Stay Report: ibis budget Brisbane Airport (Brisbane, October 2013)

Stay Report: ibis budget Brisbane Airport
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photo courtesy of Accorhotels

I had overnighted in Brisbane many times and had stayed at different places.  I once spent the night in the airport (lots of noise and lights); while another time I went into the city (long transfer time).  This time, I decided to try and find a hotel which was close to the airport for a more comfortable sleep, but also wasn’t too expensive (as it would only about 12 hours and just to sleep).  The ibis budget Brisbane Airport is a perfect transit hotel as it cost-effective but also provides a comfortable sleep.  The only downside is the location as it is not connected to the airport, takes about 15-20 minutes by car, there is no shuttle, and there is not much around the hotel. 

At the time of booking, it was my first experience with Accorhotels and with the ibis brand so I was unsure of what to expect; I have booked the hotel solely based on price and location.  The hotel is part of the Accorhotel’s ibis brand which includes ibis budget, ibis, and ibis styles to suit travelers from the lowest price range to the highest.  With each brand, some items are complimentary while others need to be paid for.  The ibis budget brand provides the least complimentary items but they also have the lowest rates.  To get the best rates, its best to book online and well in advance (as better prices are available in advance online, and sometimes the hotel is sold out).  Booking online was easy and efficient and I booked myself into a standard room for one night.

As the hotel does not provide a shuttle, I had to book a third party shuttle from the airport to the hotel (or take a taxi).  When the shuttle arrived at the hotel, from the outside it looks like an old motel from the 1980’s so first impressions aren’t great.  Despite the older looking outside, the inside has been renovated and updated.  As you enter, on the left hand side is the check-in desk.  This is where you can collect your key as well as purchase extras, including breakfast.   Across from the check-in desk is the restaurant/sitting area where there are tables and chairs (decorated with Ikea-like chairs and tables) and this is where breakfast can be purchased. There are also vending machines available with drinks and food so these can also be purchased and consumed in the sitting area.

The hotel consists of two floors with a stairs in the middle and two long hallways on opposite sides of the stairs.  There is no elevator to get to level 2 so if you have a lot of luggage or do not climbing stairs, request a 1st floor room.  The hallways and the stairs also have the ‘outdated’ look as well, but luckily the rooms have been updated.

As I was transiting at two different times, I was able to try out two types of rooms – the first room had two single beds while the second room had a double bed underneath a bunk bed that was on top.  Both rooms are tiny, these are not plush rooms, but they are nicely decorated (again with Ikea-esque furniture) and looked updated.

photo courtesy of Accorhotels

For the 2 twin bed, as you entered the door on the left was the basic bathroom (more about that below).  Right next to the bathroom was the first twin bed, a night stand, and then the second twin bed (with very little room between the beds so I doubt both people could stand up in the middle of the beds at the same time).  Across from the beds was a desk and in the corner was a nice, raised TV that provided a lot of channels and in which you could plug your USB cable into.  Overall, while it was a plain and small room it provided all the basic amenities you could need.  What the rooms also provided were comfortable beds.  I did not expect the beds to be comfortable (given the price and size of the room) but they were actually very nice and very comfortable (in fact more comfortable than some of the American hotels I have stayed in).  The second room had the same basic set up but was arranged differently.  As you entered, on right was the bathroom and beyond the bathroom was the double bed underneath a bunkbed.  Next to the beds was the desk which faced a window that looked out onto a parking lot.  Against the other wall, across from the beds, was the TV.  The room size was only slightly bigger than the one with the twin beds.

The bathroom was very compact with a stand-up shower whose only separation from the toilet was a shower curtain - but you can touch the sink from the shower.  The hotel provides a bar of soap and a very thin towel, other amenities such as shampoo and conditioner need to be provided by you (also, bring a better towel if that is important to you). 

photo courtesy of Accorhotels

Ibis hotels usually do not provide many amenities other hotels usually provide, and the ibis budget provides even less amenities.  Even though they did provide breakfast in the morning (for a separate charge), there was no restaurant in the hotel so if you were hungry in the afternoon or evening then you had to get food from the vending machines provided.  There is no gym and no pool either.  The only other amenity I noticed was the wifi.  As with all Accorhotels, the hotel provides free wifi – it is basic but decent enough to check and send emails.  You can pay for faster internet speeds if that is necessary, and you can also pay to access the computers downstairs if you do not have a smartphone or computer.

Overall, the ibis budget provided a decent night’s sleep in an updated room at a low cost.  While the rooms were not lavish nor plush, they provided enough for a good transit hotel.  The downsides of the hotel are the lack of shuttle and the lack of amenities near the hotel (as there is almost nothing in walking distance – so bring your own food and water with you).