Fun in the city
Looking for a place to stay in the heart of town? Pullman Brisbane has everything you need
There are legions of Brisbanites who remember the Carlton Crest Hotel, also known as the Mayfair Crest hotel, from the 1980s and ’90s. Back then, it was the place to go for school formals, or to listen to local legend Tuffy play guitar on a Sunday afternoon.
It was also allegedly where disgraced former police commissioner Terry Lewis would meet up with his bagman Jack Herbert for a drink or two, and after dark it was where Brisbane let its (permed) hair down at General Jackson’s nightclub. Suffice to say if the walls could talk at this now 50-year-old property, they’d have quite a bit to say.
Revisiting the old Crest, now known as the Pullman Brisbane King George Square Hotel, and part of the Accor group of properties, it’s fair to say things are a little more sedate these days.
The hotel has had a fairly major makeover, and now is kitted out in muted greys and blacks throughout – except for the lobby which has a more glamorous vibe, all gold and creams with an enormous reception island at its centre. What hasn’t changed about the hotel, and what remains its best feature, is its location. The 210-room property on the corner of Ann and Roma streets, is directly across the street from City Hall, two blocks from the Queen Street Mall, and about a 10-minute walk across the Victoria Bridge to South Bank.
For us – two fairly tired mothers travelling with two highly energetic teenage daughters on a weekend staycation, it proved the perfect place for them to shop till they dropped – or at least their mothers did, collapsing at the hotel’s very popular Goldfinch Restaurant and Street Cafe for a restorative coffee/ champagne.
The Goldfinch is clearly the other attraction of the Pullman; on the ground floor of the hotel, it was busy for breakfast, lunch and dinner, both with hotel guests and city workers. It’s a very pretty room, wrapped in huge windows and perfect for people watching. With an (artificial) fernery overhead, and golden globe lights throughout, it feels a world away from the hustle and bustle just outside. Its buffet breakfast was a stand out from the usual hotel fare, with fresh produce, a made-toorder omelette station, and regularly replenished hot offerings.
While the rest of the hotel has more of a business traveller feel, the Goldfinch feels like an up-market family restaurant. A little more sophisticated, the Sixteen Antlers rooftop bar on the 16th floor overlooks the City Hall clock tower, and serves up cool cocktails beside the hotel’s swimming pool. The pool itself is not large, but big enough to cool off in, and is shared with the adjoining Mercure Hotel.
Both hotels share the gym, sauna and pool facilities, which can be a little confusing as the Pullman appears more upmarket. Room-wise, we shared two interconnecting rooms, mums in one, teens in the other, and each with two king beds with plenty of room. Again in the muted
greys and black palette, both rooms felt peaceful and comfortable, but if possible, make sure to request a room overlooking King George Square, rather than Roma St, as our view was a little uninspiring. All in all, if you’re looking for a Brissie staycation with everything the CBD has to offer within walking distance, the Pullman is an easy option.
It’s not quite as happening as it was in its heyday when the lobby overflowed with girls in taffeta dresses and big hair, but it’s still a fun stay in the heart of town. And not a bagman in sight.