Feedback on Conrad Treasury Brisbane ???

[jaffa]

I have just had an urgent Gov business trip thrown on me to BNE.

I have made a 4 night res at the Conrad due to the unavail of my reg haunt (sofitel). In Thurs night, out Mon.

I need to host a couple of very private biz meetings for 4 plus me on Fri and Sat so have been advised by the hotel to rez a Premier Parlor Suite which l have done.

Any feedback on this recommendation?

The hotel is going to put on a working lunch & Bevs in Suite for us on Fri. Any comments on their food and room service??

Sunday and Monday are my own time and as l am a connoisseur Martini man l thought l might stay in-house and try out the bar on Sunday evening.

This biz trip has to happen just right!
have l made the right decision? Will service be up to scratch for a 5 *****

Thanks in advance.

(unfortunately it was a pay up front deal so l cannot cancel without losing out)
Mind you, it was a to good to refuse deal as well....

 

[straitman]

I have stayed at the Conrad Treasury a few times and find it very comfortable, particularly if you like old world charm. There is a good selection of bars though I can't really comment upon your Premier Parlor Suite or the quality of the Martinis.

 

[NYCguy]

Will service be up to scratch for a 5 *****

We've stayed there before. The service is OK, and you'll be fine as long as you don't expect it to be The Peninsula Tokyo. It is BNE, after all...

 

[serfty]

Agree with straitman about old world charm.

It's an interesting place with high ceilings - it was converted from a psuedo bank.

Nothing so gauche here as buffet breakfast here - fully a la carte.

You should be fine ... also you will surely earn a pretty significant number of HHonors points - I recommend selecting the "HHonors Points and HHonors Points" option as your "Double Dip® Earnings Style". (AUD1200 Expenditure could earn ~15K)

 

[anat0l]

A good hotel - probably ranks as one of the best near the city centre IMHO. I haven't stayed in the suite before but in regular rooms the lighting may be a bit low. Make sure you leave the curtains open to let more light in.

Decor and fittings are old world type - as mentioned, this used to be an old government building. Charming enough, just don't expect hypermodern! At least the decor has more character than its pedestrian sister-hotel, Hilton Brisbane.

Most of the staff are courteous, knowledgeable and capable. More than 97% of the time you can expect 5* customer service, but as always YMMV so don't set the bar too high.

The food is mainly supplied by the lab bar + restaurant on the first floor. Nice dishes and culinary artworks but a bit overpriced.

If you have a Hilton Premium Club membership and wish to utilise this during your stay, make sure you present your card every time you need to sign for a bill. Don't just sign and throw it on the final room account expecting to have it adjusted on check-out, because they will not be able to apply your 20% discount to individual line items once you get your bill at check-out.

 

[drron]

Psuedo bank?I thought those only occurred in Victoria,thinks tricom.
The conrad building was the Queensland Treasury building.

 

[serfty]

The first stage of the building to be completed was the William Street and part of the Queen St frontages and was built by the Phippard Brothers.[1] When completed in September 1889, the new building was occupied by the Premier, Colonial Secretary, Registrar-General, Treasury, Mines, Works, Police and Auditor-General. The construction of stage two, which completed the Elizabeth Street section, was commenced almost immediately and was completed by February 1893. This new wing was occupied by the Registrar of Titles, Justice, Works, Public Instruction and the State Savings Bank. The final stage of construction was started in 1922 and the Queen and George street frontages were officially opened in 1928, providing additional space for the existing occupants.

Treasury Building, Brisbane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[drron]

And from the CBA list of amalgamations-
1920: Queensland Government Savings Bank (1916-1920) incorporating:

• Moreton Bay Savings Bank (1856-1865)
• Ipswich Savings Bank (1861-1866)
• Toowoomba Savings Bank (1862-1867)
• Government Savings Bank of Queensland (1865-1916)

So does that make it a pseudo bank?
Might be thinking of the Victorian equivalent again?

 

[serfty]

Maybe a should have said Partial Bank.

One of my stays there was an upgrade to a very decent room. I'm sure the en-suite was in an old Vault.

 

[medhead]

Well, this is a slight problem, I've just realised that what I wrote below is completely incorrect, after properly reading the Wkikpedia link provided by Serfty. But I'll leave it there for the record. However, the wikipedia link is about the building that houses the Casino, not the building that houses the Conrad Tresury Hotel. So the casino was converted from a pseudo-bank (not withstanding my other views on this below).

It would seem, from the same wikipeda page, that the hotel is in the former Lands Administration Building (Conrad Lands Administration ?). This would explain the fact that the pub across the road from the Casino is the Treasury (not withstanding it's conversion in to an pseudo-Irish pub) and the one kind of across the road from the Hotel is the Lands Office (not an irish pub yet)


I think there is an undue focus on the aspect of the building that related to it's use as a bank. The primary use of the building was to house Queensland Government Departments, in particular the Treasury Department, as well as the QLD Government Savings Bank. I'd also note that the associated building housing the casino formerly housed the Qld Education department as my mum showed me the various "rooms" that she had to attend when starting out as a teacher, when the casino first opened.

In any case, by the time of conversion all of the information provided says that the savings bank was long gone. So it seems to be a bit of a long bow to draw to use a long forgotten, minor use of the building to claim that it was a converted bank (of any kind).

Note the name of the hotel is the Conrad Treasury not the Conrad Savings Bank.

 

[jaffa]

Thankyou everyone for your feedback.

And also for the history lesson, which now puts things into perspective for me, I'm gratefull.

If l could trouble you with one other important decision l have to make,

What is a good reccomendation for a top (fine dinning) restaurant ??
A real experience type of place:shock:. Price is no object.
Something with great wine's and excellent service and food.

A nice ambience would be a big plus.

I fly down in the morning....

Thanks for your help...........

 

[Flashback]

What is a good reccomendation for a top (fine dinning) restaurant ??
A real experience type of place:shock:. Price is no object.

Obviously paying on the taxpayer's dollar! :shock:

 

[jaffa]

Funny!!

No, this is all private, not Govn't sponsored.

 

[markis10]

You dont have to walk to far, Augustines On George should hit the spot:

Augustine's on George | Menu

Or you could try Aria Brisbane which is in soft opening (former pier 9), Restaurant II or even cha cha char or Ecco.

 

[medhead]

You could look at Oxley's Wharf at Milton or Brett's Wharf seafood resturant if seafood is the thing.

I can remember the lcoation a few great suburban resturants in Toowong, Ascot or Paddington, but since I last went to them in the mid 90s they are probably closed now.

 

[NYCguy]

Or you could try Aria Brisbane which is in soft opening (former pier 9), Restaurant II or even cha cha char or Ecco.

Restaurant 2 is very, very good - we went there late last year with very sophisticated diners from New York City, and everyone was impressed.

 

[Mal]

Just as an interesting aside, there are actually hotel rooms also above the casino which are used for high rollers etc.

I stayed in one about 5 or more years ago. I've never stayed at the Conrad, but have been in several rooms. Definately an old world charm type of place.