Lotus Stay Manly – Apartment 29E

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about Lotus Stay Manly? It’s tucked away on Malvern Avenue, which honestly feels like finding a quiet pocket in what can be a pretty bustling beachside suburb. I mean, you’re still close enough to hear the surf if you listen carefully, but you’re not dealing with the constant parade of tourists dragging their beach chairs down the Corso at all hours.

Apartment 29E sits in one of those mid-rise buildings that actually feels more like home than hotel – which makes sense since it’s essentially a serviced apartment setup. The place has that lived-in comfort you don’t always get with sterile hotel rooms. Sure, it’s a 3-star rating and the 7.1 score tells you it’s not going to blow your mind, but here’s the thing: sometimes you just want a decent base that won’t drain your wallet while you explore. The kitchen’s actually functional (not one of those token hotel kitchenettes), so you can grab groceries from the Woolworths down on Sydney Road instead of eating out every meal. The living area’s got enough space to spread out, which is clutch if you’re staying more than a couple nights or traveling with kids who need room to decompress.

What I really appreciate is how walkable everything is from here. The beach is maybe a 10-minute stroll – you’ll hit the northern end of Manly Beach, which tends to be less crowded than the main stretch near the wharf. If you’re into the ferry ride (and honestly, who isn’t?), it’s about 15 minutes on foot to Manly Wharf, though there’s also the bus that runs along Pittwater Road if you’re loaded down with beach gear. The neighborhood itself has this residential vibe that feels authentically Sydney – you’ll see locals walking their dogs in the morning, kids heading to school, that sort of thing. Parking can be a bit of a puzzle during peak season, but the building does have options, and street parking opens up if you’re willing to walk a few blocks. The check-in process is pretty straightforward, though like most apartment-style places, you’re not getting 24-hour concierge service – it’s more of a “here are your keys, call if there’s a problem” situation. Would I recommend it? Well, if you’re looking for marble bathrooms and turndown service, probably not your spot. But if you want a solid, reasonably priced place to crash while you explore Manly and the northern beaches, it does the job nicely.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $433. Two-Bedroom Apartment with 1 single bed, 2 × 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 5

Reviews

• House was beautiful thank you – Rachel from Australia – 1 September 2024 (8/10)

  The unit was beautiful and a great distance to everywhere we wanted to go.
  
  What could be improved: The parking was confusing as others had parked where they weren’t supposed too. Some of the neighbours were unsavoury, not the type of people I wanted around my children as there seemed to be a lot of arguments late at night from the neighbouring units

• A comfortable stay with easy access to the beach, restaurants and shops – Sandy from United Kingdom – 30 March 2023 (8/10)

  The apartment was located centrally with easy access to the Manly ferry wharf (15 minute walk) and local shops. The apartment was very clean and comfortable. We did have a couple of issues with items we felt were missing when we arrived but Roxanne was very helpful and quickly got these things for us.
  
  What could be improved: Not enough power sockets in the second bedroom.
  
  The rooms were a decent size and comfortable but the bathroom is shared between both bedrooms.

• clean and comfortable, better than expected – Mario from Australia – 26 February 2023 (8/10)

  everything was great
  
  What could be improved: no parking

• A wonderful property. Perfect location. Would definitely recommend, but reconsider the "couch!" – Jacqui from Australia – 2 August 2024 (7/10)

  The location was excellent! Not much can beat being across from the beach! We were upgraded to this location at the last minute – a wonderful surprise! Thank you. It was very much appreciated. We had a wonderful stay 🙂
  
  What could be improved: The "couch" was very stiff. One of us already has a bad back and to have to sit on a bar stool the whole time wasn't very pleasant, especially when the whole point of our trip was to relax. This would be our only criticism

• A great place to stay to be close to the beach and a reasonable walk to the main part of Manly. The apartment is a littl – Lisa from Australia – 8 October 2023 (7/10)

  The location to the beach was fantastic, the apartment was a good size for our family of 5.

• Nice – Kenneth from Australia – 10 May 2023 (7/10)

  The location
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Good – Kamran from Australia – 9 May 2023 (7/10)

  Location is the best…. short 10min. Walk to Manly wharf… Manly beach 5min or so… quiet neighbours… best host… very helpful.
  
  What could be improved: Cleanning would have been slighlty better. Few curtains missing … would be great for privacy

• Good – Mark from Australia – 30 March 2023 (7/10)

  Dee at the front desk was very nice and looked after the reception process very well

• it was ok but don’t make people pay when you can’t guarantee what their paying for – Jennine from Australia – 21 August 2022 (8/10)

  close to where we needed to go
  
  What could be improved: hot water cut in and out paid for parking and told if someone takes your spot park on street with 2 hour limit

• You pay for what you get!!! – Kiel from Australia – 27 July 2022 (6/10)

  Location was good to the beach , easy access.
  
  What could be improved: Hot water system failed several times. Was quickly shown the issue but it kept happening. I was able to resolve future issues myself.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities