Melbourne Travel Answers

I have stayed at Oaks on Collins, I paid129 per night on wotif. It is central and trams stop directly out the front of the building. There are cooking facilities but I found takeaway asian food and Indian curries so cheap that, if you just cooked your own rice or noodles, there would be no need to cook a complete meal. Many of the large shopping compexes have a food court. At the end of the day they sell everything very cheap as they need to get rid of it.

Depending on your age, hostels may be more affordable and most have their own (shared) cooking facilities. Try stayatbase.com/hostels/austr... and it is very popular. Another is yha.com.au/hostels/vic/melbo... and is in North Melbourne and easy walk to Queen Victoria Market. You might be able to get an apartment but I think100 or less will be very difficult. As previous poster has suggested www.wotif.com is very good and has heaps of choices. Base Melb is walking distance to cheap eats AND the St Kilda penguins who only come out at dusk. Just walk along the St Kilda pier, pass the cafe and where the birds come ashore is about 50 metres along - called urban penguins do not go on any organised tour of them, just public transport/walk. I've been unable to locate a web page for these penguins.

I agree with sirgaw, apartments tend to be 4* or better so inexpensive is unlikely. However for 3 of you to stay in a Hostel it will cost at least90 per night all up - I,ve had a quick look at Hostels and think you will each pay about30 -40 per night so for the small amount extra you would have a good apartment. Have a look at a double room with a rollaway bed, you may need to ring a place and ask about this. If 2 of you don,t wish to share a bed this might be tricky as not many apartments have all single beds.

Hi all, Thanks for the quick response. I have checked hostels but they do not have triple rooms. Most only have 2/4 beds. And if I were to pay for the 4 bed one, it would cost more than AUD100 per nite. Hence, my idea of getting an apartment instead. Any ideas? Thanks!

Hi Not sure about best/cheapest places to stay but for info about the St Kilda penguins check out free-things-to-do-melbourne..... (Just type in 'penguins' in the search box if you have trouble finding it). There's loads of other really great free things you can do on that site too which will help to keep your costs down. Regards Russell

You will find the very best bargains on the WOTIF Melbourne website. There are hotels, apartments , B&B, and hostels on the website- and they offer a huge discounts. Just Google the website as above

Thanks for that link Russell - great info and you're right, very few Melbourne people have ever heard of the St Kilda penguins. Wonder if its a conspiracy by the coach companies to make sure that tourists head by coach to Phillip Island?

If you spend a lot of money for an apartment in order to save money on food, you better stay at a hotel/motel and get - as suggested by margsch - food at the foodcourts, in Chinatown or at Queen Victoria Market. The most affordable hotel in the CBD is the City Square Motel, oldish rooms cost A$ 90 and refurbished ones A$ 100. It is close to Flinders Street Station, the location is fantastic. Basic breakfast is included (just toast), I always buy additional yoghurt and muesli. (But ask for a room NOT facing the street as the tram rattles past it.) Regarding the urban penguins, it is indeed better to go to St. Kilda on your own as the commercial tours sometimes do not eventuate when the water is too choppy, as these tours are boat tours that start at Docklands. I once wanted to go on such a tour which in the end did not take place. People who have done it say it is a rip-off, and when I read the programme (having sushi, wine and whatever) I can well imagine. There once was a website about those waddling cuties but I cannot find it either. Perhaps it is, as suggested on the old site, up for sale: http://www.urbanpenguins.com/ I would say the penguin parade on Phillip Island is far more spectacular. I do not really understand the question though? What has a visit to a chocolate factory to do with a trip to the penguin colony? The point I would make is that in May you see less penguins coming ashore than in summer, and you will freeze, well, not to death, but terribly waiting for the penguins. You need blankets and anything to keep you warm. (We were freezing despite having blankets in summer.) They do not tell you that the numbers are varying. But you can see it here on the graph of one of New Zealand's penguin colonies: http://www.penguins.co.nz/?arrival The advantage of going to Phillip Island in winter is that the penguins already come ashore at about 4.30pm because it gets dark so early, so you get back to Melbourne at rather a reasonable time.

Great Minds, kakapo, had just occurred to me too, for the cost of 3 of you in a Hostel you would get a family room in a Motel. Don,t worry about the cooking part, sound s like cooking amenities immediately make a place more expensive , you will get a meal in a food court for10, if you bought 2 meals and 1 large rice/veg/noodles this would be ample for 3 hungry travellers. You could buy some bread rolls and cheese, meat, tomatoe etc and make a sandwich in your room for dinner.

And when they say they have cooking facilities, this is very basic, there are maybe 2 saucepans and a fry pan, there are no implements and you would be struggling just to find a sharp knife.

That's it. Sorry, my room prices are for single occupancy because I had these numbers on my mind after asking for a room just the other day. It is slightly more expensive for more people. Standard double/triple room costs 125, deluxe 135. Perhaps in the end the Oaks would not be the worst solution. I have made the experience that cooking is only cheaper if you make pasta with a simple sauce or curry and rice. It is also cheaper to have a hot lunch (specials everywhere) and sandwiches for dinner. You also have to consider the cost of transportation if you do not stay at a very handy location.

Sometimes "cooking facilities" is just a microwave. On one occasion - in Auckland though - I had a cheapish apartment with cooking facilities. There was a two plate stove - but you had to hire pots and pans and cutlery and crockers etc. at I do not remember which price. Obviously people steal the stuff at cheap accommodation places... On my last longer trip in NZ I noticed that pots and pans are so small most times that you struggle to get the food for two people into them, not to dream of three people...

have a look at the website Hotel.com they have a price selection thingy and number of people needing beds. I did find apartments with twin beds but not with 2 bedrooms in your price range. But I,m sure most places have either rollaway beds or the sofa can be converted into a bed. You would have a sitting area so there should be enough room for 3 of you. Many of these are in central Melbourne and some were at St Kilda. St Kilda is only a short tram ride from the centre of the city. Have a look at the website and put in your dates. I think you will find this useful. Wotif is good but they only reduce their prices a few days beforehand,, if you book some weeks ahead you will pay full price.

Thanks all. Will definitely consider the hotel+food court combination. Meanwhile, anyone knows whether there are opportunities for whale watching in may near Melbourne? If yes, where and do I need to book a tour?

Whale watching try this link visitvictoria.com/Regions/Gr... but I'm thinking it may blow your budget - LOL

You already get reduced rates on Wotif weeks in advance. I use it all the time thanks to the longer-term discounts.

Regarding whale watching you have to work out well where to go at which time of the year. In some regions, like along the Great Ocean Road, you can see them from June, in other places until May, so end of May might be too late. In some places you can see them from the shore, so it does not cost anything. Apart from that I do not find whale watching (boat) tours in winter very appealing because you rock over the waves and freeze your butt off. visitvictoria.com/Regions/Gr...

for a 7 days arrangement like angel's, how much roughly will it cost together with meal but excluding hotel ?