kirsty&al

Hi

We are planning to arrive in Melbourne mid April. I have been looking at short stay apartments for the first week and wonder whether anyone has experience of them (good or bad).

Thanks

Kirsty

BKate

Hi Kirsty,

When I visited Melbourne last christmas we stayed at Aston apartments in Acland Street St Kilda, it was a good location but for what we paid I wasn't impressed when we arrived which was late they hadn't left enough bed linen and an apartment they said was suitable for 4 people most definity wasn't. We ended up leaving a week early, we did complain and got our money back for the week we didn't use.
They seems to be alot of short term accomodation in Melbourne, some nice ones in South Yarra.

Good Luck

jayr

How much do you want to pay?

artep

Hi Kirsty

We were in Melbourne at the beginning of April last year. We stayed at Quest St. Kilda apartments for a week. It's on Eildon Street and its walking distance to the St Kilda sunday market where we bought loads of stuff we then had to cart round with us for a month!!

Quest St. Kilda

There's 5 of us, my eldest slept on the sofa bed in the lounge as it was only 2 bedrooms. The apartment was clean and had everything we needed. When we arrived there, fresh off the plane at about 11pm ish (taxi driver got bloody lost ) we found there wasn't enough towels in the apartment for all 5 of us, when I went down to reception to get another...the guy there gave me a free bottle of scrummy wine for my inconvenience!!!!! Result!!!

Petra

OzTennis

Another I can recommend is the Saville Group who have 2 locations in the Melbourne CBD (as well as being in all the other capital cities). When we were in Melbourne we inspected them for a relative who was going to visit and they were excellent. The one we visited was in Exhibition Street, right at the top end overlooking the Exhibition Buildings and Gardens. They have over 300 one and two bedroomed apartments between the 2 locations.

(Exhibition Street) http://www.savillesuites.com/default...=article&ID=10
(Russell Street) http://www.savillesuites.com/default...=article&ID=11

The Quest group, previously mentioned, also have a number of locations and they have 2 in Williamstown which is a bit out from the city but there are ferry, bus and train links to the city. The Quest apartments at Gem Pier, Williamstown have arguably the best view in Melbourne - across the yachts and bay to the city and the hills beyond.

http://www.hotels-search-engine.org/hotel/11242010
http://www.williamstowninfo.com.au/e...mmodation.html

OzTennis

OzTennis

Here's a pic of Quest, Williamstown (I hope!):

OzTennis

helinuk

looks lovely, so I did a check rates/ availabliity search and it kept coming up as booked? for each month this yr???!

OzTennis

The secret is out then!

I would guess that businesses have taken long term lets on all the apartments which are available for let because they are so popular. We had the chance to buy one but decided against it because they have an unusual 7x7x7x7 arrangement. This means that Quest get the option to lease it for 7 years at a guaranteed return to the owner and even with an annual increment built in.

At the end of the first 7 years Quest have the option to take out a 2nd 7 years lease and so on. If you want to live in it yourself you have to wait - it could be after 7, 14, 21 or 28 years. However, they are great investments because the annual rental return was astonishing. Quest in turn let the apartments on a daily, weekly or whatever you want basis - hence them being all taken for a long time. When I am in Williamstown you see lots of business people coming out of the apartments in the morning - often stepping into company limousines to take them into the city. Some like a ferry trip into the city too.

Quest have other apartments in Williamstown but they are not as spectacularly located as these.

OzTennis

helinuk

Yes great investment- not so good if you're looking for short stay accom.
we had many service apart. in Singapore normally used by expats arriving - or leaving, so using them for 1-4 weeks. looks like Melb. could do with a few more?
The holiday cabin I used in Dromana was good value but near the city.
Now there's a thought -perhaps emigrate with a business visa and start up a shortstay business nearer to the city using holiday cabins?

Gary / Terri

Kirsty
my brother works for Medina apartments and you can find them on the web www.medinaapartments.com.au they are all over Aus.
Gary and Terri

kirsty&al

Thanks everyone. I will check these out. Kirsty

NJFOZ

We used the Ultimate in South Yarra. Great location but they were expensive for what they offered.

suffolkdiva

We used CityEdge apartments in East Melbourne.

About $750 a week, but clean, well equiped and comfortable.

They are about 300m from Fitzroy Gardens, which is great if you have kids, and you can easily walk to the city which takes about 15mins