D4065CGstevenh
Google
We were planning a weekend getaway to visit a family member in Adelaide and decided to try Ibis Adelaide for the very first time. Situated on Grenfell Street, the hotel is perfectly placed, just a short stroll to Rundle Street’s shops, eateries and all the usual suspects in the CBD.||Check-in was smooth & welcoming. We were lucky enough to be given a corner room on the top floor, clean, compact, and boasting a pretty great view of the city skyline. The bed was comfy, the vibe was relaxed, & to our surprise, we returned after dinner to find a thoughtful fruit platter, a welcome card, two mini chocolates, and a jug of water waiting for us. It felt like a little wink from the hotel saying, “Glad you’re here.” A simple touch, but it went a long way.||Like most Ibis properties, the setup is unfussy but functional. There’s a casual restaurant, Ibis Kitchen, on the first floor serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. We didn’t dine in for lunch or dinner, but we did make time for breakfast, which is where this otherwise lovely stay took an unexpected turn into reality TV drama.||Let’s start with the good. The breakfast spread was solid: eggs anyway you like, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, bacon, crunchy hash browns, toast, pastries, fresh fruit & barista-made coffee & teas. It ticked all the boxes for a decent hotel breakfast.||Now, for the spinach saga. Midway through breakfast, around 8:35am, I noticed the poached spinach dish had run out. I scanned the room, no staff in sight. Thinking I’d just pop my head around to the kitchen entrance to get someone’s attention, I spotted a red-haired chef. She saw me… & promptly walked further into the kitchen like she’d just seen a ghost. Then, a moment later, she emerged, visibly unamused, & the very first thing she said was, “This is the kitchen!”||I mean, yes, Captain Obvious, clearly it was the kitchen. But I wasn’t about to start sautéing mushrooms in there, I was just trying to get someone to refill the one & only spinach dish. I explained that no staff were on the floor, & I was simply hoping for some help.||Instead, she doubled down. “What spinach??” she snapped.||I stood there gobsmacked. It wasn’t just the tone, it was the whole vibe. It genuinely felt like I’d broken into a sacred temple asking for alms. All I wanted was some spinach, not to overthrow the kitchen hierarchy.||I walked back to my table feeling a bit deflated. It’s amazing how a simple moment can make you feel so unwelcome, especially when it could’ve just been handled with a smile & a quick “let me sort that out for you.”||To be fair, this was one isolated incident. The rest of the hotel staff were lovely, & the hotel itself is well-maintained, well-located, & great value for money. But sadly, this spinach moment left a slightly bitter aftertaste to what could have been a flawless experience.||Would I return to Ibis Adelaide? Yes, I would. It’s still a solid choice for a city stay. But next time, I might just skip the spinach… or bring my own.