The Westin Brisbane – Hotel Review

Hiding the city’s only swim-up bar, The Westin Brisbane has more than a few welcome surprises for guests. In addition to tranquil rooms with Heavenly beds (a Westin signature), there’s an on-site spa, sparkling city views and a location in the heart of the CBD. Read on for the full review.

Just minutes’ walk from the botanic gardens, this sanctuary in the heart of the city is ideal for unwinding, with its shaded pool and a gym that offers sessions with a personal trainer. Family comfort is not an afterthought here, with large, clutter-free rooms and cots and microwaves available on request. There’s also a lovely jazz bar on the ground floor and a casual eatery by the pool — it's a relaxed retreat, right in the centre of all that Brisbane has to offer.

Where is The Westin Brisbane? 

The Westin Brisbane is on Mary Street, a main crossroad of the CBD. It’s about a block and a half from the Brisbane River and a 20-minute drive south from Brisbane Airport.

What’s near The Westin Brisbane?

Brisbane’s riverside Botanic Gardens, a tranquil, almost 60-hectare space of landscaped beauty with a backdrop of skyscrapers, is just 350 metres from Westin Brisbane’s lobby, as is Queen Street Mall, the city’s main shopping drag. The key ferry terminal stops of Eagle Street Pier (closed at the time of writing) and Riverside are a four and eight minutes walk respectively, connecting the east CBD to the leafy café-dotted neighbourhood of New Farm and the cultural precinct of South Bank — be sure to check out the vibrant QAGOMA (an amalgam of the brutalist Queensland Art Gallery and the cavernous Gallery of Modern Art) while staying in town.

Room types 

The signature and oh-so-comfy Westin Heavenly Beds crown every latte-coloured room like cream puffs, while the Sleep Well Lavender Balms on the bedside tables give guests the best chance of a restful night away from home. (The fully accessible marble bathrooms are generous, too). If the corporate card allows, splash for a Club Room or suite, which unlock access to the Westin Club, a helpful add-on for business travellers who need a little space to spread out and something to whet the whistle pre-dinner. (Evening drinks and canapés are complimentary). 

Restaurants and bars 

The Charles’ is an atmospheric gathering place for all, serving a steaming buffet to the breakfast crowd (and a cute “Pup-Fast” brekky for the four-legged guests) and bar grub for the evening troupe (burgers, shoestring fries, buttermilk fried chicken and the like). There’s a short but snappy cocktail menu, with inspiration drawn from the local subtropical climes, in the form of the Rango Daiquiri of mango puree, Campari and dark rum. 

Nautilus, the city’s only swim-up bar, peers out over the city’s surrounding skyscrapers, perched at the tip of the 300sqm outdoor pool. There are few better places to spend an afternoon, reclining on a lounger with a drink in hand.

Travel for work

The Westin Brisbane is clearly geared to the business traveller, with desks in every room type, the expansive Westin Club lounge with ample seating for informal meetings and fuel for evening sessions. There’s also 930-sqm of conference and event space, as well as a private dining area flooded with natural light thanks to a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Spa, gym and pool

The Heavenly Spa, on the same level as the fitness centre and steam rooms, is a small and intimate outfit, with five single-person treatment rooms and two reserved for couples. Treatments range from the all-important massages and facials to beauty treatments such as manis, pedis and INIKA make-up applications. 

The pool, which looks out from level two, has bookable cabanas if you prefer to recline in privacy.

Accessibility   

The pool and fitness centre are fully accessible and several rooms are also adapted for guests with disabilities.

What you need to know

Although breakfast for pooches is offered at The Charles’, The Westin Brisbane is not pet-friendly, with the exception of service animals.

SEE ALSO: The Best Hotels in Brisbane City (For Every Type of Traveller)