Brisbane Marriott Hotel Family Accommodation

We want to tell you all about the Brisbane Marriot Hotel Family Accommodation in the heart of the Brisbane CBD.

If you’re one of those families, or you’re just looking for a short stay and a change of scenery for a night or two of relaxation, then a staycation right here in Brisbane might be just the thing for you! Equally, if you are in Brisbane for a stopover or extended holiday, this would be a wonderful, central place to make your base.

The M Passport Family Package

We were recently invited to spend a night at the Brisbane Marriott Hotel to experience everything they have to offer families booking in on their ‘M Passport Family Package’. And we were seriously impressed!

The M Passport Family Package offers the complete experience for families visiting Brisbane Marriott and includes:

• Overnight accommodation for up to 2 adults and 2 children aged under 12 years
• Early check-in and late check-out (where available)
• Welcome pack for each child, including an ‘M Passport’ for those aged 3-13 years (see more info about this fun inclusion below!)
• Full buffet breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children aged under 12 years
• Free dining at all mealtimes for kids aged under 12 years at Brisbane Marriott’s Motion Dining Restaurant (when ordering from children’s menu and accompanied by a dining adult)
• $30 food and beverage credit per night

The M Passport

With each child receiving an exclusive M Passport as part of your M Passport Family accommodation package, you’re off to a great start exploring the surrounding CBD! Tailored specifically to Brisbane, the passport suggests a variety of local destinations to explore as a family—from local parks to escape rooms—all the while seeing more of the city, being active and learning along the way.

The idea is for each child to snap a photo when exploring each of these locations, then present the photo to reception to gain a stamp on their passport. Each stamp can then be exchanged for a healthy treat.

For many families, a trip into the bustling city is a bit of a novelty, and this is a fantastic way to make the most of your stay in the Brisbane CBD, whether you are a local or if this is your first visit!

The M Passport Family Package is available from February 22, 2022 to January 30, 2023. To find out more, please visit the Brisbane Marriott Hotel website.  

Checking in to the Brisbane Marriott Hotel

To put it out there, driving and parking in the Brisbane CBD can be cruel punishment for parents with kids in tow. This is where the Marriott scores its first point—valet parking! The entrance to the porte-cochere for valet parking is located in a quiet back street behind the hotel itself (in Howard Street). This entry point and the hotel’s location at the northern end of the CBD mean there is no need to negotiate inner city traffic before checking in for your staycation.

Incredible Marriott Service

Throughout our entire stay at the Brisbane Marriott we were repeatedly impressed by the friendliness of each and every staff member we encountered. The genuine attentiveness from staff, from the concierge who struck up a conversation with our Brisbane Kids as we checked in, to the hotel staff we passed by in the hallways who always smiled and said hello, made us feel welcome, relaxed and as if we could ask for assistance at any time without a hassle.

We really felt like the kids were welcome and that nobody would complain about them doing the typical things that kids do, like getting a bit excited and making some noise or rushing to press the lift buttons before anyone else.

Brisbane Marriott Hotel Family Accommodation options

The Marriott Hotel in Brisbane offers a range of rooms to suit all types of travellers. We checked into two interconnecting rooms, with a king-size bed in one and two plush double beds in the other. Interconnecting rooms can be reserved by families with larger sleeping requirements, or you may prefer to stick to the one room with two double beds if your children are a bit younger.

When you book, you can also choose from a River View or City View room, each providing stunning views of Brisbane, particularly at night. All rooms have recently been renovated and are fresh and light-filled; no matter which room type or floor you are booked into.

The bathrooms in each room all feature both a full-sized bath and a sizable separate shower cubicle, which is a major win for families at bath time—there’s nothing worse than washing a squirming toddler in the shower when they just want to act like a prince or princess and watch Spongebob from the comfort of their huge Marriott bed!

Extra fancy option at the Brisbane Marriot Hotel 

If you choose to upgrade, the deluxe accommodation on the executive levels (floors 25 to 28) includes access to the Executive Lounge on level 26. The lounge features complimentary computer access with free printers, serve-yourself automatic coffee and hot chocolate machine, fruit and soft drinks.

With this upgrade, you can enjoy complimentary cocktails and canapes in the evenings, and in the mornings a scaled-down version of the Motion Dining Restaurant buffet breakfast is also available. The Executive Lounge was another place where we felt welcome with kids, and they enjoyed munching on their complimentary crunchy apples whilst taking in the river views.

Places to explore with kids in the Brisbane CBD

With the assistance of the kids’ M Passport, we found SO many fun things to do in the Brisbane CBD! Our Brisbane Kids found it especially exciting because we don’t visit the city with them that often.

• Howard Smith Wharves is a must-visit within easy walking distance along the riverfront. With several dining options to suit all tastes and a cute boat-themed playground, it’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon in the sunshine.
• We also recommend jumping aboard a FREE City Hopper KittyCat at Eagle Street Pier ferry stop (NOT the City Cat stop, this one is further up the river when walking along Riverside from the Marriott). The City Hopper stops at several CBD ferry terminals, including North Quay and South Bank. Disembark at the South Bank 3 stop and walk along the riverfront to the Cultural Centre, while passing by the extremely popular Southbank Aquativity and Streets Beach. On a hot weekend in the school holidays, this area is buzzing with happy locals and tourists enjoying the sunshine and cool water.
• A few of Brisbane’s best kid-friendly venues are located in the Cultural Centre precinct—the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), the Queensland Museum, The Sciencentre (which is great for toddlers too!), The State Library of Queensland, The Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA. Each of these venues features events aimed at kids of varying ages almost all year ’round; many with free entry.
• Finish your city and South Bank expedition with another speedy ride back to Eagle Street Pier, where it is only a short walk back to the hotel for a relaxing dip in the 4th-floor swimming pool that comes complete with amazing city and Story Bridge views.

Dining at Brisbane Marriott

Dinner at Motion Dining

Motion Dining covers all meal options for Brisbane Marriott guests (and non-guests too). We dined here for both dinner and breakfast during our stay. The restaurant was casual enough that we didn’t feel that our kids were disturbing anyone, whilst the food made us feel like we were being treated to a fine dining night out.

The Marriott Buffet Breakfast

We can’t help but judge a hotel by its buffet breakfast and the Marriot Buffet Breakfast didn’t disappoint. After a great night’s sleep in our fluffy beds, we helped ourselves to cereals, fresh fruits (we can recommend the blue juice shots!), yoghurts, pastries, bread and scrumptious hot foods from the buffet.

Coffee and tea were made to order, as was our choice of eggs. We were especially impressed by the breakfast options, and it set us up for another day of exploring the city to take advantage of our late check-out.

Our Verdict

We thoroughly enjoyed our short stay at the Brisbane Marriott and have now got two children who keep asking “When are we going to stay at the Marriott again?”! As a family, we could not have been made to feel more welcome by all staff we passed or who served us throughout our stay. The kids were seemingly not perceived as an inconvenience to anyone, and we all left with fond memories, feeling considerably more relaxed than when we arrived.

Brisbane Kids thanks the Brisbane Marriott Hotel for sponsoring our writer and her family on their overnight family staycation in Brisbane. Costs were covered. All the opinions stated in this review are true, honest and genuine, with the sole aim of providing enough information for families to make an informed decision about future holidays to this wonderful local destination.

To book your next Brisbane family staycation, please phone the Brisbane Marriott on (07) 3303 8000 or visit www.brisbanemarriott.com.