The Crowne Plaza Adelaide – one of the city’s newest hotels – is a sparkling jewel in Adelaide’s East End. Whether you’re here for work or a few days of rest, the hotel will welcome you with a contemporary design and the latest tech mod-cons in your room.
Crowne Plaza Adelaide also boasts unrivalled views from practically every area of the hotel. Whether you’re perched at the bar, restaurant or pool on Level 10 – or one of the 329 guestrooms onsite – you’ll see the beauty of Adelaide stretching out across the horizon through floor-to-ceiling windows.
In this review, I’ll walk you through a King Premium Corner room, as well as some of the amenities on offer at the Crowne Plaza Adelaide – part of the IHG One Rewards program.
Hotel location & first impressions
You’ll find the Crowne Plaza Adelaide at 27 Frome St, towards the east side of Adelaide. The location is quite convenient – just an easy walk to the CBD and shops. Fond of greenery? You’re in luck: the verdant Adelaide Botanic Gardens and surrounds border one side of the hotel.
If traffic is busy on Frome St, I’d suggest you pull up at the hotel’s alternative entrance on Tavistock Lane. Although the main reception is on Level 10, the ground floor counter is staffed during daytime hours.
At the main lifts, head up to Level 10 to check-in at reception. If you’re just visiting the bar or restaurant, you’ll find these on Level 10 as well. The guestrooms are located on Levels 3-9 and 11-20. For conferences and events, head to Level 2.
As the gilded doors glide open, I’m greeted by a beautiful, expansive lobby. There’s plenty of seating for the Luna 10 bar and cocktail lounge, which I’m sure is quite the place to be during sunset. I also note small luxe touches throughout, including the use of Appelles Apothecary hand sanitiser on the counters.
Pleasingly, check-in is quick and efficient. Though my stay includes breakfast, I’m not able to take advantage of it due to an early morning flight. Quelle horreur! Never fear: the reception staff are quick to offer a breakfast box to take with me, which I gratefully accept. The staff are also happy to arrange a taxi, which is waiting for me bright and early at 5:30am the next morning.
Point Hacks tip: The main central lifts only go up to Level 10. If you’re staying on Level 11 or higher, a second bank of lifts can take you directly to the ground floor and back up again, once you’ve got your keycard. When you’re heading back to the hotel, look for the lifts on the right-hand side to go straight up again.
Exploring the King Premium Corner room
The space
With my bamboo keycard in hand, I head to the lifts to reach Room 1902. I’ve scored a King Premium Corner room on the 19th floor, which is the second-highest in the hotel. And wow – what a view! This particular corner faces the parks on the east side of the city, so I see plenty of leafy foliage from my room.
The room itself isn’t massive – the hotel’s website pegs these rooms as starting ‘from 28 sqm’. While I think it might be a tad squeezy for 2 people, there’s ample space for a solo traveller. Certainly, the use of floor-to-ceiling glass gives the room a much greater feeling of space.
I’m a little disappointed to discover my room doesn’t have a bathtub – I was looking forward to a relaxing soak! But this is the norm with business-centred hotels. If some well-deserved R&R is on your agenda, book one of the Crowne Plaza’s Executive Suites, which include bathtubs.
With all the excitement over the scenery, I’ve neglected to check out the most important part of any hotel stay – the bed. The king-size mattress is plush and comfortable. The linens are smooth and inviting. The pillows may be too soft for some people, but they’re perfect for me.
I don’t spot a ‘pillow menu’, as some other hotels offer. But give reception a buzz if you want to enquire about something firmer.
The rest of the space is filled with the mini-bar and a small table for 2. While it’s not a proper work desk, I find it comfortable enough to fire off some emails.
Back towards the entrance, there’s a wardrobe with a sliding mirror door. I’m pleased to discover 2 fluffy hotel bathrobes inside, an ironing board and a built-in safe.
The technology
I really enjoy the modern tech and lighting on offer. LED strip lighting around the bed head is an excellent touch, and the 2 reading lamps are both functional and elegant.
One side of the bed has an alarm clock unit with wireless charging on top, while the other side has USB outlets. Both sides benefit from AC powerpoints, which are easily accessible and not tucked away. Even the telephone, which you can use to dial reception or out, is sleek and modern.
The room’s 55″ TV is mounted to the corner pillar. Of course, it’s best viewed at night or with the curtains drawn during the day. I like how easy it is to connect to Chromecast, so I can cast my own Netflix content to the screen and control it on my phone. If you’re eager to do the same, just connect to the hotel’s WiFi, visit getstreaming.tv and enter the code on the screen.
From there, just cast the content from your phone as you usually would, with supported apps.
Speaking of WiFi, it’s fast and free. Though I was so happily ensconced in my room I forgot to run a speed test.
The amenities
The mini-bar ticks all the boxes for me. The offering is concise and not terribly overpriced. I like how the range of beverages on offer goes beyond basic soft drinks, wines and beers. (Indeed, though I was tempted by a $12 G&T over dinner, I eventually settle for a lighter bottle of kombucha, $6).
The room comes with quality tea and coffee provisions, with T2 teas and Vittoria Oro coffee capsules on offer. Had I not overslept my alarm the next morning, I’d have definitely enjoyed a pod coffee with some milk from the fridge.
The bathroom is serviceable. While there’s nothing too ‘luxe’ about the shower itself, the toiletries are high-end Antipodes products provided in environmentally-friendly bulk pumps. In case you’re worried about contamination, I note that all the products are locked in with tamper-proof screws.
Hotel dining
The Crowne Plaza Adelaide’s resident restaurant is Koomo, which serves Japanese fusion dishes. As I’m reasonably tired from the day’s travels and dining alone, I opt to order dinner from Koomo via room service. Each room has a QR code, which opens up a link to order food directly to your room.
Once again, I’m very happy to see something different on the menu. Move aside, club sandwiches and reheated pizzas! Most of Koomo’s main menu is available for room service, though prices are $1-2 higher than in the restaurant. As I’m not charged a separate tray/delivery fee, I assume that the increased prices cover this convenience.
Having had a late lunch out in the city, I choose 2 small plates for supper: the wagyu dumplings and the chicken katsu sando. My meal is delivered within 30 minutes of ordering, which is fine.
The food is certainly a bit on the pricey side, but my dishes are absolutely delicious. I particularly love the chicken katsu sando, with the crunch of the lightly-toasted bread and crispy chicken against the Japanese mayo and salad.
Eating dinner from the comfort of my own room, with Netflix on and the cityscape in full view… This experience is certainly a highlight of my stay at Crowne Plaza Adelaide.
As I mentioned earlier, I’m not able to indulge in the hotel’s buffet breakfast, unfortunately. At check-out, I’m given a breakfast box to-go, stocked with an OJ, a banana and some flaky pastries. I certainly appreciate the thought. Below are some images of breakfast at Koomo, both in the restaurant and in-room. Next time!
Hotel facilities
Of course, I take a look at the other amenities of the hotel. All the action takes place on Level 10, where reception is located. The main seating you see is the lounge space for the bar, Luna 10, which has an impressive range of beverages on display. The entrance to Koomo is just opposite the reception, as well.
Behind the bar, I find the gym and pool area. Crowne Plaza Adelaide’s gym is certainly more impressive than many others I’ve encountered. The room is spacious and high-ceilinged, ensuring good ventilation. All the equipment is new and boasts the latest tech, including video screens.
Finally, I venture out to the pool deck, where the infinity pool looks out to the horizon. It’s very picturesque, though unfortunately it’s also very windy at the time of my visit. I hear this may be a recurring issue due to the building next door. Hopefully, the hotel can find a way to shield the area, which is otherwise lovely.
Booking Crowne Plaza Adelaide with points
You can use IHG One Reward points to stay at Crowne Plaza Adelaide. Pricing is now variable, but you can expect a Superior Room (base level) to set you back around 30,000 points a night. If you’re interested in upgrading a Reward Nights booking to a higher room category, call the hotel to see what options may be available.
The closest refundable rate is currently $206 a night, so you might be better off using cash and saving your IHG One Rewards points for a stay where the nightly rate is higher.
Summing up
Inside the keycard holder, Crowne Plaza Adelaide says “we’re here for business – mostly”. I feel this sums up the essence of the hotel perfectly. It doesn’t have ultra-luxury touches such as a day spa, or multiple restaurants. But that’s not what the Crowne Plaza brand is about.
Rather, it’s mainly focused on the needs of business and general leisure travellers, and the hotel excels in those areas. Each room is modern and most have wonderful views. The technology is up-to-date, dining at Koomo is a delight and the gym is well-equipped. The location is convenient for travellers, and I’m sure the pool is very enjoyable to use when it’s not as windy.
I’d happily book the Crowne Plaza Adelaide on my next personal escape to the city. And believe me, I’ll be back. Adelaide has so much more to offer.
Brandon stayed as a guest of Crowne Plaza Adelaide. Dinner was at his own expense.
The review mentions the coffee pods, but doesn’t mention that the hotel only provides 2 coffee pods PER STAY. Regardless the length of your stay, you get 2 coffee pods, that’s it. If you want more, the hotel expects you to pay. Penny pinching at its finest, and leaves me with a sense that the hotel is just trying to rort as much $ as possible from their guests.
Also, based on my past stays, the buffet breakfast area is woefully undersized relative to the quantity of rooms. Expect LONG QUEUES for tables at breakfast in the morning.
I don’t feel like this review adequately reflects what most people’s experiences will be like when staying at this property.