Delicious in Dickson – 1bd 1bth

Hotel Description

You know, I stumbled upon Delicious in Dickson while planning a quick getaway to Canberra last spring, and honestly, it turned out to be one of those hidden gems that makes you feel like you’ve scored big time. Pulling up to 25 Challis Street, right in the heart of Dickson – that suburb that’s basically Canberra’s unofficial foodie hub with all those hole-in-the-wall Asian spots – I was a bit skeptical at first. It’s tucked away on a quiet residential street, not some flashy high-rise, but that’s part of the charm. Check-in was a breeze; it’s one of those self-contained apartments where you get a code texted to you ahead of time, no fussing with a front desk at odd hours. I arrived around dusk, and the place smelled faintly of fresh linen and whatever eucalyptus cleaner they use – super Aussie, right? The building’s modern but understated, with secure parking out back (a godsend in Canberra, where street spots vanish during peak hours like after work or weekends). Stepping inside the one-bedroom setup, it felt cozy without being cramped – think open-plan living with a kitchenette that’s actually stocked well enough to whip up a meal, not just a sad microwave.

What really sold me, though, was how it nailed that balance between homey and polished for a 4-star spot with an 8.9 rating. The bedroom’s got this massive king bed that swallows you up after a day hiking Mount Ainslie (which is just a 10-minute drive away, by the way – killer views of the city if you time it for sunrise). The bathroom’s sleek with rainfall showerheads and those fluffy towels that don’t feel like they’ve been through a thousand washes. I mean, it’s not perfect – the street can get a tad noisy on Friday nights when folks spill out from the Dickson shops or that Vietnamese pho joint on Woolley Street, but earplugs sorted that out, and it’s dead quiet by midnight. We cooked breakfast most mornings using the local market produce from the Dickson Woolies, which is literally a five-minute walk – saved us a bundle compared to eating out every time. Oh, and the Wi-Fi? Blazing fast, which was clutch for streaming shows after exploring the National Gallery downtown (hop on the light rail from Dickson Interchange, super easy). Little touches like the welcome basket with Tim Tams and fresh milk in the fridge made it feel thoughtful, not gimmicky.

All in all, if you’re heading to Canberra and want something that feels authentic without the sterile hotel vibe, Delicious in Dickson is a solid pick – especially in the cooler months when the city’s buzzing but not overwhelmingly touristy. It’s close enough to the action (like 15 minutes to Parliament House) but far from the overpriced spots in the CBD. I’d go back in a heartbeat, maybe even extend my stay next time to hit up more of those hidden trails around Lake Burley Griffin. Just book early if you’re coming during uni orientation season at ANU – things fill up fast around there. Trust me, it’s the kind of place that leaves you refreshed, not regretting your choices.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $108. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Well worth a repeat. – James from Australia – 22 April 2025 (10/10)

  Lovely apartment in an excellent location. Good amenities and close to Dickson China town – apartment complex has its own food alley with coffee shops, Korean bakery and several Asian restaurants.
  
  What could be improved: Parking spot is convenient to lifts, but a tight squeeze.

• Great unit close to supermarket and cafes – Debra from Australia – 7 February 2025 (9/10)

  Property was a good size for one person. Spotlessly clean and very secure. Nicely appointed and had everything anyone would need. Great having under cover parking. Hosts were excellent with my inquiries and information regarding the unit.
  
  What could be improved: I didn’t like the enclosed balcony it made me feel isolated.
  Key collection wasn’t too bad once I found a parking spot nearby. You have to pay for parking everywhere in Canberra even for a few minutes.

• Close to all amenities – Daniel from Australia – 5 February 2025 (8/10)

  Location was great for our purposes. Plenty of restaurants in the area + Woolworths/Coles/IGA only a couple minutes walk if you prefer to cook and eat in. The apartment layout was also good. Liked the fact the outdoor space was fully enclosed which meant we could air some towels and clothing without any worries of it being affected by weather. Instructions to collect keys etc were clear. Would be happy to stay again.
  
  What could be improved: Would be good if there were more photos of the kitchen and living areas on the Booking site. No bedding was initially supplied for the sofa-bed and the garage remote battery was running flat so we couldn't get in to the parking area on arrival. After contacting the host, was told that only one sheet would be supplied for sofa-bed which seemed a bit weird from a hygiene perspective considering 2 were supplied for the main bed, but we ended up getting 2 so all good. The garage remote battery was replaced also at the same time. Other than that everything else was great.

• Nice, well located, lockbox too far away. – Antoinette from Australia – 7 November 2024 (8/10)

  There were only 2 black tea bags for 2 people for 2 nights, not enough. The place was well located and had everything we needed for a pleasant stay.
  
  What could be improved: The door on the shed that the lockbox was located in did not open. This meant we rang the owners and they opened it remotely. Would have liked the lockbox closer to the unit, being in another suburb was a pain.

• Very good apartment apart from the collection of keys. Electric blankets on the bed would have been – Rae from Australia – 25 June 2024 (9/10)

  The location was very convenient, close to shopping, eating and sights. Parking was good.
  
  What could be improved: The clean and spacious apartment exceeded our expectations.
  However the website was misleading as the accommodation was in a high rise complex and self check in. Arriving late in the afternoon we found the self check process ie. collection of keys in a very obscure location 3.5 kms away most inconvenient and confusing. Maybe it’s because we are seniors but this process was both distressing, confusing and stressful all done online.

• Perfect – Daniel from Australia – 20 June 2024 (10/10)

  Fantastic location, perfect sized apartment for one/a couple and it contains everything you need to live. Clean apartment in a still relatively new building.
  
  Staff are helpful and quick to reply to queries.

• Exceptional – Conrad from Australia – 28 April 2024 (10/10)

  Location is very good.
  Nice outside area deck, kitchen, walk in wardrobe.
  
  What could be improved: The unit needs a Peep hole on the front door and Definitely needs a internal dead lock.

• Great location and spacious apartment – Nina from Australia – 26 November 2023 (9/10)

  The apartment was in a secure building with secure parking, it was very roomy, clean, well equipped, Great location with tram station, supermarkets, restaurants all within easy walks, loved the balcony alfresco area. It was easy picking up and dropping off keys, Its great place to stay especially if you are staying for a week or more
  
  What could be improved: It was really well equipped other than a couple of minor things like an extra tea towel, (they supplied 1) also hand towel for bathroom, they supplied 2 towels only which was fine as we washed them in between, also a fruit/salad bowl would have been useful, also instructions on how to use the stove top, I eventually found them in bottom drawer, it pains me to say that the bed was bit on hard side a simple mattress topper would sort that out, but it wouldnt stop us from returning

• Good – Zoe from Australia – 30 November 2023 (7/10)

  Very clear visual instructions on how to collect keys. The place was very clean and modern and was in a great location.
  
  What could be improved: I had to chase up a lot with the host before my arrival, causing unnecessary stress. i got in touch originally after messaging on booking.com (where i booked), and the lady on the phone wasn't very friendly, hurrying me off the phone, telling she had other calls on the line. I called back a few days later because i still didn't have my info she said id be sent and this time the lady was very helpful and answered all of my questions but she told us we had to pay our $500 bond before we could progress further and get our information. this wouldn't usually have been an issue if we were told on time as we did get it back but trying to find an extra $500 the night before our trip before the trip at this time of year was definitely very frustrating and should have been picked up sooner or said during my first call. Overall, a great little place for a weekend away.

• Good – Stephen from Australia – 31 January 2025 (7/10)

  Location is great, very clean and tidy.
  
  What could be improved: Bed too hard and too small.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities