The 12 most underrated, and five most overrated, things about hotels

What do we love? Outdoor tubs and inclusive mini-bars. But we’re over “luxury branding” that doesn’t add up and the great wellness contagion.

UNDERRATED

Outdoor bathtubs

Those properties with outdoor baths, saunas or hot tubs, according to Airbnb, experience a higher occupancy than those without, especially in winter. There’s just something about an outdoor tub – a mixture of decadence, self-indulgence and communion with nature. Lie back, soak up the warmth, gaze up at the stars, and feel the air on your naked skin – pure bliss.

Inclusive mini-bars

We love accommodation that offers a free mini-bar as part of the stay. It’s a small touch that comes with huge ROI (great guest memories, maximum relaxation, no reeling at the final bill). We were reminded of this welcome luxe gesture at Tasmania’s Pumphouse Point where a stay at its flash new lakefront retreats includes an array of fine wines and bubbles. See pumphousepoint.com.au

Transfers on arrival

You touch down to start that long-awaited holiday but still have to reach the hotel. You’re bone-tired from packing and travelling, barely holding it together, and the kids are ready to start World War III. Oh, hallelujah – at some point in all the organising, you booked a hotel transfer and a driver is standing in the arrivals area with your name written on a board. Worth it every time.

Original decor

Swanky hotel refurbishments often come at the cost of original character. Thankfully, more designers are now committed to honouring a property’s founding vision. Rydges Melbourne is a standout: its burnt-orange and chocolate accents nod to the heritage-listed brutalist tower’s 1970s origins. Elsewhere, Edmonton Canada’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, where a 2024 revamp put the century-old landmark’s history centre-stage while subtly adding freshness and modern comforts. See rydges.com; all.accor.com

Holiday parks

They may not have the styling or design cache of more expensive hotels, but many Australian holiday parks have snaffled prime beachfront real estate, and feature facilities that are winners with kids – swimming pools, splash mats, waterslides, playgrounds and jumping cushions. If you’re travelling with children, they offer unbeatable value as well as capturing that carefree Aussie summer vibe of yesteryear.

Hotel Etico, Mount Victoria, NSW

Australia’s first social enterprise hotel, this historic property in Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains creates work opportunities for young adults with disabilities, training them in all aspects of hotel management. A newly expanded program also provides independent living skills and recruitment pathways into nearby hotels via a collaboration with the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and a new academy in Canberra. See hoteletico.com.au

Genuinely quiet rooms

Forget the pillow menu and the lavender tea delivered at bedtime. Want us to sleep? Then give us solid soundproofing. A door that seals properly with thick walls means no hallway noise so we can sleep. Hotels which invest in soundproofing: like triple-pane windows and great door seals, means we’re not woken by our neighbours’ dawn check-out to make their flight.

High-pressure, consistent-temperature showers

A good strong shower with the same water temperature throughout should be simple, but they’re rarer than they ought to be, even in high-end hotels and resorts. Nothing screams good hotel like a shower that doesn’t turn Arctic – or that you don’t have to stand under for 15 minutes just to wash the shampoo out. Bonus points if temperature adjustment doesn’t require a physics degree.

A decent lobby cafe

A good cafe with real espresso and decent pastries probably beats any hotel restaurant breakfast, and at a fraction of the price (why do all hotel buffets have to start at about $35?). It’s extra-great if it’s open early for when we have early flights.

Genuine local insight from staff

Front-desk or concierge teams who actually know the area and recommend lesser-known good spots (not just the oh-so-obvious tourist traps) can turn a trip from okay to memorable. Please tell us where you go – we’d love to experience your town or city like locals do. We know we’re tourists, but that doesn’t mean we want to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Flattering bathroom lighting

You don’t want to head out not really knowing how you look, because your bathroom light is so dim, but those bright CIA-style interrogation lights can be a tad depressing too. We all want to feel glam and good-looking on holiday. Give us decent lighting – that’s flattering – and we’ll know we don’t have lipstick on our teeth, while feeling pretty okay about ourselves.

Functional storage space

Wardrobes, drawers and luggage racks aren’t very glamorous as a feature to sell to tourists, but they really impact our hotel experience. A room might look attractive, but it loses a lot of its style points if we have to crowd it with our suitcases, making it impossible to navigate our room without climbing over the bed.

OVERRATED

In-room coffee machines

Coffee pods are marketed like they’re a genuine perk, but half the time the water tastes like plastic and the machine hasn’t been cleaned since 2021, or it just doesn’t work (despite that hour you spend at dawn trying to figure it out). And even if it does – and it’s clean – this is the nastiest coffee you’ll find on the market. Find a kettle and a tea bag instead.

High-Speed Wi-Fi

Guess what, it’s 2025, hotel big wigs, so Wi-Fi should just work fast, it’s really not that big a deal – it does for most of us in our homes for less than $80 a month. And yet, so many hotels still throttle speeds or charge extra for “premium” access. C’mon, even backpackers at hostels get fast internet for free.

Designer lobbies

They look great on Instagram, but they’re uncomfortable. Who wants to lounge on sculptural furniture which feels like you’re perched on concrete? Keep it comfy and practical – we didn’t book a room in an art gallery. And consider how much time most of us spend in a lobby anyway. Spend all that money on our rooms instead.

Wellness everything, everywhere

Where will it stop, and what does it even mean? From “mindful minibars” to “curated sleep experiences” (aka: decent curtains and overpriced lavender spray that smells a lot like toilet freshener), the wellness trend has gone well into the realm of marketing over actual health benefits. Anyway, we’re travelling so maybe we need a break from all the wellness we obsess over at home.

“Luxury” branding

Every mid-tier hotel chain now calls itself “boutique luxury”. It’s a phrase that’ll drive you crazy if you travel enough. A gold tinge in the lobby and some mood lighting doesn’t make a hotel high-end. Real luxury is all about service and comfort — not a soft velvet couch by the check-in desk.

Contributors: Ben Groundwater, Julietta Jameson, Brian Johnston, Kristie Kellahan, Katrina Lobley, Rob McFarland, Julie Miller, Tim Richards, Craig Tansley, Sue Williams

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