Novotel Geelong 4 étoiles

We have stayed here before and enjoyed seeing how the place had been upgraded, especially the revamped restaurant “Tempo”. We had a north facing room with Balcony giving us uninterrupted views of Corio Bay and the magnificent You Yangs. The room was clean and spacious enough for us and quiet considering it was facing the road. Staff in the restaurant were attentive without being over the top and very accommodating. Not cheap to eat but as Accor members found it more reasonable. Dinner was nice without being spectacular, one complaint was the prawns in the pasta were not fully prepped making it unnecessarily messy to eat. Good selection of wines to choose from and it is in an excellent location making it easy to explore all the region has to offer.

The staff were helpful, even if there were training challenges at the front desk; for an early morning departure, check out the night before. Even though the hallways were a bit scuffed, and room service dishes remained uncollected most of the day, our refurbished room was very comfortable. The balcony looked out over the water and the hotel’s site means all rooms have a view. HVAC worked well once you figured out the control panel. There’s a small balcony with table and chairs. Towels could be fluffier. Unlike every other hotel we enjoyed in Australia, Novotel Geelong has a full range of international channels in multiple languages. The hotel’s Tempo restaurant does an excellent buffet breakfast, better than five-stars in Melbourne. It’s just reopened so the pleasant service is uneven and you have to be patient. Curiously, the second coffee is extra, so have a double flat white.

I've stayed in better and in worse - but would I stay here again ... probably not. Overall looks a little tired, particularly the hallways (repaint needed) and our room, whilst quite adequate, was on the small side (adjacent to fire stairwell) and no chaise lounge/sofa as advertised in photos and booking email - there was no room for one anyway. That said, our twin beds were comfortable (quite soft and springy), we could see the water and esplanade (great location) and the bathroom was surprisingly modern (good shower). We had a few issues with the TV - when the curtains were closed, I could not fully see the screen as the curtains slightly impeded the view from my single (twin) bed. Also the TV sound was muffled and hard to hear clearly, no matter what volume we had it on - we ended up turning on subtitles. The air con was noisy when trying to sleep and we could not adjust the fan level. All staff we encountered were friendly and helpful. Seeing finished meals sitting outside other rooms day and night was a little off-putting. Just scrapes into a 4 star rating.

The 80th birthday party for my wife was one of the most enjoyable functions we had. The function room on the second floor of the Geelong Waterfront Novotel provided the perfect background; even if the sun is not shining, the view across the foreshore is spectacular. Whilst we provided the plan, and the colourful decorations which gave the room the festive appearance, the staff rose to the occasion to implement all our ideas and wishes. We felt they were happy for us and with us which made this event even more enjoyable. The kitchen excelled; the carvery and the setup complemented the cleverly arranged room, including a dance floor, without appearing cramped. The waitressing occurred unobtrusively, extremely well organised. For all of us, it was an occasion to be remembered fondly – well done Geelong Novotel!

Hotel tres bien placé, au centre de Geelong. Vue sur la mer si vous payez le supplément. Chambre correcte et standard. Petit déjeuner tres complet. Salle de sport ridicule malgré les glaces qui donnent l’impression qu’il y a plein d’équipement. Petite piscine intérieure sympa mais...petite