Burwood Serviced Apartments

My stay began as acceptable for the price, but it quickly became a deeply disappointing experience. The apartment itself was functional, though clearly ageing — warped frying pans with damaged non‑stick coating, and an ensuite shower head that was literally coming away from the wall. These issues were inconvenient but manageable. The real problem was the way management handled a minor situation. One evening we had another residents children over. The kids played board games until just after 10pm — nothing loud or unreasonable. The walls are extremely thin (you can hear the TV from the hallway), so it seems a neighbour complained. From that moment, management’s attitude shifted dramatically. Rather than approaching us respectfully or clarifying any expectations, they became defensive, accusatory, and at times intimidating. The next day, they demanded a bond that had never been mentioned at booking, never requested at check‑in. Friends who booked at the same time were also charged a bond, and even when we arrived and paid, no bond was requested. Introducing one after the fact felt arbitrary and unjustified. Although the bond was eventually returned, the process was unnecessarily difficult. It took far longer than it should have, and the concierge on-site was unable to answer even basic questions about how or when it would be refunded. Their repeated deflections to senior management only reinforced the impression that the bond was not part of any standard policy and had been imposed without proper procedure. The inconsistency and lack of transparency overshadowed everything else. In the lead‑up to New Year’s Eve, ad‑hoc noise notices suddenly appeared on elevators, under doors, and even on kitchen counters, which only added to the sense of disorganisation. We were never disrespectful to management or other residents, and we would have happily complied with any reasonable guidelines had they been communicated clearly. Unfortunately, the way we were treated was unprofessional and unacceptable. I would not return and cannot recommend this property. The apartment may be “fine for the money,” but the treatment we received was not.