Essence Hotel Carlton

Good and friendly service but sometimes have to wait a short while at the front desk - can be 5 - 10 mins. Rooms are being serviced every day, however, it seems that there is excessive dust coming from the ventilation system which I found a bit strange. The wardrobe area is a bit small if you want to stay for longer, for a couple of days not a problem though (if you’re happy to take everything straight from the suitcase). Location is really good, 10 mins walk south to town centre and north to Uni.

The hotel is part hotel part student accommodation. The rooms are practical but compact, small rail to hang clothes but no drawers and no other storage except shelf for case , not great if here for few days or as a couple. The mattress has tea or coffee stains on it . There is a problem my room has not been serviced in 4 days as don't do service on holidays and weekends. The hotel is ok for a couple of night but not much longer.

This hotel is in a super convenient location, and the staff were really polite. It is a shared building with a UniLodge and I found it noisy during my stay, with someone late night gaming (and the associated shouting) as well as plenty of shouting across the corridor. The other shortcoming was that the room was grubby, not exactly dirty but when I arrived someone had obviously previously eaten a pastry in the room and the crumbs were all over the floor. I mentioned it to the reception and asked for it to be cleaned - they let me know that they don’t have house keeping staff in over the weekend (I arrived on a Friday night) but that it could be cleaned on Monday. Unfortunately it wasn’t, I asked multiple members of staff all lovely, apologetic and polite and each time was promised it would be cleaned. It unfortunately took until the following Friday (a week after my arrival for this to happen). It’s definitely suitable as university accommodation but not really a hotel experience.

I thought at the start was an ok room and in a good location for the price. I sadly left the hotel with BED BUG bites all over my leg and the aircon was extremely dusty. I had to wash all my luggage and throw out some things when I returned home as had it placed right near bed (open)as not much space to put your things :( in the room- definitely worth paying a bit more for another hotel. Edit- a doctor confirmed that in fact I have bed bug bites :( and I didn’t have any bites or rash seen in the photo below before my stay.

Good location, parking close by too. Rooms are small but mine was clean and the shower had heaps of water pressure. Noise from Other rooms and hallway is a Negative

Air conditioner can't keep up with Melbourne weather. Airbnb guests need to take their own trash out down to the basement but not told to do so or where. Guest phone near elevator does not work.

Gross hotel, unhelpful, unclean. Found a wad of pubes stuck to the wall of the shower. The hotel barely apologized about it and wouldn’t do anything about it not even a discount. This place is gross and now I see the previous reviewers remarks about bed bugs YIKES!

Rooms are small & compact but the doors are loud and you can hear quite a lot of noise in the hallway from your room. Not the best for light sleepers but beds were comfortable and staff were nice