Stamford Grand, Glenelg, Adelaide, Australia
Mosely Square, Glenelg, Adelaide, South Australia Tel : 61 8 8376 1222 Fax: 61 8 8376 1111 Email: sales@sga.com.auS Glenelg, Adelaide Web site: www.stamford.com.au
The Stamford Grand is a landmark hotel built on Glenelg Beach, about 11 kilometres from the City of Adelaide. A re-make of an original hotel dating back to the 1800s known as The Pier, The Grand is an imposing building comprising 241 guest rooms and suites. The hotel has a number of restaurants, bars and eateries comprising a ground floor arcade. A major lounge opens off the lobby which features entertainment every night. There is also the Pier and Pines, a tavern, Charlotte's Coffee Shop, Cafes de L'Orient and Tesoro, and the Promenade Restaurant, which also links off the lobby. A sumptuous breakfast buffet is served in the Promenade from 6.30am daily. Checking into the hotel was a breeze, the taxi drive from the airport was a leisurely 5 kilometres, and arriving at the grand entrance to the hotel was an impressive experience. A line-up of taxis was available just off the entrance. which is a handy plus for the hotel. After check in it was up to the 8th floor and a frontal view from the rooms of the ocean. The hotel is absolute beachfront. The allocated room was very spacious with full width windows to capture the view. A 3 seat sofa, working desk and chair , a queen bed with bedside tables, TV, mini bar and drawer cabinets adorned the room. There was plenty of drawer space and quite adequate wardrobes. There was only one telephone line and although there was a computer modem outlet for Internet access it was located just beside a small table on the end of the sofa, well away from the working desk. There was no outlet on the phone receiver, which I found unusual. The room featured plenty of lighting and the decor was of a fine quality and modern design, although the colours, pinks and greys, are becoming a little dated these days. Service at the hotel was very good. My phone wasn't working and it took two advices to reception before it was fixed. I attended a formal in Adelaide but wasn't aware of the 'formal' status until an hour or so before the event. A frantic hunt for a bow tie by Andrew on Concierge was unsuccessful although he did everything possible to accommodate the request. Fortunately a friend staying at the Hyatt Regency was able to assist with the help of the Hyatt concierge. I checked out the second floor pool, spa and sauna. These were outdoor and of a good standard. The pool was a good length and the sauna quite functional without too much delay in kicking up the heat. The gym, which is on the same floor but internal seemed to have some reasonable equipment, although the running machine was out of order. On the ground floor, in addition to the array of restaurants and bars was the Quarterdeck, a lounge bar featuring rows of poker machines. As an alternate to the city hotels the Stamford Grand is an excellent option. Glenelg is the oldest settlement in South Australia having been founded in 1836. It is now a bustling suburban holiday resort, particularly popular with country South Australians. It has a very long strip of restaurants, cafes, pubs, fashion, accessory and souvenir stores starting right at the beach and moving inland. The Glenelg tram leaves virtually from the Hotel door and takes you right into the City to a park directly opposite the Adelaide Hilton Hotel. Return cost is only $2.90, whereas a taxi fare to the City is about $20. Stamford is in a Singaporean hotel chain with properties throughout Australia and Singapore. The group's name came from Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded Singapore. The hotel is recommended as a 4.5 star hotel with a diverse range of facilities and services in a classic beachfront location just a short distance from the city. As an alternate Adelaide city hotel or as a holiday destination the hotel is in considerable demand.