Spicers Balfour

We were thrilled right from the minute we drove up. Then we met the lovely Sara, she is a treasure and a valuable asset to the property. After we were checked in she schlepped our bags up to our room on the second floor. There is no elevator. My hubby didn’t want her to based on the size of the bags so they each took one. We loved our room, it faced the frangipani garden and the smell coming into the room from them was so great. We loved the Nespresso machine and the tea in the room, plus we had nice bottles of water in glass bottles there for our consumption. The soaps, shampoo and hand crème were excellent. The sheets on the bed were the best. Breakfast- our room price included breakfast. Wow! It was amazing, we could order from the regular menu and everything we had was absolutely delicious. We can’t begin to say enough good things about the food. Sara greeted us entering the restaurant by name, made us the best coffee and chatted with us about what we were going to do around Brisbane that day. We had dinner there one night and the food again…was great. The location is fantastic the walk to the river and all the activities there. We had an early check out and it was suggested in order to take advantage of breakfast to preorder. So we did, and when we sat down our food was served. Loved this place. You have to stay here if in Brisbane. It’s the best!!!!

So disappointing. We had stayed here a few years ago and it was great. This time was not. We booked for dinner, expecting the Vietnamese influenced menu that was still on their website - and also on the QR code we scanned in our room. Nope. They had changed to a "shared plate", boring menu. The spiced nuts were 50% dust, several other dishes were small and bland, and we left hungry. Our water glasses were never topped up, and we had to pour our own wine after the first small glass. No wonder the restaurant was almost empty. The crowning disaster was that the coffee machine in our room was broken, and there was no alternative. Never again.

We booked the hotel as a base for a few days exploring Brisbane. The hotel is located in a fantastic spot, quiet, but short walking distance to lots of great dining and walking areas. The property is beautifully presented and the staff are welcoming and helpful.