College Lawn Hotel

Reminiscent of English pubs and Australian country pubs. Perfect for a solo traveller needing somewhere for a night to restock and recharge. Staff are can-do and will communicate everything you need to know without being invasive at all. The pub is busy downstairs and with good reason. The menu is diverse enough for most appetites. The common room absorbs sound and sports channels on. Sticks to basics and succeeds. Other guests clearly get it too as all shared areas are kept clean and safe without any need for posting rules everywhere. Definitely on my Melbourne list.

All good

The location is great and the staff we met on check-in were lovely. We found parking in the side street which was handy for checking in and out but be mindful of the two hour limits. We booked 4 rooms in total and I stayed two nights. Unfortunately the pub accommodation isn't soundproofed so expect deafening noise Friday and Saturday nights until after midnight. The shared bathroom facilities were let down by lack of regular cleaning, pink mould and no temperature regulation in the shower. Expect cold or hot shower... no in-between. The pillows in the rooms were more like strangled socks in a pillow case and the mattress needs a topper as the springs poke into your back. There's nowhere to hang wet towels in your room and if you get hot you'll have to open a window and put on the desk fan. For $70 a night in Gertrude Street in Prahran it's super affordable... especially during the period of the Australian Open. If you're not fussy about where you sleep or shower and are planning a late night downstairs at the pub, this is your place! Better than a Bali backpackers.