Forrest Hotel & Apartments
by the TopOfHotel team
Forrest Hotel is a 3-star motel-and-apartment stay in quiet Forrest where free parking and full-kitchen apartments make it the cheapest, best-value pick on the list, scoring 8.4.
Forrest Hotel is a 3-star motel-and-apartment stay in quiet Forrest where free parking and full-kitchen apartments make it the cheapest, best-value pick on the list, scoring 8.4.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Forrest Hotel runs about 114 rooms, split between 75 motel-style units and 40 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Guests describe the motel rooms as plain but clean, each with a flat-screen TV, desk and electric kettle. The apartments are the smart choice for families who want to cook and keep costs down: they come with a full kitchen, and the bathrooms add a rain shower and hair dryer. Nothing here is plush — this is honest, functional motel decor — but it's tidy and does the job.
Food and amenities
Be clear on this before you book: there's no pool and no breakfast service. What the hotel leans on instead is self-catering and practical extras. The apartment kitchens let you cook your own meals, and there's a garden, a picnic area and a BBQ spot for guests, plus a laundry room, luggage storage, a computer station and a tour-and-ticket booking desk. Wi-Fi is free throughout. For breakfast, most guests just walk to the cafes in nearby Manuka.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits on National Circuit in Forrest, one of Canberra's quietest, greenest residential districts. Drivers in reviews single out the calm streets and heavy tree cover the moment they arrive. It's about a 5-minute drive to Parliament House and roughly a 6-minute drive to Canberra railway station, with Old Parliament House and the National Gallery close by. The flip side: the main restaurant strips and Parliament are a short drive rather than a walk, so a car helps.
Things to know before booking
The real reason this pick works is the free on-site parking, with spaces right in front of the rooms — a genuine saving in a city where most hotels add a daily charge. But set expectations: no pool, no breakfast, and motel-grade basics rather than a design hotel. If you arrive without a car, you'll be driving or taxiing to dinner and the sights. Rooms start at around $89 a night, the lowest on this list, and the 9.0 value score backs that up.
Our take
Forrest Hotel & Apartments is the budget play of this guide, and it owns that lane well. If you want a clean room, free parking and a kitchen apartment for self-catering without paying central-hotel rates, this is the most economical stay we'd point drivers and budget-minded families toward in Canberra. Trip.com guests rate it 8.4/10, and the value math is hard to argue with.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A 3-star hotel and serviced-apartment property in Forrest, one of Canberra's quietest and greenest residential districts — drivers in reviews notice the calm streets and heavy tree cover the moment they pull in.
- The cheapest starting price in this guide, from roughly $89 a night, and its 9.0 value score is the standout figure in the ratings.
- Free on-site parking with spaces right in front of the rooms — a genuine saving in a city where most hotels add a daily parking charge.
- One- and two-bedroom apartments come with a full kitchen, so families who want to cook and cut food costs can do exactly that; bathrooms add a rain shower and hair dryer.
- Practical extras stack up: a garden, picnic area, BBQ spot, laundry room, luggage storage, a computer station and a tour/ticket booking desk, all on free Wi-Fi.
- There's no swimming pool and no breakfast service, so morning coffee means using the in-apartment kitchen or walking to a cafe.
- It's motel-style throughout — clean and functional, but the fittings are basic rather than plush, so don't expect a design hotel.
- Parliament House and the main restaurant strips are a short drive rather than a walk, which matters if you arrive without a car.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Bring your own car if you can — the free parking is the single biggest reason to book here over pricier central options.
- Pick a kitchen apartment over a motel room if you plan to cook; the savings on meals add up fast across a multi-night stay.
- Walk over to the cafes in nearby Manuka for breakfast, since the hotel doesn't serve it.