As you step through the glass doors of the Rendezvous Hotel Brisbane Anzac Square and into the majestic Lobby you are filled with a sense of understated elegance and warmth.

Immaculately groomed staffs adorned with a splash of red silk are there to welcome you with a smile that can only be described as genuine.

An old world lounge filled with a vast array of books sits at one end of reception, while an open plan restaurant and bar sits at the other, perfect for enjoying a relaxing beverage after a long day or a hearty meal.

With a classic heritage façade and 135 spaciously appointed guestrooms and suites, Rendezvous Hotel Brisbane Anzac Square takes pride of place in Brisbane’s Fashion Quarter and is within easy walking distance to the city’s thriving retail and commercial precincts.

A 100 metre walk places you on the doorstep of QueensPlaza Shopping Centre, a designer retail destination in itself, and the bustling Queen Street Mall, a magnificent open-air mall filled with diverse eateries and hidden retail arcades.

It is hard not be excited by the location. A two block stroll took me to the beautiful Roma Street Parkland, a welcome oasis of rolling green gardens and quiet places to sit and reflect. From there it was an easy walk to the City’s live arts hub, South Bank. Here I found GOMA (the gallery of modern art) and the Queensland Performing Arts Theatre, as well as Opera Queensland and a myriad of museums and the State Library. There are too many restaurants, bars and performance based experiences to choose from, regardless of age or budget to mention.

Recognised as one of the area’s most iconic hotels, it is easy to see why Rendezvous Hotel Brisbane Anzac Square has become a firm favourite amongst travelling executives and tourists alike.

You only need to look to the Internet to find an array of glowing endorsements from past guests, and in 2012 Tripadvisor® awarded the hotel with its prestigious Certificate of Excellence ‘Highly Rated Hotel’.

Originally built by AH Mason over 30 years, completed in 1960, Rendezvous Hotel Group assumed management in 1999 and has since conducted a refurbishment of all guest rooms and facilities.

The commitment to retaining a true heritage feel was apparent when I entered my Deluxe One Bedroom Apartment and while a clean, contemporary approach to the soft furnishings is undeniable, it was the finer details like the classic décor and colour scheme that really caught my eye.

All of the usual features one would expect of a fine establishment in this day and age, such as the flat screen LCD TV and DVD/CD player, Wi-Fi, a luxurious oversized bed, espresso coffee making facilities, made my working and private time a pleasure.

It is a rare accomplishment in hotels today to achieve such a fine balance between the old and the new, to be able to instil an instant sense of freshness and cleanliness without taking away from the splendid heritage character. So too the ability to introduce constantly evolving technologies needed to meet today’s business traveller. This hotel does both, and the ornate timber desk with plush armchairs created a rather regal mobile office for me to work from. Three well-appointed meeting rooms offer an expanded suite of professional considerations, including board meetings, workshops and conferences.

That aside, it was the striking views from my apartment that really captured my imagination and for a moment, as I watched an ever growing sea of people wash in and out of Anzac Square, felt I was in the epicentre of a European village.

It is hard not to acknowledge the ideal inner city location of Rendezvous Hotel Brisbane Anzac Square, which is perhaps why it has long been a haven for sporting enthusiasts. Short and inexpensive public transport access to the hallowed grounds of Suncorp Stadium and the GABBA is quite literally not more than a stone’s throw away.

If there was a single element that surpassed my expectations time and again, it was service and it would be near impossible not to recognise the intrinsic culture of service excellence that has been engrained in each and every staff member.

The in room dining menu, offered just what I needed after a long trip, something quick and easy, tasty and wholesome, but not too fussy.

As someone who enjoys a mix of dining styles I was impressed with Berkleys Restaurant and Bar; a simple yet well managed and aesthetically appealing restaurant that offers a hearty breakfast, with seasonal lunch and dinner menus, and coffee in between.

Positioned right on the corner of busy Edward and Anne Streets, Berkleys offers a true alfresco feel albeit indoors and away from the noise of the traffic.
It’s hard to say what I enjoyed more, the glorious sun filled mornings or the warm, balmy evenings, but either way the Rendezvous Brisbane Anzac Square, with its immaculately presented guestrooms and service, was the perfect place to position myself to enjoy the many and varied delights of the beautiful riverside city of Brisbane.