Novotel, Canberra

Advantages: 'Interesting', note the inverted commas
Disadvantages: Long way from anywhere civilised

...I like to go all out when I travel, and since I've made it all the way to Australia (and, incredibly, managed to get someone else to pay for it all under the pretence that it's a business trip) I'm keen to take advantage of my temporary location and see it all, or as much as my time frame will allow. This weekend, therefore, I decided to pop off to Canberra, Australia's capital, to see what all the fuss was about. I've visited many capital cities, from Vienna and Rome to London and Washington DC. Hands down, Canberra is the least capital-like Capital city I have ever seen. Canberra is in its own little world, the Australian Capital Territory, much like Washington's home in the District of Columbia. Rumour has it that when they realised they could do with a capital, the good people of Australia were torn between the two obvious choices... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great variety, beautiful plants and wildlife
Disadvantages: Cold in winter!

...At first I only went to the Botanical Gardens in Canberra cos I had nothing else to do on the weekend and I was skint (entry is free!!) It was awesome though, beautiful scenery, great variey of plants and animals and really close to the city centre, even though it feels like miles away. The gardens lie at the bottom of Black Mountain so while you are here it is worth a trip to the top of the mountain and Telstra Tower for a birds eye view over the city. Beware though you can't just go anytime as the gardens are only open 9-5pm (or 8pm in summer). Check out the Visitor Centre at the entrance of the Gardens next to the carpark (open 9.30 - 4.30) where you can pick up leaflets or books so you actually know what you are looking at and where you are going! Or just join one of the guided tours which are run every weekday at 11am... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Price, station location, popular late bar
Disadvantages: Packed with smokers, Modern plastic feel

...If you imagine that hotel chains can be like food chains, the Novotel group would hover somewhere around McDonalds in terms of its ethos and approach. I've stayed in one or two over my time, including those located in London and France, and the occasion in Leeds left me without any illusions. Overall, Novotels hover around the 3/4-star mark, with facilities usually pushing them into the 4-star category. However, I reckon that once you take the quality of what's being provided into account, the experience is definitely more basic. In fact, the Novotel chain is doing its own bit to push 3-star hotels into the category of 'bloody waste of time for the price you end up paying - better off upgrading to 4'. The context? My work apartment access key had been left at home in London and cue realisation of this after office hours, when... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful