Novotel Canberra

Canberra is one of our favourite places to visit, and we are already looking forward to my next trip. We initially booked this hotel for its convenient location, available parking, excellent facilities, and the trusted Novotel brand. From the moment we arrived, it exceeded our expectations. The beds were exceptionally comfortable and provided one of the best sleeps I’ve had. The swimming pool, sauna, and spa were impressive and enjoyed each evening. The location was outstanding — within easy walking distance to local shops, cafés, and a large shopping centre. On our next visit to Canberra, we will definitely be staying at Novotel Canberra again :).

Stayed for a 2 night city stopover and found the location excellent, central enough to walk everywhere needed. The rooms were spacious, though a little dated with a musty smell that could be improved. On the positive side, the indoor pool and sauna were a great bonus and enjoyable to use. Overall, a convenient base with good facilities, though the rooms could use some refreshing.

The hotel is very central, and convenient to the city, light rail, and bus interchange. The staff were friendly, and the pool, spa, and sauna worked well. But there were a few minor issues that impacted my stay, leaving a general impression of lack of care and maintenance. The pool area temperature varied widely, from hot during the day, to freezing cold and blowing strong aircon at night, despite multiple requests to fix it. The pool was also quite cold. The gym aircon wasn't working a lot of the time. The bar is only open for breakfast and dinner. But the bar seating is a nice place to relax, even when it's closed. In the room, there is no caution paint or tape on the large step up to the bathroom, which is a trip risk (just a sign). The shower didn't drain correctly, so there was a slippery pool of water when I went to shower the next day. The do not disturb door hanger is too large and wooden, so it blocks the door closing correctly, which is a security/safety risk. Reception told me parking for 2 hours was $4, but I stayed slightly over that, and it was actually $16. (Maybe they said $12 and I mis-heard?)

Novotel Canberra – 4/5 ⭐ We choose this hotel for our 28th Dec stay . We had an overall good stay at Novotel Canberra. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and well-equipped with everything we needed, which made the stay pleasant. However, the check-in experience was disappointing. Reception was extremely busy, with only two staff members initially, and a third joining later. There were around 8–9 families waiting, and we had to wait nearly 25–30 minutes just to check in. This could definitely be better managed during peak times. Parking was another inconvenience. The hotel parking was full, and we were given parking about a 5-minute walk away, which isn’t ideal for hotel guests—especially with luggage or family. It would be great if: • The Accor website showed parking availability, and • Novotel should have allocated some more paid parking spaces exclusively for in-house guests. The property itself feels a bit older compared to other Novotels I’ve stayed at in Melbourne, Sydney, and the Gold Coast, but to their credit, it was clean and well maintained. Overall: A clean and comfortable hotel in a good location, but improvements are needed in reception staffing during busy periods and guest parking arrangements. With these fixes, the experience would be much better

I had a good stay at Novotel Canberra. Breakfast was simple but satisfying, and the rooms were comfortable. It would be even better if some additional amenities were provided. Parking is available for an extra charge. Overall, a pleasant experience

I'm now giving up on being an Accor member after this stay. Needing to do a stay to retain status I booked here for one night and did not expect it to be so run down. Firstly, the front desk staff are lovely, no problem there. However, the overall state of the hotel and attention to maintenance is awful. Everything is scuffed, marked or generally needs to be updated. The rooms are outdated and look like they haven't been renovated in 30 years. Worst part is the housekeeping. My room had blood on a wall (see photo)! How did they not see it? I'm guessing they use the cheapest labour possible who don't care. The windows were also dirty, on the inside, with liquid splatter. Housekeeping were even too lazy to replace the coffee properly and just put decaf. If you're coming to Canberra, stay somewhere else.

It was quite pleasant. Anton from reception was very accommodating and welcoming and had a very bubbly personality. I would have rated Novotel a 10 if not for parking issues. The location is also another bonus, the hotel's proximity to the shops, tram, etc. is what people should take into consideration as well when booking a room.

Excellent service and facilities. The reception team was incredibly accommodating, especially the staff working in the afternoon, if i’m not mistaken it was Pravish. He helped us switch to a higher-floor room with a balcony which was a seamless transition. The pool, sauna, and central location were highlights of our trip. We will definitely be back!

This hotel was near downtown, many museums and attractions, restaurants, shopping, etc. Very handy. Our room, although a bit dated, provided us with everything we needed for an enjoyable few days in Canberra. The bar/restaurant looked updated, as well as the lobby area. The staff was always friendly and efficient. They had a nice sized pool and hot tub, although we never did figure out how to get the sauna room to work right. There was also a fitness room. Parking was underneath and that was sometimes a challenge, as there didn't seem to be enough spots and most of them were quite small.