NOVOTEL SOUTH BANK in Brisbane - Hotel Review with Photos

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Updated: January 3, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Cordelia Street, South Brisbane.
• Hotel website: novotelbrisbanesouthbank.com.au
• Hotel phone: +61 (0)7 3295 4100
• Check prices for Novotel South Bank

The modern Novotel in chic South Bank features trendy rooms, many overlooking Musgrave Park.

Novotel South Bank – Modern, fashionable, and inviting, it also faces a park and is just minutes from South Bank.

One of the newest hotels in the area, the Novotel is along a quietish road and opposite a pleasant old-fashioned park. The lobby and attached restaurant/bar are spacious and sunny, while the cozy, chic rooms and suites feature open-plan bathrooms and contemporary murals above the beds. The full-length windows overlook the park or suburban streets, and some rooms/suites provide direct access to a terrace alongside the pool. (Some are also designed with wide doors and an adapted bathroom for those with special needs.) The prime attraction, however, is the location: close to South Bank, one of the world’s greatest riverside precincts for dining, leisure, and culture.

Novotel South Bank – The Location

Address: 38 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane. Note: the hotel claims to be in ‘South Bank’, which is mostly a leisure/culture precinct (see below) about 500m away.
Area: Just across Brisbane River from the city center via Victoria Bridge. About 3 blocks from the very attractive riverside area.
How to Get There: The Brisbane international and domestic airports are 16 km away. Taxis take around 25 minutes and cost about A$50. Direct shuttles ($20) to the hotel are available through Con-X-ion. Airtrain (20 minutes) connects both airports with South Brisbane station. (See Local Transport below for more information.)
Nearest Transport: Bus – Cordelia St at Musgrave Park (25m), Train – South Brisbane (600m).
Handy to: South Bank. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Novotel South Bank – The Basics

Guests: Caters well for those on business and holidays, including families.
Pets: Service animals (e.g. guide dogs) allowed, but no pets at this stage. Check with management.
Views: Most rooms and suites offer full-length windows and excellent views of the suburban streets or, better, Musgrave Park across the road. Possible river views are blocked by other buildings.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected (or provided) at this sort of hotel.
Parking: Self-parking in a secure area under the hotel for a reasonable daily fee.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +61 (0)7 3295 4100
Email: HA0X0@accor.com
Website: novotelbrisbanesouthbank.com.au

Novotel South Bank – Amenities

Pool: Outdoors, heated, and longer than most. A few lounge chairs alongside.
Spa: Not provided (or expected) at a hotel like this.
Fitness Center: Decent size and well-equipped. Special yoga area on a terrace.
Other Facilities: Two computers in the bar/lounge area for guests.

Novotel South Bank – Food and Drink

Restaurant & Bar: The very inviting Spice Central Kitchen & Bar features an open-plan kitchen, innovative menu with focus on local produce, and extra-long wine list. Open from late afternoon, the attached bar is cheerful and offers enticing Happy Hours.
Breakfast: Can be included depending on how the room is booked. Otherwise, a substantial buffet breakfast is available for an extra cost.
Room Service: Available daily from 12 pm to 9:30 pm.

Novotel South Bank – Rooms

Room Types: King ‘N’ Pool Access Rooms • King Accessible ‘N’ Rooms • Superior ‘N’ King Bed Rooms • Superior ‘N’ Double Rooms • King ‘N’ Corner City View Rooms • King/Double ‘N’ Premier Park View Rooms • Junior ‘N’ Suites • Executive ‘N’ Suite • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed anywhere on the hotel premises.
Best Room: The very spacious Executive ‘N’ Suite features a separate living area and a bathroom with twin showers and a tub.
For Families: Some rooms have 2 king or double beds which can accommodate 2 adults and 2 young children. A rollaway single bed can also be added to the King rooms and suites. Otherwise, book rooms with connecting doors, and ask about substantial discounts for the second room.

Novotel South Bank – Local Transport

Walking & Cycling: South Bank is a fabulous area to explore on foot and by bike. The riverside path which is popular for strolling, jogging, and cycling extends several kilometers through South Bank and as far as Kangaroo Point. Two companies – Lime and Neuron – rent electric scooters. However, there’s no obvious pickup point.
Buses & Trains: With excellent train and boat services, buses are less useful for tourists. From South Brisbane station (600m via Russell Walk), trains head to the airport (see earlier), and all over the city and state, including the Gold Coast via a connecting tram.
Taxis & Ride-shares: Most taxis belong to 2 companies: Black & White Cabs and 13cabs. These can be hailed down from city streets or arranged through the respective websites. Uber also operates throughout Brisbane.
Ferries: Three companies operate boats along the river to the city and nearby suburbs: City Cat, the most extensive and frequent service; CityHopper, free and very useful for tourists; and Cross River Ferry, limited to Kangaroo Point. There are 2 terminals at South Bank.

Novotel South Bank – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants

Kokoro Bento – Casual Japanese eatery with outdoor tables and extensive menu. Good value and always popular.
Ramen Danbo – Part of a worldwide chain of classy Japanese bistros. Mostly indoors and a few tables outside.
Phuc Deli-Viet West End – Sophisticated bar and Vietnamese restaurant serving noodles and baguettes. Focus on healthy food and many vegetarian options.

The Spaghetti House Trattoria – Hugely popular for Italian fare including wood-fired pizzas. Tables along the sidewalk.
Yellowfin Seafood and Grill – Award-wining range of super-fresh seafood and succulent steaks, all cooked with flair.
Viet de Lites – Bright and cheerful setting with Vietnamese décor and menu. Also, communal dining at long tables.

Best Nearby Bars

The Charming Squire – Plush open-air bar with microbrewery setup by one of the country’s biggest boutique beer/cider companies. On Grey Street, 500m away.
The Plough Inn – Spacious old-style pub nicely positioned between Little Stanley Street and Stanley Street Plaza, 800m from the hotel. Steaks, TV sports, and beer garden.

Nearby Shops

Collective Markets

IGA Supermarket

Nearby Attractions

South Bank

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Wheel of Brisbane

Novotel South Bank – The Hotel

The Novotel is located in South Brisbane.

The Novotel South Bank hotel is along a quietish road within South Brisbane.

Opened in 2018, the hotel is impressively designed and easy to find.

South Bank is a great leisure and culture precinct.

The hotel is in the suburb of South Brisbane, within a few minutes’ walk of South Bank, a vast leisure and culture precinct alongside Brisbane River.

The lobby at the Novotel is chic, which is indicative of the style and design throughout.

Spice Central Kitchen & Bar is opposite the reception.

Opposite the reception desks is the Spice Central Kitchen & Bar, a spacious area for wining and dining.

Most rooms include a huge buffet breakfast.

A substantial buffet breakfast is included in some rates, depending on how the room is booked.

The pool is outdoors and larger than those at many similar hotels.

The lounge chairs around the pool are popular with guests.

The many types of rooms and suites feature open-plan bathrooms with sliding doors separating them from the bedrooms.

The décor, such as the mural above the beds, is fashionable.

Particularly spacious are the suites which feature separate living areas with sofas facing the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Rooms at the front overlook Musgrave Park.

The full-length windows in the rooms and suites facing the front overlook the attractive Musgrave Park.

Musgrave Park features a playground and an old-world charm.

Across the road from the hotel, Musgrave Park has a playground and an old-fashioned vibe from the decades-old buildings.

A well-stocked supermarket is about 350m from the hotel via the university campus.

Kokoro Bento is a great cafe in the university campus.

Easy to miss within a university campus just across Russell Street from the hotel are several popular eateries including Kokoro Bento.

Ramen Danbo is a classy Japanese restaurant.

This classy Japanese restaurant is also within the university campus.

Phuc Deli-Viet West End bistro and bar is also in the campus.

Yet another inviting eatery accessible through the leafy lanes of the campus is the Phuc Deli-Viet West End bistro and bar.

The Spaghetti House Trattoria is very popular in the evenings.

On a curve along the street towards the river from the hotel, The Spaghetti House Trattoria is very popular, particularly after dark.

Yellowfin bistro is on Little Stanley Street.

The appealing Yellowfin bistro is one of several along Little Stanley Street in South Bank.

The Plough Inn pub and restaurant is located in South Bank.

Occupying a vast area within South Bank is The Plough Inn pub and restaurant.

The Charming Squire serves locally-brewed beer or cider.

Another fabulous place for a locally-brewed beer or cider is The Charming Squire, 500m up Grey Street.

Plenty of more affordable places to eat are within the park along Grey Street in the South Bank precinct.

Stanley Street Plaza has several cafes and bars.

Along Stanley Street Plaza, within a few minutes’ stroll of the hotel are a few shops, but most amenities are cafés and bars.

In lieu of any beach in Brisbane, this remarkable lagoon-style swimming pool is free to use and within South Bank near the hotel.

South Bank is great for a family holiday.

Spacious and shady, South Bank is terrific for a family holiday.

South Bank has a rainforest with boardwalks.

Incredibly, also within the riverside South Bank area is a rainforest with boardwalks.

The path alongside Brisbane River within South Bank is popular among cyclists.

Another way to explore the area and travel across the river to downtown is by electric scooter.

South Bank is across the river from the city center.

The South Bank precinct about 500m from the hotel is just across the river from the city center.

South Bank has 2 boat terminals with connections to the city center.

Boats to downtown and inner-city suburbs leave from two terminals at South Bank.

The Wheel of Brisbane is located in South Bank.

Also part of the remarkable South Bank is the Wheel of Brisbane.

Queensland Performing Arts Centre is close by.

Another attraction near the hotel is the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is nearby.

The Novotel is also very handy to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The Queensland Museum is one of several cultural attractions within South Bank.

South Brisbane station offers connections to the airport and Gold Coast.

From the South Brisbane station 600m away, trains regularly go to the airport and the Gold Coast (via an easy connection). Check rates and availability: Novotel South Bank

Novotel South Bank Hotel in Brisbane, Australia

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