Growing up in Brisbane, it’s impossible not to notice how much the city has grown and changed over the years. Boasting glorious blue sky days dripping with warm sunshine and the heart of an overgrown country town, Brisbane is also home to an ever-growing array of world-class bars, restaurants, cultural events, entertainment and activities. For lucky locals like us, it’s an incredible place to call home and a must-visit Queensland destination. Whether you’re visiting from afar or simply looking to reconnect with the city you call home, there’s plenty to fill a BNE itinerary and live like a local. To help you find the perfect place to stay on your next Brisbane getaway, here’s our review of Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments.
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Where is the hotel located?
You’ll find Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments located on the corner of Ann and Chester Streets in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Known affectionately as ‘The Valley,’ the suburb sits northeast of Brisbane’s Central Business District. A vibrant and colourful part of Queensland’s capital city, The Valley is a hub of great food, live music venues, bars, pubs and clubs, boutiques, high-end shops, thrift stores and so much more. Historic, quirky and never dull, The Valley has something for everyone.
Check out Google Maps below, showing Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments location. If you aren’t familiar with Brisbane, you’ll want to know the hotel is in a fantastic location situated close enough to all the food and entertainment you’ll want to experience but putting just enough distance between you and the nightlife so you can relax and unwind too. Fortitude Valley is a fantastic spot to stay for Brissie staycationers and interstate or overseas visitors, giving you easy access to the very best of Brisbane!
How to get to Brisbane and your hotel
Overseas or interstate visitors will most likely fly into Brisbane Airport. From there it’s around a 15-20 minute drive from the airport to the hotel, though drive times will increase during peak hour in the morning and afternoon. You may like to catch rideshare, like Uber, (approx AU$30) or a taxi (approx AU$40) from the airport to the hotel or you can catch the AirTrain to Fortitude Valley for around AU$15 p.p one way.
With on-site parking available, Brisbane and Queensland locals or those travelling by car can safely and securely park at the hotel. We drove in, parked on-site and then did most of our exploring on foot, ensuring we didn’t have to worry about counting drinks, how long we’d been parked for and so on. It was much more relaxing knowing we could take our time and enjoy ourselves.
What are the rooms like?
We stayed in room 1001, a 1 Bedroom Executive Apartment located on the 10th floor of the hotel offering stunning views of Brisbane City and surrounds. At around 57sqm, our room was a fantastic size for the two of us. The layout featured an entryway opening up into a self-contained kitchen complete with full-sized fridge and freezer, dishwasher drawer, sink, microwave, electric cooktop, cooking and dining utensils and a great-sized kitchen bench with stools, doubling as a breakfast bar.
The entryway also included a desk and chair, full-length mirror and cupboards for storage. It can be hard to find a spot in a hotel room to put your luggage and we found this entryway area was ideal for us! We could open our suitcases flat but not end up cluttering the room and, consequently, stubbing our toes on our suitcases as we walked around.
A round dining table with two chairs offered another great seating and eating area in the living room. The three-seater couch was a fantastic size, offering a cosy spot to curl up and watch free-to-air television or Foxtel and, I can confirm, you have access to all the good channels (including movies!) The television is a large, flat-screen, smart TV with great picture and sound quality and the nesting coffee tables offer a good spot to rest your cup of tea and snacks.
In the bathroom, we loved the size of the shower and found it had great water pressure with plenty of hot water. Importantly, you can use the basin at the same time as the shower without any change in water temperature or pressure. The glass shower screen and mirrors really open and brighten up the bathroom, offering a good spot to do your makeup or brush your teeth. In place of one those tiny hairdryers that barely does anything, the hotel offers actual GHD hair styling tools!
Another plus for us was the washer and dryer tucked behind two folding doors in the bathroom. Personally, I love staying at accommodation that offers self-contained features like an in-room laundry and kitchen as you can pick up food and bring it back to the room to enjoy which removes the need to go out for each and every hunger pain! Having your own laundry means you can pack lighter and stay on top of any washing you may have, ensuring you don’t arrive home with a mountain of dirty clothes to deal with.
The living room opens up to a good-size balcony with another table and chairs, offering yet another spot to sit and relax. In comparison to studio-style hotel rooms, this setup means you have loads of different spots to sit, hang out and relax, without just being confined to the bed. Glass sliding doors open the balcony area up to the living room and the bedroom, which makes the apartment feel even bigger.
Equipped with a Queen Size bed, bedside tables, lamps, an alarm clock, power outlets and extra cupboard storage, the bedroom has spectacular views of Brisbane. Floor to ceiling windows makes the most of the cityscape with heavy block-out curtains and an additional set of sheer curtains to help you regulate light.
In addition to 1 Bedroom Executive Apartments, the hotel also offers Studios, 1 Bedroom Apartments, 2 Bedroom Apartments and 2 Bedroom Executive Apartments so you’re sure to find one that suits your budget and needs. In this current era of safety-conscious travel, having a self-contained apartment is a real bonus as you can get takeaway if you don’t want to dine-in or can’t secure a reservation at your preferred spot. You can minimise your contact with the outside world, if you like, or immerse yourself in it! The choice is yours.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of the hotel’s ‘Live Like A Local’ promotion! Guests stay one night and enjoy the second night free. Book your live like a local weekend escape here and be sure to check the hotel’s website for other specials and promotions.
Let’s talk about the food situation
You may be used to staying at hotels with an on-site restaurant offering a buffet breakfast, all-day dining or even a bar. Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments has taken a much different approach with no on-site food and beverage. Instead, you’ll find Fortitude Valley is your restaurant and, really, it makes sense! I mean, why put a restaurant in a hotel just for the sake of it when there are so many great cafes, restaurants, bars and more within short walking distance. Leave it to the experts, right?! Keep reading for my top picks on where to eat and drink while staying at the hotel.
What other facilities does the hotel have?
Head up to the rooftop area and you’ll find the ultimate hangout spot. Sweeping, panoramic views showcase the beauty of Queensland overlooking Fortitude Valley and Brisbane CBD, including the iconic Story Bridge. Personally, I loved looking out over New Farm, taking in views of Queenslander-style homes, lush greenery and the big blue sky.
There’s plenty of seating up on the roof including really cosy loungers with throw pillows and a coffee table so you can sprawl out with a good book and a bite to eat while soaking in the sunshine. There’s covered dining spots with chairs, tables and bench seating so you can enjoy in all weather.
Importantly, you’ll find two BBQ’s with kitchen benches, a sink and additional bench seating. This area is just fantastic! You could very easily head to the weekend markets, stock up on fresh local produce and cold drinks then head up to the rooftop for a sunset BBQ shared with friends and family. It has to be one of Brisbane’s most picturesque BBQ spots and, best of all, it’s not crowded.
Making the most of the space and the views, the hotel has a rooftop pool where guests can cool down, relax and unwind. There’s plenty of seating so you can sprawl out on a pool lounger and soak in the summer sun. If you fancy getting your heart rate up there’s a cardio room equipped with treadmills and a couple of machines. The hotel also offers a 24-hour front desk service and fast wifi.
Best things to do in Fortitude Valley
You’ll find no shortage of fantastic things to do around Brisbane and Fortitude Valley is the perfect playground for your stay. To help you plan your time here are a few of the best things to do in Fortitude Valley:
- Grab an absolutely delicious breakfast at Nodo Donuts with a menu packed full of yummy options and loads of choices catering to gluten-free and vegan requirements. Best of all, their coffee and doughnuts are out of this world so be sure to stock up for later!
- Spend your days exploring Fortitude Valley’s Laneways including Winn Lane, California Lane and Bakery Lane. You’ll discover an abundance of great shops and eateries to peruse as well as the Laneway Markets, held on the first Saturday of the month from 9 am to 2 pm.
- If you love Japanese food be sure to visit Tatsu Gyoza and Ramen Bar! This spot has a very low key exterior but step inside and you’ll find a really cool decor and absolutely delicious food including gyoza, ramen, whisky highballs, edamame and more.
- We’re obsessed with dumplings (clearly!,) and if you are too, you should also pop Fat Dumpling on your Valley itinerary. Here, you’ll find delectable homemade ice tea, scallion pancakes, fried rice and, of course, a great selection of crispy dumplings to choose from.
- Embark on a fitness journey with your partner at STRONG Pilates! Experience their innovative Rowformer and BIKE machines with Pilates-inspired movements for a shared experience of cardio HIIT training and strength/resistance workouts.
- Wander through the trendy James Street Precinct, stopping in at boutiques and eateries before making your way to Sixes and Sevens for an ice-cold beer or cocktail. This spot offers great street-watching, good eats and an awesome atmosphere too.
- Lovers of live music should definitely check out websites for local venues like The Zoo, Woolly Mammoth, The Brightside and The Triffid. It’s an excellent opportunity to catch a gig by one of your favourite performers or simply discover new music. You may also like to catch a show at the Judith Wright Centre.
- The Valley is home to some of Brisbane’s best rooftop bars including spots like Limes Rooftop Bar, Elixir Rooftop Bar and Maya Mexican. Soak in great views while enjoying the laid back ambience of Brisbane with a drink in hand.
- If you’re keen to dig a little deeper you may like to join a free guided tour with Brisbane Greeters! While the service is on hold at the moment, it will undoubtedly start up again. We joined a tour a few years ago and were blown away by how much we didn’t know about our own hometown.
- For anyone with a sweet tooth, you should absolutely check out Gelato Messina and Jocelyn’s Provisions. Messina serves up my favourite gelato in Brisbane with unique and truly scrumptious flavours while Jocelyn’s offers some of Brisbane’s best-baked goods. Seriously, the cakes here are something special.
The Verdict…
Our stay at Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments couldn’t have come at a better time for us. After being cooped up in the house for months we were both starting to get very itchy travel feet and a staycation was just what we needed. It felt so good to get away from the house, have a change of scenery and spend a few days dining out, exploring The Valley and reconnecting with our hometown.
The size of our one-bedroom apartment, equipped with self-contained features, made it feel like a home away from home. We had plenty of space to unwind and absolutely everything we needed to have a great stay. Importantly, we also had a vast array of dining and entertainment options a short walk from the hotel. With great views, an epic rooftop and plenty of things to see, do and eat each day or the option to simply stay in and relax, we found ourselves spoilt for choice.
Our two-night stay was generously hosted by Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments. All opinions are, as always, authentically our own.
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