Hotel Realm in Canberra

The 3hr drive to Canberra was relatively uneventful. Not many cars would head to Canberra since my partner told me it has got to be the most boring city around Sydney. He wondered aloud why it was chosen as the capital city puzzled him. I on the otherhand, figured it was a strategic decision to appease the Melbourne and Sydney population (whom I found out after moving here that they are always competing against each other...which no offence, Melb wins hands down for me.)


At the edge of Canberra city, we stopped by the visitor centre to grab a map, or rather being asked to pay $2 for one. I was slightly appalled. Honestly, $2 for a pocket map of a god forsaken city? It's point blank robbery in my opinion. While we were here, I decided to grab the Turner to Monet art exhibition rather than getting to the museum since it cost the same (A$20 each).


We arrived at Hotel Realm at National Circuit after a slight confusion with all the "circles" and ring road. What exactly is it about the road planner? What is this obession with circular roadS?! It looked really easy on map but when u are actually on the road, its a different matter all the together for first time visitor.


The hotel looked contemporary and really new. Check in was without a hitch although one should check in first before looking for a park as you will need the hotel room keys to enter the carpark, which is located round the side of the building. Saturday parking was complimentary thankfully. They had a really nice elongated waiting area.




We got ourselves into room on the third floor, which is the highest possible just below the executive level. The room is clean, relatively spacious by Australia standard with a nice comfortable bed and soft pillows. There was a relatively big section near the window which is supposed to be the working area with the desk and all. Everything that should be there was there, except I noticed later one of the lights in the bathroom was dead. It took alittle meddling before we figured out how the reading light worked but otherwise, all was good. Towel was big and fluffy except I didnt like their toiletries which is really the cheap stuff (skin unfriendly mositure stripping sort).


I didnt understand what one of the reviewer in Trip Advisor was complaining about. He obviously was expecting some royal treatment fit for the queen or seriously anal about things. The only "negative" thing he should comment on which he didnt was that I could hear my neighbours if they talked (in a louder than usual manner) or laughed. I think my neighbors didnt realised they had people next door till they heard us.


You see, my husband didnt realise the wall wasnt exactly soundproof. So he accidentally let off the loudest fart ever while standing next to the connecting wall. At that exact moment that followed, I let off an equally loud fart and he did another one (became sort of competition). Okay, its embarrassing and prob disgusting but it was funny. We laughed till we teared. Honestly, we didnt know how it happened but the farts wont stop coming for us that day (which by the way has never happened before in such a manner)! When we stopped, I realised my neighbour has gone dead silent (and for the rest of the night). I think I can imagine their "horror" ! haaa haaa