Hotel or B&B Melbourne
 

Can anyone recommend a reasonable ($100-150 US) hotel or B&B in Melbourne? we will be there around the beginning of October 2007 for a couple of days, visiting Phillips Island and seeing the City. We will probably turn our car in as soon as we get to Melbourne, unless there is no way to get to Phillips Island without a car. Thanks, Sharon

Sharon: try www.wotif.com Note the rates will be in AUD

Checkout The Georgian court B & B www.georgiancourt.com.au It is in a delightful part of Melbourne and walking distance to most areas otherwise catch a tram, the mode of transport Melbourne is most famous for.
The Penguins always return from the ocean at dusk. There are many bus tours to Phillip Island leaving in the late afternoon to view this attraction.

Have a look at www.visitvictoria.com and under attractions as there is also a colony of up to 1000 fairy penguins in the city living on the breakwater at St.Kilda . Boat Tours are conducted but I am not sure if it is only for a few people or groups .Just in case you do not want to go to Philip Island but want to see Penguins . That is also not as bad spot to stay in the warmer months .

Yes I agree with JohnFitz there are certainly Penguins at St. Kilda, but it is not quite the same as watching 700 plus Penguins emerge from the ocean, waddle across the beach and find their own burrows. The Penguin Parade at Phillip Island is a real show and that's what makes it so unique.

thanks for the information - Georgian Court looks lovely. I think we would prefer doing a bus trip to Philips Island at this point (or at least the Master probably will be totally sick of driving on the wrong side of the road by this time...). Soooooo looking forward to this trip - we've been planning it (in our minds at least) for many years. Regards to all,
sharon

Just another opinion - but the Georgian Court is kind of odd. Nice location and the original building must have been beautiful but some of the rooms - ye gods! The one I was put in was decidedly tacky and not good value at all. Breakfast was good in the communal dining room but didn't make up for the shabby feel of a once splendid old house.

There are a couple of smaller companies that do small-bus (no 50 seaters) tours to the PI penguins that include the Penguins Plus upgrade, which is definitely worth it.

Suggest you look at:

http://www.magnolia-court.com.au/

Similar area to the other property, Georgian Court East Melb. mentioned previously, but definitely more upmarket.
The nearby Hilton Hotel has wonderful smorgesborg meals - so check their website too, especially Sunday lunch.
Happy holiday in Melbourne .....

We stayed at Magnolia Court a year or two ago and it was a bit tired then. May have been renovated since. Breakfast was OK.
Last night we stayed at Punt Hill Apartments in Flinders Lane - right in the city. The room was clean, linen good and we had a kitchenette which we didn't use but there were hotplates and microwave. It is just near the laneways that have all the great coffee places. Also near all tram lines and close to Flinders St station. We are going back later this week and will stay there again.