RYDGES SOUTH BANK in Brisbane - Hotel Review with Photos

SD › Brisbane Hotels › Rydges South Bank Review
Updated: January 3, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Glenelg Street, South Brisbane.
• Hotel website: rydges.com
• Hotel phone: +61 (0)7 3364 0800
• Check prices for Rydges South Bank

Rydges is a modern hotel with spacious and family-friendly accommodations in a great location.

Rydges South Bank – Perfect position in the amazing South Bank, and fantastic for families.

Rydges is located along the main street through South Bank, a marvelous leisure and culture precinct beside Brisbane River. The Superior and Deluxe rooms feature sizable balconies, many with direct views of the river, Wheel of Brisbane, and city skyline. All accommodations cater very well for families, especially the suites with kitchenettes and two bedrooms (each with a bathroom). The main selling point is the location: surrounded by numerous places to eat and drink, as well as cultural icons like the performing arts center, art gallery, and museum; and within minutes of two extraordinary (free) attractions facing the river – a rainforest and a tropical ‘beach’.

Rydges South Bank – The Location

Address: 9 Glenelg Street, South Brisbane. On a corner, most accommodations in the building face Grey Street, the main thoroughfare through South Bank.
Area: Magnificent position on the other side of Brisbane River from the city center via Victoria Bridge. In an amazing redeveloped area of eateries, bars, and entertainment/leisure/cultural attractions at South Bank – a major attraction in itself.
How to Get There: The Brisbane international and domestic airports are 16 km away. Taxis take around 25 minutes and cost about A$50. Shuttlebuses ($20) direct 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 – Cultural Centre (500m), Train – South Brisbane (300m).
Handy to: South Bank. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Rydges South Bank – The Basics

Guests: Mostly business people during the week, especially with the convention center virtually attached. During weekends, guests are often on holidays.
Pets: Only service animals (e.g. guide dogs) are allowed.
Views: Many rooms face the river, city skyline, and Wheel of Brisbane. Others offer decent views of the streets and buildings around South Bank, including the low-level convention center.
Kitchen: Suites feature kitchenettes.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected (or provided) at this sort of hotel.
Parking: Secure area under the hotel for a daily fee.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +61 (0)7 3364 0800
Email: reservations_rydgessouthbank@evt.com
Website: rydges.com

Rydges South Bank – Amenities

Pool: The pool is heated and outside, offers street views, and is shared by the public visiting the attached Soleil Pool Bar. Plenty of lounge chairs on the wooden deck.
Spa: Not expected at an inner-city hotel like this.
Fitness Center: Substantially renovated and now known as RYDGENERATE. Plenty of equipment and great views, as well as a jacuzzi and sauna.
For Families: Baby-sitting.
Other Facilities: Do-it-yourself laundry. Business center. Tour desk. Currency exchange.

Rydges South Bank – Food and Drink

Restaurants: Bacchus Restaurant – very stylish and has won awards for cuisine and service. Extensive a la carte options and degustation menu of several courses that can include wine. Free weekly tastings. Popular High Teas most afternoons. Dress up and book ahead. • CBD – casual ground floor position with a street-side entrance. Popular for coffee, pizzas, and wide range of beers.
Bar: The Soleil Pool Bar is ideal for cocktails while sunbathing next to the pool. Comfy, colorful seating on a wooden deck, trendy DJs late into the evening, and light meals all day.
Breakfast: Can be included depending on the booking. Buffet breakfast is served in the super-wish Bacchus Restaurant.
Room Service: Available 24 hours a day from a special menu that includes items not available in the restaurant.

Rydges South Bank – Rooms

Room Types: Queen Rooms • Twin Rooms • Superior Queen Rooms • Superior Twin Rooms • Deluxe Queen Rooms • Deluxe Twin Rooms • Junior Suites • King Suites • Two Bedroom Suites • Two Bedroom Superior Suites • Deluxe King Suites River View • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed anywhere on the hotel premises.
Best Room: Nicely positioned in the corners, the Deluxe King Suites River View provide the finest views from 2 floor-to-ceiling windows. Each suite has a separate living room, extensive balcony, and kitchenette.
For Families: With 2 queen-sized beds, all Twin Rooms can accommodate a family of 4. Suites can comfortably fit in 4 adult-sized people and feature kitchenettes. Suites with 2 bedrooms can accommodate 6 people, and also have 2 bathrooms and 3 TVs. Many rooms have connecting doors.

Rydges 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, these seem randomly dumped, so there’s no obvious pickup point.
Buses & Trains: With excellent train and boat services, buses are less useful for tourists. From South Brisbane station (300m), trains head to the airport and all over the city and state, including the Gold Coast via a connecting tram.
Taxis & Ride-shares: Most taxis belong to two companies: Black & White Cabs and 13cabs. These can be hailed from the 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 two terminals at South Bank.

Rydges South Bank – What’s Nearby?

Fantastic selection of places to eat and drink around South Bank. Most are along Grey Street, which the hotel virtually faces, and Little Stanley Street, one block closer to the river.

Best Nearby Restaurants

Salt Meats Cheese – Friendly, family-owned bistro with contemporary Italian cuisine and tables on the sidewalk. Only 50m north along Grey Street.
The Spaghetti House Trattoria – Hugely popular for Italian fare including wood-fired pizzas. Tables along the sidewalk at a curve along Little Stanley Street only 50m towards the river.
Yellowfin Seafood and Grill – Award-winning range of super-fresh seafood and succulent steaks, all cooked with flair. Next to The Spaghetti House.
Viet de Lites – Bright and cheerful setting with Vietnamese décor and menu. Also, communal dining on long tables. 100m past Yellowfin.

Best Nearby Bars

The Plough Inn – Spacious old-style pub nicely positioned between Little Stanley Street and Stanley Street Plaza, 400m from the hotel. Steaks, TV sports, and beer garden.
The Charming Squire – Plush open-air bar with microbrewery set up by one of the country’s biggest boutique beer/cider companies. 200m north up Grey Street.

Nearby Shops

Collective Markets

Nearby Attractions

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Wheel of Brisbane

Rydges South Bank – The Hotel

The Rydges dominates the skyline along the main street through the amazing area called South Bank.

Although the hotel entrance is along Glenelg Street, most of the building faces Grey Street, the main thoroughfare through South Bank.

Part of the refurbishment throughout the hotel, the fitness center is spacious, well-equipped, and also provides some terrific views.

The pool is outdoors and heated. It’s also shared with anyone visiting the attached Soleil Bar.

Alongside the hotel pool, the Soleil Pool Bar is popular with locals for cocktails and DJs on weekends.

The pool has a nicely furnished wooden deck.

There are plenty of bright and comfortable seats on the wooden deck beside the hotel pool.

Bacchus Restaurant is elegant and expensive.

On the ‘Podium Level’ of Rydges, the Bacchus Restaurant is very swish (and expensive).

The restaurant has an open-plan kitchen.

The restaurant specializes in beef and steaks.

The menu at the Bacchus Restaurant at the Rydges Hotel specializes in all types of beef and steaks.

CBS sports bar is renowned for its pizzas.

Within the hotel building, but at street level around the corner from the reception area, CBD is renowned for its pizzas, spacious setting, and TV sports.

Some of the recently-refurbished suites are in a corner with twice the views.

Suites provide separate living areas with colorful furnishings.

Bedrooms are spacious and well-furnished.

Bedrooms in the suites are spacious and feature numerous modern amenities, including a second TV.

Most rooms and suites have a balcony with outdoor furniture.

Rooms in the front face the city center.

Views from the rooms and suites facing the front include the city skyline across the river.

River-facing rooms have spectacular views at night.

Views from the balconies overlooking the river are even more spectacular at night and include the Wheel of Brisbane.

South Bank is a great leisure and culture precinct.

The hotel is in South Bank, an amazing area of cultural buildings, inviting eateries, and leisure amenities alongside Brisbane River.

The Spaghetti House Trattoria is popular in the evenings.

Just down from the hotel on the way to the river, The Spaghetti House Trattoria is especially popular for evening meals.

Yellowfin Seafood and Grill is a great place on Little Stanley Street.

Yellowfin Seafood and Grill is one of many fabulous places to eat along Little Stanley Street, one block towards the river from the hotel.

Viet de Lites, just past Yellowfin, is colorfully decorated and particularly inviting.

Stretching between Little Stanley Street and the plaza near the ‘beach’ (see below), The Plough Inn is a lively pub that serves hearty meals.

The Charming Squire has a microbrewery onsite.

A couple of minutes’ walk along Grey Street from the hotel is The Charming Squire, a huge bar with a microbrewery onsite.

Just across the corner from the hotel, Salt Meats Cheese is one of several appealing eateries along Grey Street.

Little Stanley Street has several affordable cafes.

Most places to eat in South Bank are pricey, but more affordable options are available in a cluster just off Little Stanley Street.

Southbank Cinemas is popular with families.

Another attraction, especially for families, is the Southbank Cinemas, about 200m along Grey Street.

Queensland Performing Arts Centre offers sophisticated entertainment.

The Queensland Performing Arts Centre is one of many buildings around South Bank providing sophisticated entertainment.

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is connected to the hotel.

Stairs from the first floor at the Rydges lead to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The convention center hosts events through the year.

Just across a forecourt from the back of the hotel, the convention center hosts numerous events throughout the year.

Queensland Museum nearby is also popular with families.

Another cultural attraction within South Bank is the Queensland Museum, 600m north up Grey Street.

South Bank is great for a family holiday.

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

Most amenities around South Bank are for eating and drinking, though a few souvenir shops are dotted along Stanley Street Plaza.

One of the most remarkable attractions anywhere in Brisbane is the riverside and manmade ‘tropical beach’ within South Bank.

South Bank has a rainforest with boardwalks.

Sharing South Bank with the ‘beach’ is a rainforest which can be explored on boardwalks.

The Wheel of Brisbane is located in South Bank.

Between the hotel and river is the Wheel of Brisbane.

The path alongside the river at South Bank is ideal for cycling.

Also a popular way to get around is by electric scooter.

South Bank overlooks the city center across the river.

View of the city center across Brisbane River from South Bank.

Boats from the 2 terminals at South Bank head to the city center and nearby suburbs.

South Brisbane train station offers several connections.

Only 300m from the hotel, the South Brisbane train station provides services across the city and state, including the Gold Coast. Check rates and availability: Rydges South Bank

Rydges South Bank Hotel in Brisbane, Australia

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