Abode Canberra Review: In-Depth Look At Belconnens’s 4-Star Apartment Hotel.

As the capital of Australia, Canberra is the nation’s showpiece. Such thought and consideration went into its design that it’s so much more than just functional. It’s beautiful too. And taking those principles and incorporating them into accommodation is the hotel Abode Canberra, which features five storeys of gorgeous ultra-modern apartments that perfectly complement the stunning city.

Disclosure: This review is a non-sponsored post based on my stay at Abode Belconnen in October 2022. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Abode Apartment Hotels lies in Canberra’s northwest suburb of Belconnen, 14 km by road from the CBD.

Room Types.

Abode Canberra has a range of stylishly outfitted apartments that feature a full kitchen complete with a fridge, stovetop, microwave, utensils and cutlery and a combined washing/machine and dryer for the complete home-away-from-home experience.

Some King Studio Rooms and Two-Bedroom Apartments are wheelchair accessible and the hotel even has some pet-friendly rooms available too, making it fully inclusive for all types of guests.

• King Studio.
• One-Bedroom Apartment.
• Executive One Bedroom Apartment.
• One Bedroom Deluxe Apartment.
• Two Bedroom Apartment.
• Two Bedroom Deluxe Apartment. 

Room Features.

• Floor-to-ceiling windows.
• Kitchenette. (Sink, Stovetop, Microwave, Fridge, Dishwasher, Utensils, Pans, Plates, Cups & Cutlery.)
• Expresso Machine.
• Combo Washing Machine/Dryer.
• Full-length mirror.
• Couch & coffee table.
• Table.
• TV with Google Staycast.
• Rain Shower.
• Iron/Ironing Boards.
• Some wheelchair-accessible rooms.*
• Some pet-friendly rooms.*

Deluxe One Bedroom Apartment – Room 313.

Abode’s deluxe one-bedroom apartment was a gorgeous, modern, spacious and well-designed room.

With its floor-to-ceiling windows, dark grey drapes, black panels, mirrored splash back, and glass sliding door, the apartment felt more 5-star than 4. And everything seemed gleamingly new.

Living Space.

As an apartment hotel, it also featured a complete kitchenette with modern high-tech applicances and included a sink, electric stove, dishwasher, microwave and coffee machine. It also contained a prominent assortment of kitchenware perfect for creating a wide range of meals, all neatly tucked away behind the cupboard doors. Also hiding behind one of the cabinets was a new combo washing machine/dryer, which was a lovely surprise. 

Continuing with the main space was a light grey sofa, coffee table and concrete pole. Even though the latter was a significant thing in the room, it wasn’t an eyesore by any means. If anything, it added to the style of the space and made it feel even more homely, which is a testament to the hotel’s designers.

The room also featured a large flat-screen TV hoisted to the wall on a rotating arm. It tucked away neatly into an odd corner of the room, but turning it out to face the couch was unobtainable, at least when I attempted to do so. Nevertheless, it wasn’t in the ideal position to comfortably watch from the sofa. (Why are hotel TV’s never in a good position? They always feel like an afterthought.)

To cap off the living space was a little nook tucked away on the other side of the TV. Decorated with only a round table, a couple of chairs and a framed artwork on the wall, it was simple but was a lovely way to cap off a small awkward area.

Bedroom.

Now, onto the bed part of the room. Undoubtedly the most unique and standout feature of the apartment was the sliding glass door that separated the living space and kitchen from the bedroom. It was the number one thing that elevated the already high-end feel of the hotel to luxury

Additionally, the bedroom had a semi-open wall unit for hanging clothes, and storing items and contained the spare blankets, iron and ironing board. The full-length mirror on the wall was an effective way to fill out the area from the unit and the door, although the space between the bed and the glass you’d need to stand in to see yourself was a bit cramped.

Furthermore, the biggest problem with the bedroom was the bedside lights. They are permanent fixtures hanging from the ceiling but are too far apart! While the right one sat nicely over the right bedside table, the left didn’t. Instead, it was dangling above the power point, which was an issue as it caused me to hit my head on it twice while getting up from charging my devices.

Bathroom.

The bathroom at Belconnon’s Abode Hotel was like the rest of the room: beautifully sleek. With clean lines and dark accents, it oozed ultra-modernity.

The large slate grey tiles set the tone for this stunning bathroom, and the backlit mirror was a stylish touch that gave the space a sophisticated feel. The soft-close toilet was lovely, and the rain shower was divine.

The only criticism is that there was no hide-able storage space, which for a hotel isn’t that much of an issue, but the small exposed shelf below the sink for the tissues and hair dryer ever-so-slightly took away the elegant feel of the bathroom, but built-in shelf under the mirror allowed for plenty of space to add your own toiletries.

View.

The view from apartment 313 of Abode Canberra was lovely. At only 6 storeys high, the building isn’t that tall (although it’s attached to another that is) so it was never going to have epic views, but overlooking the street and all the cars going past a reasonable view.

What elevated it above the typical hotel with a similar view was the floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows, allowing for a wide panoramic. It made the apartment feel like an office in a modern high-rise, furthermore adding to the luxurious feel of the room.

Reception & Restaurant.

The reception is a small humble looking entrance way into the hotel and was nothing too descript. The adjacent restaurant was a lovely outfitted and inviting space that had a boutique feel and was served by kindly waitstaff.

Outdoor Space, Pool, Spa & Sauna.

Level 5 of the Abode Hotel features a beautiful, lush outdoor green space with BBQs, picnic tables and a gorgeous, contemporary resort-style swimming pool, spa and sauna next door.

The days I stayed it was either rainy, windy or both, so it wasn’t the most pleasant day to use the pool, but the undercover spa was splendid. The water was legitimately hot, not lukewarm like many other spas are but not scaldingly so, either. It maintained just the right temperature so that it was enjoyably warm for an extended period rather than getting cold shortly after entering. It also featured bubbles and jets, adding to the luxury feel perpetrated throughout the hotel.

The small sauna next to it was also a great addition to the outdoor area, especially after getting out of the hot tub.

Is There Parking At Abode Canberra.

Yes, Parking is available on the 3 levels below the Metro Woolworths across the road at an extra charge. Getting down to the correct level was uncomplicated enough but navigating the area around the lift was a little less so.

Staff.

The staff at the hotel were all friendly, but there were a few communication problems.

I was staying here as part of my car insurance coverage, and when it became apparent I would need another night, they didn’t respond to the email from the insurance company requesting it.

After calling the insurance company, they sorted it out, and I went down and got confirmation from the Abode staff that the next night was secured too.

But while I was in my room, I got a knock on my door from housekeeping checking to see if the room was clear despite having the Please Do Not Disturb sign on my door. The two people were very polite, apologised and told me they weren’t aware of the change. Then shortly later, another person from housekeeping did the same. He hadn’t gotten information about it either but was also courteous.

It appeared some information wasn’t getting passed through somewhere along the line, but luckily I was in the room when they did drop by. Would they have cleared out my room if I hadn’t been?

Nearby Attractions.

The Abode hotel sits northwest of Canberra in the suburb of Belconnen, which is not near any major attractions. However, there are a couple of smaller ones within walking distance.

Lake Ginninderra is a stunning lake only a few hundred metres away and is a fantastic, scenic place to enjoy a picturesque nature walk or picnic.

A little further away in the opposite direction is the Big Powerful Owl. Located on the corner of Belconnen Way and Benjamin Way, the sculpture of the nocturnal bird welcomes people to the northwest suburb.

However, while Belconnen doesn’t have much to see, Canberra is only a small city, and many of the well-known tourist hotspots are only a short distance by car or public transport away.

Nearby Shops.

Something else that compliments the Abode’s apartment-style rooms is the Woolworths Metro just across the road, meaning you don’t have to go far to pick up some goods to cook up a delicious meal in your room!

Public Transport & Accessibility To Other Attractions.

Canberra isn’t known for having the most comprehensive public transport system, but luckily for people staying at Abode, there is a major bus depot within short walking distance.

Abode Canberra is a new mid-range priced hotel that delivers on all fronts. It’s an outstanding, upscale place with high-end furnishings and features that outclass its 4-star rating.

It’s such a gem, I could see myself living in a place like that. That’s how much of an impression it left. And that’s not even including the outdoor space and pool/spa/sauna area, which was the icing on an already delicious cake.

So if you have a little extra money to spoil yourself on a place while discovering Canberra, I can’t recommend the Abode apartments enough. It’s up there as one of my favourite places I’ve stayed.

As an apartment hotel, Abode has many features that typical short-term visitors are unlikely interested in, such as a kitchen, dishwasher and washing machine.

But for people who are looking to stay in Canberra for more than a few days, those inclusions are likely to appeal to them more, making it perfect for folks wanting something luxurious to return to and who enjoy creating their own dishes whilst travelling.

Abode Canberra is a gorgeous ultra-modern apartment-style hotel packed with sophisticated features that are perfect for people looking for a luxurious place to stay while discovering Australia’s vibrant capital.

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