Nishi Apartments Eco Living by Ovolo

Nishi Apartments Eco Living by Ovolo Overview

First Impressions

Walking into Nishi Apartments Eco Living by Ovolo, you immediately sense this isn’t your typical five-star hotel experience. The building itself is striking — part of the award-winning NewActon precinct in Canberra — and honestly, it feels more like stepping into a friend’s incredibly well-designed apartment than a traditional hotel lobby. The eco-conscious design isn’t just for show either; you can tell they’ve actually thought through every detail, from the sustainable materials to the energy-efficient systems humming quietly in the background.

The Neighborhood Feel

What I love about this location on Edinburgh Avenue is how it sits right in the cultural heart of the city. You’re literally surrounded by galleries, cafes, and that fantastic farmers market on Saturday mornings — I mean, you can practically roll out of bed and grab the best coffee in town. The fact that couples rate this spot 8.6 makes total sense when you realize you can walk to Lake Burley Griffin for sunset strolls, then duck into one of the nearby wine bars without needing a car. It’s that perfect balance of urban energy and Canberra’s laid-back vibe.

Living Space Excellence

The room — well, it’s really more of a luxury studio — completely changed my expectations of hotel stays. You get a proper kitchen with everything you’d actually want to use, not just a sad mini-fridge and instant coffee setup. The floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light, and the furnishings strike that sweet spot between contemporary design and actual comfort. There’s something refreshing about having space to spread out, especially when you’re staying for more than just a night or two.

Breakfast Worth Waking Up For

The breakfast situation here is honestly impressive — they’ve got everything from continental basics to full English spreads, plus proper options for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone dealing with gluten issues. What surprised me was how fresh everything tasted; you know that feeling when hotel buffets seem like they’ve been sitting under heat lamps forever? None of that here. The American-style options are spot-on too, which isn’t always easy to find in Australia. I actually found myself looking forward to breakfast, which doesn’t happen often when I’m traveling.

Why Guests Love It

There’s this underlying sense of sustainability and thoughtfulness that runs through everything at Nishi — from the locally-sourced restaurant ingredients to the way they’ve integrated green technology without making a big show of it. The parking situation is straightforward (always a relief in any city center), and the staff genuinely seems to care about making your stay work for you rather than just checking boxes. It’s the kind of place where luxury means having what you actually need, when you need it, rather than over-the-top amenities you’ll never use.

Nishi Apartments Eco Living by Ovolo Accommodations

Reviews of Nishi Apartments Eco Living by Ovolo

• Comfortable for an overnight stay. – Kirrily from Australia – 11 May 2025 (8/10)

  Funky furnishing and great kitchenette. Great that each room has laundry facilities.
  
  What could be improved: Awkward room layout with minimal room around the bed. Lovely view overlooking the lake but with a noisy busy road in between which was disappointing.

• Not a first sight love but do want extend after 3 nights stay – 韩 from China – 30 April 2025 (9/10)

  Cosy beds made all of us slept 20% time than at our home.
  
  Huge Balcony with great view (ours are mountain view), especially when it was sunny with Dine in room coffees from bar downstairs
  
  What could be improved: Bathroom facilities a bit average even with blocking/leaking drains on the day we checked in
  
  Parking downstairs a little bit expensive (AUD25/day)

• Great service and wonderful location. – Lyn from Australia – 4 March 2025 (7/10)

  I love these apartments. Best in town.
  
  What could be improved: Two issues they are designed to be ventilated and if they’re not they are scorching when you arrive.
  
  Second and I meant to mention this. I got an electric shock off the lamp next ti the bed. Its obviously faulty.

• Good – Darren from Australia – 9 February 2025 (7/10)

  Good location and size room with one bed unit
  
  What could be improved: The bed was a little soft and there was no air conditioning on a hot summers night. Had to open the sliding doors to get comfortable and no screens On those.

• Enjoyable – Jackie from Australia – 14 December 2024 (8/10)

  Location. Staff.
  
  What could be improved: Aircon

• Loved the Ovolo & walking around! We are often elsewhere, this place, decor and location were fab – Penelope from Australia – 12 December 2024 (9/10)

  The retro decor, really nice staff, great art, and the location! Lovely to be on the ANU side of the lake, and walk into the galleries. The bed was really comfortable. Wifi worked well and the kitchen had what we needed
  
  What could be improved: The bathroom is fairly translucent and with lights on, is reasonably see through, and not noise proof at all. You need to know the ones you are with very well, as there is no disguising practical use of the bathroom! I would add shading strips and sound proofing, even if it impacts the flow-through enviro air approach. Also, the bar closed quite early for guests

• Nice apartment with a kitchen but could be improved if it had AC – Christine from Australia – 27 November 2024 (7/10)

  Location, modern room, kitchen. Good restaurants nearby.
  
  What could be improved: No air conditioning which made it uncomfortable to sleep.

• Superb – Colin from Australia – 3 November 2024 (9/10)

  The view from my room of the lake and parliament etc was great. My room was ready when I arrived early. Staff were great. The room had all the conveniences I needed. The hotel close for me to walk to cafes and shopping centre.

• I enjoyed my stay at the Nishi apartments. – Heather from Australia – 5 October 2024 (7/10)

  I loved the location and the fabulous view of the lake from the balcony. The main living area was comfortable and it was well set up.
  
  What could be improved: The bathroom was very small and the placement of the bed (a wall bed that was already made up) made the entry to the apartment a bit difficult.

• It was a great stay with a lot of positive experiences. – Nmkaustralia from Australia – 14 August 2024 (9/10)

  The place was great and also nice for hosting
  
  What could be improved: The restaurant at the hotel had no meat options. More food choices would have been great for substantial meals not just tapas.

Surroundings

Facilities