RiverView CBD Apartment Level 22

Look, I’ve stayed in plenty of Brisbane hotels, but this RiverView place on North Quay – honestly, it caught me off guard in the best way. You know that stretch of North Quay where it curves toward the Story Bridge? Right there, tucked into what looks like just another glass tower, but then you hit level 22 and suddenly you’re looking down at the river like you own the place. The elevator ride up is a bit of a tease actually – you can’t see much until those doors open, and then… well, the name makes sense.

What I really liked about this spot – and I mean beyond the obvious river views – is how it actually feels like an apartment, not some sterile hotel room with a kitchenette thrown in as an afterthought. The kitchen’s got proper counter space (you can actually cook if you want to), and there’s this living area where you can spread out your stuff without feeling like you’re camping in a bedroom. The bed’s comfortable enough, though I have to say the real star is that balcony situation. Morning coffee out there while watching the CityCats cruise by – it’s sort of addictive. You’re high enough that the street noise from North Quay doesn’t really bug you, but you can still see everything happening down at Eagle Street Pier.

Location-wise, you’re literally a five-minute walk to Queen Street Mall, which sounds touristy but honestly it’s just convenient when you need something. The real advantage is being this close to the botanical gardens – I’d jog through there most mornings, and it’s one of those things that makes you feel like you’re living in the city rather than just visiting it. Parking can be a bit of a dance (there’s a garage but it fills up during business hours), and check-in was pretty smooth, though they do that thing where they text you codes instead of giving you actual keys – took me a minute to figure out. The whole building has that new-ish feel, clean lines and all that, but it doesn’t feel cold or impersonal like some of these corporate places do. I stayed there during a pretty busy conference week in March, and while the lobby got a bit hectic around dinner time, up on 22 it was quiet enough that I could actually work from the dining table without wanting to escape to a coffee shop. For what it’s worth, the rating of 9.4 seems about right – it’s not perfect, but it nails the stuff that actually matters when you’re staying somewhere for more than just crashing after a night out.