I had read the reviews on these apartments so was not expecting a modern unit with up to date appliances etc however I did not expect to be staying in an apartment that had rust stains in the bath, mouldy silicone around the kitchen sink and bath tub, stained cushions on the couch, stained curtains, dust that was so thick in the t.v cabinet it had turned into dust bunnies and every shelf in the fridge split down the middle making the shelves unusable plus an incredibly uncomfortable sofa bed to sleep on. In all fairness to the Manager, once I had voiced my concerns he did replace the shelves in the fridge, put an extra mattress on the sofa bed, replace the silicone and remove the stain from the bath. On the plus side the location is great, an easy walk to Carlton Gardens plus the free tourist bus and the city circle tram and the room was serviced daily. Great food areas close by plus supermarket a few minutes up the road. Perhaps we were just given a particularly bad unit - who knows. Please note that there are no lifts in these units so you may have some stairs to lug your suitcases up - was fine for us as we only had one bag each, would be a bit more difficult if you had young children with prams etc.

For anyone attending functions at Melbourne Uni or the colleges and wanting to walk home, this is the closest hotel to stay at (other hotels are further down Lygon St towards the city). This place is convenient, has parking, is relatively quiet, perfectly comfortable and right in the thick of the Italian quarter - everywhere on Lyges and Rathdowne you would ever want to go is right on your doorstep. The decor is old and tired but considering the price you pay it would be unreasonable to expect glamour. If you go with realistic expectations (i.e. you get what you pay for) then you won't be disappointed. Perhaps the cleaners should change their bathroom sponges more frequently, but as I was attending a college reunion on this visit, a certain level of nostalgia for indifferent hygiene levels alleviated any concerns. I will definitely stay there again - for the location.

I've stayed here a few times on business trips to Melbourne and will do so again. The apartments aren't super flash and show their age a bit but they are perfectly functional and clean. They're a short walk from hundreds of great restaurants on Lygon St in Carlton and a great art house cinema. Fitzroy is 15 minutes walk away. Off-street parking too.

We stayed four nights in a studio apartment. This is a great spot and we will be back, but you need to go with realistic expectations. Our apartment was clean, comfortable and generally quiet (a little bit of noise from other guests coming and going, but not a problem really).

The unit has an older style kitchen that is not super well equiped. For example there was only one dinner plate, and pots and pans were just average. No range hood or exhaust fan in the kitchen means that you need to open windows to cook (not so nice in winter).

Similarly the bathroom is functional - clean but old. The shower/hip bath had some rust spots, which didn't bother us but if you are expecting new, five star accommodation then you will be disappointed.

TV was an old style, cheap CRT model with a digital set top box.

None of this would stop us from going back. The bed was comfortable, the airconditioner worked well and kept the unit nice and warm, and the location is fantastic. In one direction is Lygon St, in the other Fitzroy. Easy tram to the CBD. We shopped around and this ended up being good value for money. Whether you enjoy this accommodation will depend on what matters to you - for us, location, quiet, nice comfortable bed, and big self contained room made it great.