Staying at the Mantra Collins : Hobart, Tasmania

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Finding inexpensive accommodation in Hobart, Australia is not easy.  A quick review of Trip Advisor or other review sites also provide a mixed bag of people’s opinions.  There are several hotels that are close to, or on the waterfront, a location that is often the first request of many travellers to this city.  On the waterfront means the prices will be even higher, so if you are not wanting to spend additional money on a water view, it’s best to look in other areas.  If you are looking to save money, self contained accommodation in Hobart is an even better option.

I wasn’t overly concerned about waterfront views on this occasion, but proximity to it and the major locations of Hobart city were important.

The Mantra Collins

The Mantra Collins, located only a few blocks back from the water was just perfect.  Once again, the reviews of this hotel were varied, with most of the negative ones focussed on the age of the rooms.  Some complained about the location, which after staying there for four nights, I still fail to understand.

We arrived late in the evening, almost midnight, having had a delayed flight.  The person on duty couldn’t have been more helpful, and his giggly manner had us feeling a lot better than we probably felt at this time of night.

We had been upgraded from a standard queen room to a king room executive suite, complete with separate bedroom, lounge and kitchenette.  A corner room also meant we had plenty of windows to let the light in.  No views to speak of here, but I didn’t book it for the views.

The Executive Suite

The bedroom, containing a king size bed can be sectioned off from the living area. Note however that should you have the air-conditioning unit turned on, it’s best to keep the doors open. We closed ours and found that it became quite stuffy.  A cupboard provides reasonable hanging and drawer space as well as a safe.  Heavy curtains on all windows mean you can keep the light out should sleeping in be on your agenda.  As is usually the case in hotel rooms, lighting is not fantastic.

There is a large screen tv in the bedroom also.

Bathroom

The bathroom is an ensuite off the bedroom and whilst not elaborate, it is spacious enough and practical.  A good supply of hot water in the shower always gets my tick of approval.

 

Living area

With a dining table and chairs, sofa and desk, the living area is quite spacious.  A large screen tv is also provided here too, meaning that you could watch two different programs in the one hotel room at a time.

The downside of this hotel is lack of wifi.  At the Mantra Collins you must sign up and pay for it on an expensive daily rate.  This practice remains an unwelcome part of the hotel industry in Australia and I know many visitors to this country are consistently annoyed by it.  As a local, it annoys me too, and as a traveller I expect it.  In 2017 it should be a basic inclusion in every room.  If a backpacker hostel can provide it, then hotels that charge in excess of AUD$200 a night can most definitely include it.

Annoyingly, I also couldn’t sit with my Macbook plugged into electricity at the desk.  The placement of the powerpoint so close to the desk means that the power pack that is part of my cable cannot fit.  It’s small details like this, that make it difficult for someone to work on the road, that needs more careful consideration by those who design hotels.

Kitchen

The executive suite is self contained, with a sizeable and very useable kitchen.  Coffee pods, tea bags and milk are provided, although the coffee pods weren’t refilled every day.  I have a theory about hotels these days.  In an economic environment where driving cost efficiencies is usually a key corporate strategy, I think there’s a deliberate ploy to not replenish toiletries and other amenities on a daily basis.  Whether you use them, or take them home is irrelevant.  When you pay a room rate for a hotel, those things are included and should be replenished every day.

A toaster, kettle, pots and pans and other utensils are all provided meaning you can cook meals in here should you wish.  A Woolworths is located within a couple of minutes walk from the hotel making gathering supplies even easier.

The Mantra Collins is centrally located, only two blocks back from Constitution Dock.  Access to all other waterfront areas is easy as well.  Hobart city is an easy city to walk around.  We stayed here for three days and never felt the need to hire a car.  If you do have a car however, parking is available for a fee in a nearby secure carpark.  The bus system works well, is cheap and you can still even buy tickets on the bus!  This means you won’t need to negotiate your way around the local travel card.

The beauty of this hotel is that whilst it is close to the restaurants, bars and other waterfront attractions, it’s far enough away to still be peaceful at night.  It made the perfect starting point for my food tour around Hobart city and is very close to two of the leading markets here also.

Located 18km from the airport, a taxi will cost around AUD$60 one way (depending on time of travel).  Peak hours could see this amount increase.  The Hobart Airporter runs a bus to and from Hobart Airport on a regular basis and will be considerably cheaper than a taxi for singles or couples.  We caught a taxi into the hotel as it was very late at night and the shuttle doesn’t drop you right at this hotel.  For trips during the day, it’s an easy three minute walk to the bus station from the hotel.

Where

The Mantra Collins is located at 58 Collins St, Hobart, Tasmania

Check in details

Check in is from 2pm and checkout 11am.  Reception is operated 24 hours a day.

 

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