On our most recent trip back to Australia we travelled in and out of Brisbane on three non-consecutive nights. We needed somewhere to stay overnight for each of those nights and since there are coincidentally three airport hotels very close to the airport I decided we might as well try all three of them out so we could decide which was the best for any future visits – and so I could tell you as well! So here are our personal experiences and opinions about staying at the Ibis Brisbane Airport Hotel, the Pullman Brisbane Airport Hotel and the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel so you can make your own informed decision on where to stay if you will ever be visiting Brisbane Airport and need accommodation as well.
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Ibis Brisbane Airport
Our Experience
We actually stayed here on our last night in Australia before heading back to the Netherlands, but I’m putting it first as it’s the closest to the domestic terminal – by a couple of metres! We checked in during the afternoon and then headed into Brisbane proper to meet up with a friend for dinner. We came back for a shower before an early night as we needed to get up early for our flight.
Location
The Ibis is located directly across the road and train line from Brisbane’s domestic terminal, so you can walk across with your luggage within ten minutes. This location is perfect for early morning flights and even for international flights as there’s a free shuttle bus between the two terminals so you don’t need to worry about transport. You can also easily get into the city centre via the train station which is in between the hotel and the airport terminal. Everything is well signposted so you won’t get lost.
Rooms
While the room and bathroom were a lot smaller than the rooms at the Pullman we found the bed to be a bit more comfortable. The water pressure in the shower was nice and everything was clean. There’s a TV and a kettle for tea or coffee as well as a mini fridge, although we didn’t really use any of these.
Amenities
The Ibis has a really nice restaurant called Cribb Island Beach Club which we actually ate in on the night we were staying at the Pullman. It’s located on the ground floor with a little terrace and was quite popular with the local Federal Police – we saw them having an early breakfast both mornings that we walked down to the airport! Our dinner here was very yummy, Dennis had a burger while I had fish and chips and the prices were reasonable. I also enjoyed the coastal-themed decor.
Price
Standard Queen and Standard Twin rooms at the Ibis start from $229 AUD, making it the most affordable option out of the three airport hotels.
Pullman Brisbane Airport
Our Experience
We stayed here when we first arrived in Brisbane, which is also when we flew into Australia. I’d seen online that you could book a day stay in the case of long layovers and wanted to be able to check in as soon as we arrived to shower and sleep after the huge travel time. When I had emailed about this I was told it have been organised but when we arrived we were told we could get an early check-in (two hours early) for an extra $100 AUD. We felt that was a bit steep but I’d had a pretty horrible flight and really wanted to just shower and sleep so we just paid for it.
Location
The Pullman is located directly next door to the Ibis Hotel a ten-minute walk from the domestic terminal. There’s really no difference between the two when it comes to location at all!
Rooms
Even the most affordable room here is huge, with a small lounge and a desk as well as a King-sized bed. The bathroom was also very large, with the shower and toilet in separate stalls which looked a bit odd but wasn’t a problem. We had a cool view over to the airport tarmac. The only slight problem was that we found the bed to be really bouncy! Any time either of us rolled over the other felt like they were going to boing out or something which was a bit weird. But it was comfy other than that! There’s plenty of space for luggage along with a TV, mini fridge and kettle.
Amenities
The Pullman also has a restaurant, although the Apron is much fancier than the one at the Ibis and we didn’t actually eat there as it actually seemed a little too fancy for us! The restaurant looks out over the pool and it does look nice, but we didn’t feel like getting dressed up for something grand that night. I had originally planned to spend time in the swimming pool, that was the whole reason I booked the Pullman for the day we arrived, as we weren’t flying out until the next day and could spend the day by the pool and maybe go into the city to explore. But unfortunately, I felt really ill after a bumpy flight from Singapore and we basically just rested in our room the whole day, aside from going to eat dinner next door. Ah well, maybe next time!
Price
The Superior Room starts at $329 Australian dollars, with deluxe executive rooms and suites also available for higher price points.
Novotel Brisbane Airport
Our Experience
I booked this hotel for our in-between night, when we had been to outback Queensland and flown back to Brisbane the day before our flight to Tasmania. I had thought we would have time after we got in to check out the Direct Factory Outlet mall which is right next door, but unfortunately, that didn’t eventuate. We actually had a weird experience here, which was partly my fault as I’d somehow accidentally booked our stay twice and they wouldn’t refund us for the room we didn’t need. The staff we dealt with were polite and trying to help, but we were very annoyed by the online system being so strange. In the end, they upgraded us to a suite, so I feel like the staff did all they could to keep us happy but be VERY careful if you’re booking this online directly through their website as it is buggy.
Location
While this is called the Novotel Brisbane Airport it’s actually located just outside the airport at the Skygate shopping mall. There’s also a free shuttle from both airport terminals to get here, although it stops running after about 7pm. We were planning to meet a friend for dinner in the city and ended up having to get a taxi to the airport so we could then get the train into the city. Luckily our lovely friend then drove us back to the hotel after dinner when we got into the city so late that the trains stopped running by the time we’d eaten! It’s annoying that there isn’t a train station for the mall as the train line goes right past, we could see it from our window…
Rooms
We were upgraded to a suite, which was a lot nicer than what we had originally booked. There was a separate bedroom, bathroom and a living area with a tiny kitchen plus a dining table, which was of course way more than we needed for an overnight stay! But everything was clean and very comfortable so we had a good night’s sleep.
Amenities
The Novotel also has a restaurant and bar on-site but we didn’t end up going in there. The main drawcard for staying here is if you want to go shopping at the DFO before flying out. The website also advertises a swimming pool, but it’s apparently been closed for maintenance for over a year…
Price
A Standard King room at the Novotel starts from $289 Australian dollars with premier rooms and executive suites at higher price points.
Which Brisbane Airport Hotel Should You Pick?
The short answer? In my opinion, you should choose the Ibis if you just want somewhere comfy to sleep without spending a fortune, the Pullman if you want something a bit fancier (with a pool!) and don’t mind spending a bit more, and only at the Novotel if you really want to go shopping at the DFO without worrying about getting to and from there.
Comparison
Location: Ibis or Pullman. They’re next door to each other and both a short walk from the domestic terminal so there’s really no difference in terms of location.
Rooms: Ibis or Pullman. While the Pullman’s rooms and beds are bigger, we personally found the beds at the Ibis to be slightly more comfortable.
Amenities: Pullman. This is the only one with a pool, which tips it over the edge if you’re looking for more than just a room. You can also eat at either the Ibis or Pullman restaurant no matter which hotel you’re staying at but if you want to go for a swim, you’ll want to stay at the Pullman.
Price: Ibis. The Ibis is slightly more affordable than the Pullman since the rooms are smaller but we don’t think you miss out on comfort.
Overall: Ibis or Pullman! Next time we’re staying at Brisbane Airport we will probably choose the Ibis again, unless we’ll have enough time to go swimming, in which case I might go for the Pullman since we didn’t get to try out the pool! But I’d recommend either of these two and you will need to decide if you’d rather the slightly larger and fancier Pullman or the more affordable and comfy Ibis.
Book your own stay at the Ibis Hotel here or the Pullman Hotel here and have a wonderful stay!
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Disclaimer
All information is true and correct at the time of publishing but I cannot be held responsible for changes in opening times and prices or businesses closing in the meantime. I always endeavour to keep my posts up to date but also encourage you to double-check the official website of an attraction for information on when it is open, how much it costs etc.
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