Holden VS Commodore

Trip Summary

Launceston -> Hobart

Drive

I didn't actually drive this, so you'll have to take Slokky's word for it. There is a tendency to slightly oversteer. It is well balanced but a little jittery when braking. There is good power and good torte. Being a Commodore, it was fitted with the standard ABS, cruise control, electric mirrors and doors...etc

Rating - 3

Comfort

Surprisingly for such a huge car, the ride was pretty bumpy. Either the roads in Tassie are worst than NSW or this car's suspension is worst. I'm inclined to think it's the latter. It certainly wasn't as comfortable as the Ford Focus.

In terms of creature comfort. The seats are wide, designed for the "average" Australian no doubt. The cushioning and support are pretty good, and of course there's plenty of leg room. The noise insulation for terrible. We could hear wind noises and you can't use fresh air with the air conditioning!

Rating - 3

Service

The people at Avis were excellent. We got our car sorted out at the airport ages before our luggage was even ready to be picked up. It was the same when we dropped the car off. As soon as we pulled in the Avis car park, an attendent has checked our car over and printed our receipt, before we'd even got out of the car!

Rating - 4.5

Value

We asked for a manual Corolla and get upgraded to an auto Commodore. However, this baby sucks fuel up like there's no tommorow! Hehe, they don't even bother displaying fuel consumption on the trip computer because it's just too depressing to know otherwise!

Rating - 3.5

Clean

Cleaned very well. There were a few minor scratches on the car, but that's even better for us, we didn't have to be that careful.

Rating - 4.5

Zoom Points - 18.5

Info

Website

North Lodge Apartment

Room

One word, HUGE. We were in the "penthouse", and the room consisted of one very very long room, with a bedroom with a queen sized bed and bay window and dresser on one end, to two single beds and the tiniest, and I mean the tiniest, bathroom I've seen (about the size of Japan's). In between all this there's a dining room and a pretty big kitchen. It all sounds really good doesn't it, but it's not as it seems. The penthouse was opened in 1982 and obviously hasn't been renovated since then. The furnishing were worn. The cupboard doors and tiles were falling off the kitchen and all the cutlery and appliances were also from the 80s. The bathroom was so impractical we brushed our teeth in the kitchen.

The good points though, there was plenty of room, the bed was nice and comfy, with very nice pillows. We had a pretty big TV and the largest wrap-around balcony with great views over the Launceston hills.

If they renovate this place they can probably charge an outrageous amount for it. I wonder what the rate is normally? I'd hate to imagine what the "studio" we originally booked would be like...

Rating - 3.5

Facilities

There's a full kitchen, laundry, lots of beds. But all this is matched by cheap coffee (International House), a small bottle of milk, shampoo and conditioner. The kitchen holds lots of bits and pieces, but they are all falling apart, plus, stuff were so dirty I didn't really want to touch them.

The guy who ran the place forgot about me, and questioned me heaps about whether I really had a booking. upon producing my email confirmation though, he turned nice and accomodating, and had to give us the only room left, the "penthouse", out of the whole place. He was very helpful actually, if only the first impression he gave didn't turn me off.

Rating - 3

Location

Great, very close to the city centre, right next to Kings Park. From our balcony you can get a view of the park and the surrounding hills. We didn't really make good use of it though.

Rating - 4

Value

Only because we got the penthouse was this place worth $90 a night. Granted it's quite close to the city centre, but this IS Launceston we're talking about, it's not like the city centre is the centre of everything. Despite all our times in Tasmania, we haven't spent very much time in Launceston at all! I don't appreciate misleading advertising on their website though, they made everything sound much better than they really are.

Rating - 2.5

Snooze Points - 13

Info

7 Brisbane Street
Launceston
TAS 7250
Phone (03) 6331 9966
Website

Jetstar Flight JQ 127

Time

The plane left 1/2 an hour late. It took ages to board the plane, ages to get our luggage, in the rain! About the only thing that was quick was check in. But I was surprised they didn't even ASK if we had anything flammable in our bags.

Rating - 1

Comfort

Like all the other jetstar planes. It was 3 across and no middle asile. The leathers seats are pretty wide, with a fair amount of leg room. The plane was nearly full, but there were 3 or 4 spare seats scattered around. Slokky and I had to sit separately, but it meant we were more comfortable.

Rating - 4

Service

Was ok. The check-in was cold as usual. The air hostesses kept giggling and gossiping amoung themselves. The servie was ok. I was surprised there was actually an announcement to tell us to clean up our own seats, and to throw our rubbish away!

Rating - 3

Allowance/Gifts

We only had the one bag but I think they are pretty strict.

Rating - 3

Food

They serve the usual stuff on board and charge an ok price for being up in the air.

Rating - 3

Value

$44.50 one way. We only travel on discounts!

Rating - 5

Jumbo Points - 19

Info

Sydney -> Launceston
8 Feb 07, 19:40 - 21:00
Website