Hotel review: Pullman Brisbane King George Square
It was a comfortable CBD stay with quite possibly the best buffet breakfast that Brisbane has to offer.
Pullman Brisbane details
- Where: Corner Ann and Roma St, Brisbane
- When: 1 July 2022
- Room type: Executive King room
- Cost: $384 room only; $426 inc. breakfast
- Hotel star rating: 5
- Book: Pullman Brisbane King George Square
My review in summary:
- My star rating: ★★★★☆
- Cost: On the higher end, but typical of a 5-star CBD hotel.
- Location: King George Square, in the middle of the city.
- Decor: Fine; neutral and modern.
- Check-in/out: Super friendly and professional staff.
- The room: Spacious and comfortable, but not as new and modern as other 5-star hotels.
- Food: Buffet breakfast was incredible. Honestly, quite possibly the best buffet breakfast I've ever had in Australia.
- Facilities: Pullman adjoins the Mercure Hotel, so there are a number of restaurants and bars on the premises.
We escaped from the Gold Coast to the Brisbane CBD for a night to enjoy a fun city staycation without the kids.
Due to rainy weather and private function bookings, we didn't get a chance to enjoy the on-site bars and restaurants for dinner. But we thoroughly enjoyed our sleep-in (thanks, blackout curtains) and re-fuelled for the day with a hearty breakfast of omelettes, doughnuts, lamingtons and more.
The cost
As a 5-star hotel, Pullman Brisbane charges appropriate 5-star rates. For the night we stayed, the rate was $426 with breakfast or $384 without.
The location
Right in the middle of the CBD in King George Square, the hotel is within walking distance of the shops, bars and restaurants in and around Queen Street Mall.
It's also right near Brisbane City Hall if you're attending an event there.
The decor
The styling is minimal and neutral, with greys and black as the main colours.
The blackout curtains were a dream, but there was one slight niggle: there was a tiny but very efficient bright blue light emanating from the smoke alarm above our bed that lit up the room while we were sleeping.
The check-in/check-out process
During our stay, the car park was temporarily closed, which was a little tricky as the process involved dropping off bags and then driving around the corner to another car park and walking back.
It wasn't a big deal for us and the staff were very helpful. As a bonus, we weren't required to pay the standard $50 parking fee.
The room
The king-sized bed was super comfortable and there was a small desk suitable for tapping away on a laptop.
The room was professional and tidy overall, although in some areas a little tired. The bathrooms would benefit from a redesign and refresh. In our room at least, it was difficult to apply makeup as the bathroom lighting was low and the main room lighting wasn't any brighter.
The food
An absolute highlight of our stay was the buffet breakfast at Goldfinch restaurant (pictured below right).
It had more options than I've ever seen before: every type of eggs you can imagine, plenty of hot options, fruit, bread, pastries and cakes.
All the food was really high quality and it was accompanied by barista coffee.
The facilities
We were hoping to check out some of the on-site restaurants, but due to rain, the rooftop bar Sixteen Antlers was closed.
Enjoying a cocktail with panoramic city views wasn't an option, so we headed to the downstairs bar, but that was booked out due to a private function.
So, we headed to Goldfish and had a few tasty cocktails and some share plates.
The verdict
A combination of a killer location and an incredible buffet breakfast nudges this hotel towards the top of my list for a comfortable Brisbane stay. With a few tweaks (like better bathroom lighting) it would be flawless, but we'd definitely book another stay again.
Book your stay at the Pullman Brisbane King George Square.
Sarah Megginson stayed as a guest of Pullman Hotels.