The Olsen Melbourne - Art Series

The hotel, known for its distinctive art collection and design motifs, offers a memorable stay with its spacious rooms and an excellent location in South Yarra. It is particularly well-suited for business travelers seeking convenience and quiet, families appreciating the room size and pool, and couples looking for a vibrant area with good dining. Sightseers will also find the proximity to public transport and local attractions highly beneficial. Guests consistently highlight the comfortable accommodations, the inviting pool, and the generally friendly staff. To enhance your experience, consider requesting a room on a higher floor to mitigate street noise, and be aware of parking options, which are best planned in advance.

Facilities & Amenities
Guests frequently praise the hotel's pool, which is described as heated, clean, and suitable for both adults and children, often featuring an indoor/outdoor design with a unique glass floor. The gym is noted as satisfactory and well-equipped, though some find it small. Many rooms include a convenient kitchenette, complete with a Nespresso machine or coffee maker, a fridge, and a dish drawer, making it easy for guests to prepare simple meals. Wi-Fi is generally reliable with good speeds. The lolly bar in the reception area is a popular and fun touch. However, feedback on the lifts is mixed, with some guests experiencing slow service, long waits, or occasional outages. A significant point of contention is the advertised spa or jacuzzi, which many guests found misleading as it is only accessible to those staying in penthouse suites.

Cleanliness & Room Comfort
Guest feedback on room comfort is generally positive, with many praising the comfortable beds and high-quality linens that ensure a restful sleep. While some find the pillows to be too soft, others appreciate their plushness. Rooms are often described as spacious and well-laid out, though some guests found certain room types to be compact. However, there are recurring concerns regarding overall room condition and maintenance, with many noting that rooms appear tired, dated, or worn, exhibiting issues like cracked sinks, peeling surfaces, or damaged furniture. Bathroom privacy is a common complaint due to design choices like opaque windows or lack of proper doors, and some report issues with cleanliness, gunk in corners, or unpleasant smells. Noise from Chapel Street traffic, trams, and corridors can also impact sleep quality for some.

Dining & Food Quality
The hotel's dining options receive mixed but generally positive feedback. The breakfast service, offered at the in-house restaurant, is often described as delicious with good a la carte options, though some guests found it to be overpriced, with limited choices, or subject to additional charges for certain items. Service during breakfast can sometimes be slow. In contrast, the restaurant for dinner and room service are frequently commended for their excellent food quality, with specific dishes like risotto and beef rib receiving high praise. The bar is also noted for its good food and drink selection, including a popular happy hour, though some guests experienced inattentive service.

Location & Accessibility
The hotel's central location in South Yarra is consistently highlighted as a major advantage, being described as brilliant and perfect for exploring the area. Guests appreciate its easy walking distance to a wide array of shops, including supermarkets, numerous cafes, restaurants, and bars, as well as a cinema and the Prahran market. The hotel offers excellent accessibility to public transport, with trams directly outside and the train station just a short walk away, providing quick and convenient access to the city center. While parking is available on-site, many guests found it to be expensive, limited, or confusing, often recommending alternative nearby options.

Staff & Service
The hotel staff generally receive high praise for their friendliness, helpfulness, and professionalism, with many guests noting their accommodating and attentive approach to requests. However, the check-in process can sometimes be slow, leading to lengthy waits, and some guests reported issues with staff being disinterested or unapproachable. While staff are often quick to respond to specific needs, housekeeping consistency is a recurring concern, with some guests experiencing missed room services, unreplenished amenities, or cleanliness issues. There are also instances of confusion regarding billing and bond refunds, and some guests felt that loyalty program benefits were not consistently recognized.

Additional Information
A significant point of feedback concerns the hotel's advertising of a spa or jacuzzi, which many guests found misleading as these facilities are exclusively available to those staying in penthouse suites, leading to disappointment. Guests should also be aware of the hotel's policy regarding bonds, which are typically charged upon arrival and can sometimes lead to confusion or delays in refunds. While some guests appreciate the loyalty program benefits offered, such as upgrades or welcome drinks, others noted inconsistencies in their application. The hotel provides windows that open in some rooms, a feature appreciated for fresh air, though this can contribute to noise from the street.