Brissie Bliss: W Brisbane Review

Sadly, my Australia trip was coming to an end, and I had a one night stop in Brisbane before I officially said goodbye to Australia. While there are plenty of Marriott options, I decided that I would treat myself to a night of luxury and stay at the W Brisbane. Get ready for a full W Brisbane Review

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Nestled along the scenic banks of the Brisbane River, W Brisbane beckons with promises of luxurious comfort and urban sophistication. There are also plenty of things to do around the hotel itself. Such as the story bridge, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, and even right by the harbor to get a dinner cruise. 

Having obtained titanium status, the previous year I had a free night award certificate to use. While point prices now fluctuate, I was able to book the room for 33k points for the night, my certificate covered 30k points. The cash price for this hotel was $275 USD for the night I was staying.

The hotel does offer parking if you are bringing a vehicle at $33 USD/night and is about a 20-minute drive from the Brisbane airport. I decided that I would just use public transportation as the BLVD train drops you off close to the hotel.

In addition to my free night award certificate, I also had some suite night awards to use. With Marriott’s reputation for being hit or miss, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email notification a day before my arrival, announcing a delightful upgrade to a fantastic one-bedroom suite.

My flight from Cairns arrived early, so I went to the W Brisbane to drop off my bags. Upon my arrival at the hotel around 11:30 am, a bellman greeted me with a warm smile and kindly offered to take charge of my bags, ensuring their delivery to my room.

I headed up the elevator to the check in, which is on the 3rd floor if you are coming from the street side. The front desk agent mentioned that my room was not quite ready yet, which I had expected as I was well before the 3:00 pm check in time. She mentioned that housekeeping was cleaning it at the moment and she would be happy to give me a phone call when it was ready.

I decided to head out and get some lunch nearby while I waited, about an hour later my phone rang and I was notified that my room was ready.

Walking into my suite I was surprised to see the room so… normal. I acknowledge it may sound unusual, but it’s worth noting that W Hotels are renowned for their at times unconventional and eccentric decor. I found the accent pieces within the W Brisbane to be quite nice.

The living room was large with plenty of room for seating. Adjoining it was a nice mini bar with everything that you could need and think of. They were nice enough to leave me a little amenity of a brassy breeze elixir and some macaroons. I always appreciate these small gestures, and I love how they put a local flair on amenities.

Entering the bedroom, I encountered a king-sized bed adorned with cyan and purple accent pillows. There was a nice semi-circle couch near the window that faced the wall mounted TV. A notable feature of this room, and one of my favorites, is that everything was controlled by a remote.

They had brought my suitcase and put it in the closet.  This was essentially the half-wall between the bedroom and bathroom.

The bathroom is elegant and spacious; however, it lacks a bit of privacy. The bedroom and bathroom lack a separating door, making the bathtub easily visible. While doors exist between the living room and bedroom, leaving them ajar at the right angle can also reveal the bathtub. On the positive side, I am a sucker for “Instagramable” bathtubs, so it worked for me.

The shower and toilet each had their own separate room with a frosted glass door for entry offering a bit more privacy than the rest of the bathroom.

The W Brisbane has 3 restaurants on the property. WET Deck, Living Room Bar and The Lex. 

Living Room Bar, as it sounds, is a bar that is located on the same floor as check in. It has a limited option for food and select cocktails. Cocktails are around the $15 USD range. One thing I really liked about this bar was that they have a unique experience called Sensory Sips.

Though I couldn’t attend due to other commitments, the front desk described it as “an immersive experience constructed to captivate all your senses, featuring nine cocktails.

The Lex serves breakfast daily and, on certain days, also offers dinner. Make sure to check which dates they are open for dinner if you are trying to make a reservation. As an elite member, I had the privilege of selecting a complimentary breakfast. This typically carries a price tag of $33 USD. Breakfast was a nice selection of pastries, fresh squeezed juices, and an omelet station. It was everything that I needed and more.

Sadly, during check-in, I was notified that WET Deck (a signature at W hotels worldwide) was closed for a private event. This didn’t bother me too much as it is an outdoor pool. During August it was a bit chilly for me to use an outdoor pool. Instead, they recommended the spa pools to me, which were free of charge. I took full advantage of these during my stay.

The W Brisbane was the perfect way to end my last evening in Australia. While I typically expect W Hotels to exude a bit more flash, I found the modern aesthetic at this hotel to be exceptionally fitting. Despite the WET Deck being closed, I happily discovered they had offered an alternative without any prompting on my part. When I plan my next trip back to Brisbane I will definitely plan on staying at the W Brisbane again.