After a terrible experience in a Rockhampton hotel we decided to break our journey at Gladstone instead on our way back down the coast. Gladstone hotels are apparently quite busy during the week so we were lucky to get a room at the Metro with only a few days notice for $145. Credit card details were required to secure the room and there was a no vacancy sign on display when we arrived.

The hotel is located just off the main street in Gladstone on the top of a hill. It is fairly easy to find with the large red sign on top of the building.

The room we stayed in was apartment style one bedroom with a queen bed and a single bed. There was a large bathroom with washer and dryer and a big living room with sofa and dining table and fully equipped kitchen. This was a pleasant room to stay in and represented excellent value for money.

It appears that the building has been around for a while but it has been well maintained and refurbished. The kitchen and bathroom were original it would seem and looked quite old. They were however clean and well maintained. The carpets, furniture and linen were new. We also had a nice view over the water which I didn't request (or pay for). There was a balcony that over looked the water with table and chairs.

The bedding was comfortable and enabled us to get a good night's sleep. The dining table and sofa were very handy and enabled us to stretch out much more than a standard hotel/motel room. It also had a flat screen LCD TV and some effort was made to give the rooms a modern, stylish appearance.

Undercover secure car parking is available with direct lift access to the hotel. You need to check in first to get your key and there is parking in front of the lobby for this purpose.

The front desk made a very good suggestion for dinner at a Thai restaurant just down the street. The restaurant is popular with locals and was very busy for a mid week night. I didn't try dinner or room service at the hotel.

A full cooked breakfast, including continental buffet, was available for $18. The dining room overlooked the street and was light and airy. The breakfast was good value with the continental buffet including fresh fruit, pastries, fruit juices, toast etc. The service of the cooked breakfast was a little slow but nothing worth complaining about.

I would definitely recommend this hotel. It would be good for a longer stay as well given the extra room and self contained features nature of the accommodation.