My husband and I were given a Summer Saver night as a thank you from our daughter. We arrived on a very wet Friday night. The reception staff were quite friendly but could have been a little slower explaining the inclusions of our package when we told her it was a gift.
We had a room on the 10th floor with the outstanding views that the hotel is known for. Even thought the weather was grey the view is still amazing and at night the lights are beautiful.
The room was spacious and clean but on closer inspection it was showing wear such as paint knocked, tired dull carpet, chippped enamel bath, mouldy grout (a particular hate of mine) and the towels could have been a bit more white and less grey. The decor is very dated. Heavy timber, yellow lampshades beside the bathroom mirror that gave a dull yellow glow to your face! Only one bedside table and a standard lamp on the other side of the bed with no low switch access so you had to get out of bed to turn the light off.
We had cocktails in the Pav bar and as we were almost the only ones there we had great service. My husband tried the Stamford Sling and I had mine created especially for me. It was definitely the best service by a very friendly staff member.
The buffet breakfast in the package was outstanding. Every whim catered for and a table by the window with a river view was magic. The coffee service was odd as you weren't allowed to serve yourself so there was confusion over getting it to your table as the greetting staff were also the coffee waiters and they were busy so getting the first cup was slow and the second even slower. Tip :get the coffee from the kitchen and not the coffee pot on the bench it's much nicer.

This time I booked my room through a special promotion on a website. It seemed that the staff at the reception was very well aware of this, I felt like a guest of second class to them, they where arrogant at the reception and not helpful in any case. They where for example not able to help with a restaurant advice and recommened only their own places in the hotel. Despite arriving very early in the morning after a 24h flight they couldn't offer me anything at all during my several hours waiting time until my room was ready for check-in, not even a coffee. They did even point out to me that no room „of my booking class“ was ready a bit earlier. For a single hour of later check-out I did have to pay an extra amount. I will never again go back to this place.
Bathroom was very well cleaned and huge. The room is very oldfashioned and hasn't any chic as people might would expect. There is not enough storage for clothes, only some hangers. The carpet was dirty and the room dusty. The pool looked not clean at all and the pillows out there grey and dirty. The view of the river and boats was nice, location is very central.

There is an axiom applying to many hotels and restaurants: The better the view, the worse the service. This certainly applies to the Stamford Brisbane! The view from the 19th floor over the Brisbane river is outstanding - the service the opposite! With a corner Junior suite having three windows with heavy curtains plus a heavy bed cover, one could expect in this 5 star hotel to provide a turndown service automatically. But when one puts the switch on 'Make up the room' then this ought to be even more the case. But not at the Stamford. They add insult to injury by responding to a claim that one ought to have requested turn-down service in person. What? On one's knees at the Concierge? Quite apart from the fact that the air conditioning is so noisy that one has to turn it off at night - without being able to open a window instead. There are plenty of lovely 5 star hotels in Brisbane to give this one a miss next time.

Our special occasion was made perfect by this hotel. It's a gem.
We stayed in a Junior Suite, a two and a half room suite on one of the highest floors, 21.
Our first impression of the lobby was luxury, opulant and beautiful. Lovely antique style furniture and crystal, mixed with modern luxury. Lovely seating, meeting places etc.
On entry to our little suite my jaw dropped. The rooms were gorgeous. The view 180 degrees of the river, the Storey Bridge and river traffic. Gorgeous!! Not 10 minutes later room service brought us a very unexpected bottle of champers to celebrate our special anniversary. We were delighted, the accompanying letter from the Manager was beautifully written and sounded like she meant it! I thank them very much for that special touch, and for the nice sentiments and congratulations. You have ensured you have a repeat visitor!
The room was decorated in antique style furniture and nothing was left to want. TV next to the bath! Beautiful complimentary toiletries and bits, oh...LOVELY teas and coffees, REAL coffee with a plunger, a sound system, a tv guide would you believe?, and magazines, huge lcd tv in the lounge that swivelled so you could watch it in bed, a safe, ...goodness it was complete as I've ever encountered.
The sheets were divine. Smooth as silk. The bed a king, lovely. My ONE little teensy complaint...the pillows were so hard. They didn't feel hard to the hand, but we both had crinked necks in the morning. Feather pillows would have been perfect.
The curtains were fantastic, blackout. We never really worked out the lights and aircon.
It was as clean as I've ever seen, the bathroom was spotless.
It may be an older property having had a renovation. If this is the case, it has been done tastefully and catered to every wish.
We were allowed a $20 bar voucher, and enjoyed a drink at the Pav Bar downstairs.
In the evening we walked the short distance to Eagle St. Pier. close, and spoilt for choice with beaut restaurants here. This hotel is in the perfect location.
But the best part? the Breakfast. Wow. WOW. A lovely buffet in an even more lovely setting. Not sure the name of it, but the terrace under the hotel fronts onto the Brisbane River with a full view of the river, the craft, the bridge and the city. Wow. A decorated marquee created a soft billowing feel against the heat outside, and we chose to sit in the shade of this terrace. Spectacular. We're from Sydney and are used to beautiful views, this was amongst the best views I've enjoyed, and as Aussie a scene as you'll come across. Nice to see Brisbane back up and running so successfully a year after their awful floods.
The food at the breakfast widely varied, delicious and fresh. Only the pancakes were sub-par being very dry, but with dozens, probably hundreds of choices, who cares! (but I love my pancakes...maybe real butter, and fresher pancakes?) Service great, view to die for, food fabulous. Wow. I certainly hope we have reason to be in Brisbane again, I won't look for another place to try. Why bother when this is perfect?