~ Curious Charlie ~

Pre-Christmas Mini-Getaway @ Sage Hotel (Ringwood) @ Friday, December 21, 2018

Thursday 21st December
#curiouseastland

At Eastland a new six-storey hotel has popped-up (and is here to stay), a 120-room complex ... [on the] southwest corner of Eastland and includes a restaurant, bar, function space and gym for guests.

I thought it was above the shopping center, so you could just take the lift down but it's more like next to the shops. Lift down the ground then walk left towards town square.

It's the perfect spot for a shopping holiday has Eastland has everything the city does when it comes to shopping. Not for food though, there's a food court and some nice places like Gami, Jimmy Grants and Hunky Dory. But no Calia or sushi train. Eastland is HUGE! There's Myer/DJs, Kmart/Big W, Unilqo, TopShop and even Cupcake Central. Movies are upstairs for something to do after dark.

Before your stay do look up where the carpark is, it's just around the corner under the shops/hotel, and tell the valet where you're going. There's a lift up to the lobby, in between the car park and lobby is ground which is where the shops are.

Checking in was easy, do bring your cc and ID. You'll get some swipe key cards. It's funny how whenever there's a hotel in a show I'm watching there's a murder, but that's just my kinda show. XD That or it's set in a small town and they never really get out.

Through the lobby is a bar, restaurant and space where you can work. Plenty of books to check out. There's a small gym too with plenty of treadmills, though unless you're on a strictly business trip I can't imagine going to the gym on vacation.

There's three levels of rooms, and room is on the top floor (level 9) facing the Dandenongs, though there's plenty of works happening before the greenery starts.

It's lovely at night, the view.

The bed is huge! A king. I'm curious if girls hire a room for sleepover parties?
There's a desk and area to chill by the window. This is the first time I've ever gone on holidays alone, and had the room to myself.

Menus and hotel info was all on the screen, though I would have preferred an actual book/menu, especially menus. Love the custom welcome message on screen!

There's no bathtub, but that shower is huge! Probably fits 3 people. After a shower and hours taking photos (the struggle to direct from in front of the camera is real, need to work that tripod!) We were ready to go out.

As it's almost Christmas there's lots of fun workshops and pop-ups happening, so we went to those and the handmade moonlight market before returning for dinner.

Back to the hotel for dinner, Partake offers Modern Australia with a couple Asian dishes, and is more towards the inside of the venue, rather than in the lounge area looking outside, which would have been lovely. A quiet chilled setting, so different from the city...

Being close to Christmas the shops were open till Midnight though we ate too much so settled on a movie.

Check out that view! Wow... we're on level 9 the top, with the best view. The hotel is level 5 and up with rooms 6-9.

There's new-ish releases on hire for $4 and older movies free. Ballet wasn't on the list but 'The Big Sick' was, and a couple others I've been meaning to see.

Florence Jenkins Foster - This is why I don't sing, it's amazing and very brave that she did though. That or she's a touch delusional, but being rich we call it being eccentric. If you're poor it's call mental illness. XD

Known and mocked for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability.
Great difficulty with such basic vocal skills as pitch, rhythm, and sustaining notes and phrases.
Difficult operatic solos that she chose to perform—all well beyond her technical ability and vocal range
Elaborate costumes of her own design, often involving wings, tinsel, and flowers.

Wow that describes me perfectly, but they forgot the glitter.

You might want to draw those curtains before bed even if you want to fall asleep to the view of lights. Because the next morning at 6.20am it was bright as! Gosh I'm never up that early or I'm at work on Sunday on the field.

We slept in the land of pillows. So fluffy! Diagonally of course, I do miss a huge bed!

Breakfast you could order room service, or have the continental (cold) breakfast all-you-can/want to eat. The allure of pastries was strong and took us downstairs. Fear of spilling things on the sheets is real. We'll get room service next time.

Downstairs the hot food menu was limited to three dishes, one asian dish. There were more on the menu, on screen in the room. - next time we're ordering in - Nothing brunchy, or with mushrooms. There was salad I was hoping to see a summer fruits salad but it was the standard that I'm allergic to. Father was pretty happy with breakfast, he pretty much almost had one of everything XD.

We tried a bit of everything. I love toasting my own bread! Not something I've done for ages.

Did I pack enough for an overnight trip?

Upstairs to pack. One suitcase and three bags, also a couple hats and mannequin. Father said he carried less for a month long trip over seas XD But I bought like 6 outfits, 3 books I didn't read during the stay and plenty of props.

Checking out, wishing we could live here! The view, the super clean room (minus the dust on the tissue box) and it's next to a huge shopping mall with everything except Review and Hokkaido tarts. It's also just opposite Ringwood station. Service as you'd guess was excellent, my only regret (kinda) was not ordering breakfast in bed, though that you can't get an all you can eat, like girls post in bed on instagram with their hair and make-up down, reality and instagram are two very different things. :P

So how much did this amazing experience cost? I don't know, but it would be expensive especially as it's the holiday season. We won a night at Sage, dinner and breakfast for two as well as some spending money (I bought shoes with).

A vacation away from home, I'd recommend booking at least two to three night!

Father joined me for breakfast (everyone's still at work), had a great time, and commented that he couldn't afford a girl like me with my lifestyle (read: prefers low maintenance). :P