It's not often you holiday in your home city, but I love the idea of a staycation and there is something special about holidaying at home and seeing your city in a whole new light that fills me with excitement. I had the best intentions to make my staycation at Next Hotel a writers retreat of sorts, an opportunity for some quiet time, reflection and travel writing. Impossible! There were simply too many wondrous distractions...
It's fair to say, from the moment I arrived Next Hotel firmly exceeded my expectations. I shouldn't have been surprised, it's a multi-award winning hotel, recently picking up yet another accolade for Best Tech Hotel at the HM Awards, but it's easy to overlook what's in your own backyard.
Location
You can't get more central than smack bang in the Queen Street Mall. Next Hotel soars graciously above Brisbane's shopping hub, making it a great choice for a shopping getaway. An escalator from lobby level deposits you directly into the heart of the action with all the major retailers present including Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, Myer, David Jones and more. High-end retailers like Tiffany & Co, Dior and Louis Vuitton are also dangerously close. It's also a few steps away from the Treasury Casino and an easy stroll across the Victoria Bridge to South Bank and the city's cultural precinct.
It's perfectly central if you're sans car, or if you are driving, valet parking is available by accessing the hotel's rear entrance in Burnett Lane or self-parking at the Myer Centre. Burnett Lane is also home to some sneaky little laneway bars, cafes and restaurants that are worth discovering.
The Room
Don't you love it when a hotel just gets you? A welcome card and cheese platter greets me on my arrival and convinces me I'm in for a treat.
The Deluxe King room is perfectly designed, with everything you need and everything exactly where you need it. The rooms are modern, minimalist and a little bit masculine with dark woods and furnishings in chocolate and navy tones. I love the open plan design, where bedroom and bathroom flows seamlessly, making the room feel even larger. If you have company, doors magically appear for privacy. Plenty of mirrors, good lighting, bench space and Biology amenities makes for a sleek and luxurious design.
Beds are super comfy, the specially sourced DreamWeave Sleep System mattress ensures a good night sleep in tandem with superior block out curtains.
Tech savvy travellers will love the bedside Samsung Smart device and the Next Hotel App where you can order room service, control the room temperature and even take the smart phone out with you while exploring the city and utilise the WiFi hot spot. Luddites might struggle with all the technology and even I struggled to access the Pressreader app which boasts 2,000 newspaper and magazine titles to browse at your leisure.
Facilities
The Pool Terrace and Bar is an oasis in the city. High above the Queen Street Mall there's no better place to witness golden hour as the golden rays dance off the surrounding heritage buildings and the swimming pool sparkles.
Adjacent to the pool, Next Lounge brings the club lounge experience to everyone. All guests can access the lounge 24/7; similar to an exclusive executive club floor usually reserved for the fortunate few elsewhere, it's accessible to all in-house guests at Next. The lounge is filled with couches; boardroom tables, a library and free flowing tea and coffee station. It's the perfect spot to hang if you're in transit and perfect for business travellers to meet colleagues in comfort and style. For international travellers, Next offer sleep pods, luggage storage and showers to refresh. The sleep pods are futuristic contraptions and I'm not sure how much use they receive, but it's a cute gimmick.
Restaurant
Breakfast is a lesson in restraint. I'm not usually a fan of buffets, but Lennon's is a quality offering deliberately providing only a small selection of items and replenishing frequently. There are the usual suspects such as pastries and cereal but with some unique variations like design your own breakfast bruschetta. Guests are also invited to choose from the a la carte menu and enjoy a hot breakfast cooked to order such as eggs Benedict.
Lunch at Lennons is a must after a day of shopping. During our stay the winter special was in play, featuring a small selection of delicious menu items plus and glass of wine for $20. How good is that? We chose a classic club sandwich and Pain aux Champignons feauturing forest mushrooms, truffled honey and quark on brioche.
On Lobby level, Lennons to Go is a great concept for the busy business traveller with a selection of grab and go items and snacks available as well as tempting local artisan treats such as Dello Mano brownies and New Farm Confectionery.
The Verdict
Next Hotel offers wondrous distractions at every turn. An epic welcome cheese platter and free in-house movies put an end to any writing plans for the evening. Next is a stylish, comfortable choice in the heart of the city with a modern and tech savvy edge.
There are plenty of new hotels on the horizon in Brisbane, but when a hotel just nails it, there's really no reason to go anywhere else.
Next Hotel Brisbane
72 Queen Street, Brisbane
Book Next Hotel Brisbane here.
