Crown properties in Melbourne

The facilities are really quite basic, comparable to a decent budget hotel in China. It's very clean though, you can tell it's an older Crown Plaza, so the quality is still there. The Western-style breakfast isn't great, mostly just lots of eggs. However, there aren't any breakfast options nearby, so I'd recommend eating at the hotel – at least you'll have plenty of eggs to choose from. You need to specifically ask the front desk for housekeeping, otherwise, your room won't be cleaned, so remember that. Definitely bring your own slippers if you're not used to going without. Hope you speak English, because even though many staff members look Chinese, unfortunately, they don't speak Mandarin.

The location and reception service were excellent. The room was clean and tidy. However, only adults received a bath towel and room service wasn’t available until 4:00 pm the next day. Once we contacted reception it was sorted out immediately. The entertainment options were limited and there was no wifi. This was disappointing for us travelling with children as we couldn’t watch Netflix or any other paid service. Check-in and check-out were easy and they offered excellent SMS service.

The room was incredibly spacious, the bed super comfortable, and the linens were top-notch. The front desk staff were very nice, and the WiFi was fast. The view was amazing! Right outside the north exit, you can stroll along the Yarra River to the sounds of beautiful music – it was incredibly chill. If you exit the south door and cross the street, you'll find a 7-Eleven, McDonald's, a great brunch spot, and a steak restaurant. Inside the hotel, there's KFC, Japanese, Thai, Italian, and Chinese restaurants, plus a food hall with lots of delicious and affordable Chinese options that stay open late. We even had some warm Singapore Laksa after coming back from the Great Ocean Road. Taxis are also convenient; the taxi stand is right in front of the waterfall lobby. Many day tour pick-ups are here too, so coming back late isn't a safety concern as you step right into the hotel. Public transport is also good, with tram lines 85 and 96 very close by, and Flinders Street and the Cathedral within walking distance. I feel like I made the right choice! I booked it for over 1200 a night, and it's much better than what you'd get for 1200 in city centers like Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen.