“You’re as connected to the city as you are to the sky at Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport”, the hotel’s brochures proudly proclaim. Which is just as well, because the Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport is pretty ideal for travellers passing in and out of our nation’s capital. Less than 10 minutes from Canberra’s CBD, and 50 metres from the airport terminal (i.e. you can literally run to the airport if you’re in a rush to get anywhere), the Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport offers a stylish retreat for visitors to the ACT.
When it opened in December 2015, its aim was to offer authentic local experiences with style and finesse, and it’s certainly done that. Entering into the lobby of the hotel puts you immediately in an other-worldly place, as if the hotels’ designers knew that its guests needed an experience befitting a well-travelled visitor looking for something more. In fact, all of Vibe Hotels’ properties speak to the experienced traveller, whether they travel for business or pleasure.
Designed by architecture and interior design firm Bates Smart, an Australian company, Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport has been compared to the eye-catching Guggenheim Museum in New York City. A circular building, its 7 stories house a breathtaking atrium/lobby, where reception staff greet and assist guests. A handy departures and arrivals board is also present in the lobby, ideal for the traveller on the go. At the centre of the lobby/atrium sits Helix Bar & Dining, so much the “heart and soul” of the hotel that the name itself is an aeronautical term referring to the central device that allows a plane to move forward. The walls along the back of the atrium are floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for plenty of natural light. So lauded is the architecture of the building that it won the title of Best New Hotel Design by Traveller‘s Best 60 Travel Finds of 2016. Whilst you’re gawking at the interiors, staff are quick to attend to you as you check in. Check-in is at 2pm, whilst checkout is at 11am.
There are 191 rooms at the Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport, each one sound-proof, and offering sunrise and sunset views to Parliament House. Room types range from the Lower Deck Room (with a King bed or 2 Double beds), to the Upper Deck Room (with a King, Twin or 2 Double beds), the First Class Room (with 1 King bed or 2 Single Beds), the 1 Bedroom Apartment (featuring a separate bedroom and living space) to the 2 Bedroom Apartment. Prices start from $135 for 1 night.
All rooms feature WiFi throughout, as well as amenities such as an LCD TV with selected Foxtel and in-room movies, mini bar with local products, iPod docks and USB charging outlets. The rooms are stylish, yet comfortable. Again, wall to ceiling windows give the rooms the feeling of airiness, no doubt taking design inspiration from the nearby airport and the vast expanse of Canberra city beyond the hotel walls. What may be surprising is that whilst the rooms/sleeping quarters area is quite large, the bathrooms are also spacious. Our bathroom featured double sinks, a deep, freestanding bathtub and a separate shower, which was, you guessed it, also huge. Colour palettes in both the room and the bathroom follow the atrium; browns, burnt oranges and creams, reflecting the natural landscape of the ACT outside. It all gives an air of comfortable style, unusual (but very welcome!) for a hotel so close to the nearest airport.
Whether you’re staying overnight or meeting with friends, Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport also features its onsite restaurant, Helix Bar & Dining. It’s perfect for meeting people coming and going from the hotel – a leisurely drink at the bar allows guests to enjoy their beverages whilst still keeping track of the flights’ departures and arrivals. For dining, Head Chef Toby Thorley‘s menu features local produce that make up the contemporary dishes. This month, the restaurant will feature the region’s Black Winter Truffle (Perigord), as part of Canberra’s annual Truffle Festival. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Helix Bar & Dining also serves as the room service facility (available 24 hours) for hotel guests. It offers dining on par with anything you’d find in Canberra’s foodie CBD.
Travelling can either be a grand adventure or a pain in the neck, but Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport offers guests the option of enjoying their time away in a hotel that’s funky, functional and fashionable. It’s the kind of place you’ll definitely be booking on your return trips to Canberra.
Helix Bar & Dining is open at the following times:
Continental breakfasts: 4am – 6am
Full breakfasts: 6am – 10am
Lunch: 12pm – 3pm (daily)
Dinner: 5pm – 10pm (daily)
Bar Menu: 11am – 6pm (daily)
VIBE HOTEL CANBERRA AIRPORT
Address: 1 Rogan Street, Canberra ACT 2609
Phone: +61 2 6201 1500
Reservations: 13 8642
Calling from Outside Australia: +61 2 9356 5062
Calling from New Zealand: 0800 101 100
Email: [email protected]
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