and mashed spud for $6, heated up in my room. These quick meals were a convenience for the tired traveller.
Housekeeping staff were pleasant and friendly, although I had to ask for my daily quota of one shampoo and soap etc as they overlooked this initially.
Overall, my experience at the Goodearth was a favourable one. There were the occasional problems, but to its credit, management fixed these promptly when notified of what was wrong.
The hotel is in a good area of town - the Sheraton is next door - and it is a pleasant 12 minute walk to the main shops downtown. The river and parkland is only a couple of minutes away from the hotel, making it ideal for that early morning walk or jog.
The hotel has no gym or pool, but for the price I paid for being innercity, I was quite satisfied. Guests are also able to use the laundrette areas on some floors - it costs three one dollar coins for a wash and similar for dry.
I hope this information is useful for any travellers going to Perth. It's a great city, with wonderful wide expanses of parklands, and a sparkling river. I would certainly stay at the Goodearth again.