The Rydges Canberra Hotel (formerly Rydges Lakeside) is a 15-story convention style hotel with 205 rooms located on the London Circuit of the City of Canberra. It is easily spotted on the horizon, but maddening to get to because of the convoluted design of the roadways. My room on the fifth floor (I asked for a higher floor but was told that the hotel was nearly full due to a convention) was decent enough, but my friend commented on the lack of width of the beds (they were twin size, not double size). The decor was a bit dated, but I did enjoy stepping outside on the concrete balcony. My friend did make use of the self-serve laundry room down the hall, which took his mind off of his narrow bed.
The breakfast buffet, held in the space known as Bobby McGee's Restaurant in the evening, was included in our room rate. This buffet was extensive and it did provide us with the opportunity to taste some local foods. Vegemite, a popular spread in Australia that has been immortalized in a song by the band Men At Work, is served in little packets. I tried a small dab on my roll, and the unusual flavor overwhelmed the poor innocent roll. Very strong and undeniably distinctive! There was also a plate of candied rhubarb, a curious flavor to this palate at nine in the morning. For the more conservative breakfast consumer, the buffet includes mainstays such as cereal, fruit, sausage, eggs, various breads and jams, etc.
The Rydges lobby is casually comfortable, like thousands of lobbies found in convention hotels around the world. The elevators were old and a little slow (I confess to be spoiled by high-tech elevators in modern high-rises). The Burley Griffin Restaurant resides on the top floor, with stunning panoramic views of the city, including the man-made Lake Burley Griffin. Sneak a peek if you get a chance. The souvenir store was run by a friendly gentleman who was rather chatty. My friend and I had stopped in the store at different times and it seemed like he used the same repertoire of stories (about soccer in Australia, the Afghanistan crisis, etc.) upon both of us! Free parking is available to guests at the hotel. It is also noted that Rydges has an indoor pool as well as a shuttle bus with limited service to its two sister hotels in the area, although we did not encounter either during our stay.