People arriving in Australia currently undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days in a government specified hotel. In South Australia’s capital city Adelaide, they call these medi-hotels and one such facility is Pullman Adelaide.
This is a five star hotel in the central business district, with facilities such as an Executive Lounge, pool, spa and sauna. Of course, none of these are available, as guests in quarantine are not permitted to leave their hotel room under any circumstances – even if there is a fire alarm!
Quarantine Check-In
Once the bus from the airport arrives at the hotel, you are advised the check-in experience will be contactless and are then permitted to disembark in groups of five. You find your luggage, which has been offloaded from under the bus for you, and enter the hotel.
A friendly, chatty and inquisitive staff member attached himself to me and we proceeded to a desk set up in the lobby where the Police check your Passport and mark you off a list. I then received an envelope which contained information about my stay.
-
- Here’s the hotel!
The staff member shepherded me along to a lift and got in with me, selecting my floor. Once we arrived, he took me to my room and opened the door for me. My key card was already in the slot in the room and my helpful friend told me to let anyone know if I needed anything else at all.
He also pointed out the room I was in featured a balcony, which was good news. Checking the fire plan, on my floor there are 25 rooms and just seven have a balcony.
The Pullman Adelaide Room
Rooms are all similar enough, judging by the hotel web site. Some are slightly larger than others, but all seem to have the same kind of layout and furnishings unless you’re in a suite.
-
- A nice big bed, which is actually quite comfortable.
-
- Handy for reading and relaxing.
-
- There is a proper desk which is nice as I am working from home for five days.
-
- The balcony has a nice enough view of Adelaide.
-
- All the movies for purchase are free during quarantine, a nice touch.
-
- Nespresso machine and kettle.
-
- Glasses and mugs.
-
- Dilmah tea and coffee making bits.
-
- The safe, robe, slippers and ironing stuff.
-
- Plates, tea towel and washing detergent.
As nobody is allowed in your room for the duration, you do everything yourself. This means making your own bed, washing your crockery and cutlery and so on. It’s just like being at home. Each day at 3pm you put your rubbish out (black bags are provided when lunch is delivered), and towels and linens can be put out for fresh on Tuesday and Friday.
Stay Back From The Door!
There is a big sign on the back of the door saying to keep it locked. The only time you ever open it is three times a day when room service knock and run with your meals, which are left in a paper bag on a shelf outside the room.
-
- You’d be hard pressed to miss this.
-
- See the tape on the floor?
The only other time you open your door is when the South Australia Health staff come around. On day one, day five and day 12, you get to have a test for COVID-19, so you stand back behind the orange tape and follow their instructions.
What About The Bathroom?
Spacious is a word that springs to mind when thinking about the bathroom. There is a large shower which could fit four into it easily, a bath you could swim in, plus a basin and of course the toilet.
-
- The basin and mirrors
-
- Bath is to the left of the basin
-
- Large shower
-
- Throne
-
- Square basin
-
- Bigelow products and other bits you may need.
There is the usual shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion from Bigelow. Also, there is a nail file, wooden comb, makeup removing pads and cotton buds, a shower cap and a sanitary bag.
Overall Thoughts
A single adult in quarantine in South Australia has to pay AU$3,000 for the 14 night experience (€1,865, US$2,270, £1,700). At just a shade under AU$215 per night, it’s good value in a five star hotel, considering you also get three meals each day.
In April, a friend of mine had to quarantine in Sydney and said he was in “a flea-bag hotel in Chippendale”, so the stays can vary depending on where you are. You have no choice in the hotel – you get what you’re given, and the fees are the same across the board.
There are less salubrious places to quarantine than the Pullman Adelaide and I find the room comfortable and the staff friendly. I’d like to come back again and try all the other facilities such as the pool and so on, so maybe once the pandemic is over, I will.
Have you stayed at the Pullman Adelaide before? What did you think of it? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
Like planes? See my “Does anyone remember” series.
Flight reviews your thing? Mine are all indexed here.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Featured image and hotel front via Pullman Adelaide.
Did you have to book a spot in the medi-hotel before you flew into Aus? Do I just need to arrive in the country and they do the rest? I’m trying to get home but can’t find any clear information on how I actually get placed in a medi-hotel.
When you land in Australia, the officials handle everything. You don’t need to do anything whatsoever. You’ll go through Passport control, then they’ll shepherd you to the correct bus, which will take you to whatever hotel they have organised for you. Nothing for you to do at all. Feel free to ask if you need anything else and good luck!
Whatchu doing in OZ & how did you get into the country?
I’m an Australian citizen and we are permitted to travel to Australia if we can get onto a flight. Since I was able to do that, here I am.
Interesting that you get no say in your hotel. Not a bad price though.
I guess that keeps it “fair” for everyone, otherwise it could be a case of first in, best dressed and what not.
What are the meals like?
Tomorrow’s post is the first five days of meals, pictures of each one and the menus, so check back then. They’re decent enough!