Caroline Serviced Apartments » Brighton

Half Moon Hotel – Brighton’s Pub!

Anna — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 23:24:24 +0000

Our lovely neighbours at the Half Moon hotel have finally re-opened after an

extensive year-long renovation, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait!

On the 1^st of March, Alison and I were lucky enough to be invited the guest list only Grand Opening of the Half Moon Hotel. In attendance were all of the who’s who in Brighton, not naming any names, and us! We were wined and dined, literally, with beautiful cocktails, wine and bubbly, as well as gourmet finger food! Yum!

Lychee Martini's

The venue itself is beautiful, boasting six new drinking and dining spaces over 2 levels, the mix of indoor and outdoor areas are all interconnected by a stunning new timber staircase and an open walkway. The front open area is perfect for a relaxing drink or casual meal, while the indoor dining room provides a relaxed environment to enjoy their fantastic pub food. Next to the main restaurant is the Molina Room, a private dining seating 12 people, is perfect for your intimate dinners or functions, or can also be used to corporate presentations!

Upstairs is the ultra-cool cocktail bar with adjoining balcony looking out over Church St, where we were treated to these tasty beauties!

So far, Brighton’s favourite pub, has been exceedingly popular for old and young alike, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or casual drink any night of the week! I highly recommend you all visit – and tell them Caroline sent you!

Have a Pizza Perfect Day!

Imogene — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:50:02 +0000

Have you ever been tempted by the smell of pizza cooking in the ovens of your favourite pizza restaurant?

Or watched in amazement as a pizza chef throws and catches their freshly rolled dough like a frisby?

If you’re between 6 and 12 years old and you’re a fan of pizza, have an interest in cooking, or you have an aspiring cook in your family, who’s addicted to shows like Master Chef and My Kitchen Rules the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is the place to be this March.

For all you young foodies out there, The White Rabbit restaurant located at 118 Church St Brighton is hosting a how to session on pizza making, to teach your children how to make delicious restaurant standard pizza. This intensive two hour course runs from 3-5pm on the 6^th March at $35 per child and goes through the entire process of quality pizza making. With instructions to guide you through everything, from learning how to roll the perfect dough and apply a delicious array of toppings, to finally warming and crisping your masterpiece in a traditional wood fire oven, creating a tasty take-home treat for everyone to enjoy.

For the parents, there’s not only the advantage of training up your little ones to lend a hand in the kitchen, but there’s also the added benefit of being a healthy, restaurant standard alternative that can be prepared without having to leave the comfort of your own home. So if you’re looking for something to do this coming Sunday afternoon, why not accompany your child to the White Rabbit for a fun filled lesson in pizza making.

Check our the rest of the food and wine festival for more fun things to do and taste!

Bright ‘n’ Sandy Food and Wine Festival

Ali — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:06:34 +0000

The annual Bright ‘n’ Sandy Food & Wine Festival is just around the corner! It’s always a great day out for the family – with something to keep everyone happy. It happens on Sunday 6th March (as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival) at Green Point, Brighton.

Highlights of the day include cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, roaming entertainers and on-stage performances and plenty of fun activities for kids to take part in. The theme for this years event is from the farm to the table, so expect plenty of tasty fresh food ideas and flavours to taste.

Brighton Beach Gardens at Green Point is only 2 km from Caroline Serviced Apartments Brighton, and we are encouraging all of our guests to stroll down for a visit. The best local restaurants will all be showcasing their delights and you may even do a bit of celebrity spotting!

If you’ve been along to this event before, what did you enjoy most? We’d love for you to share your experiences here so other newcomers to the area can get a sense of how our Bayside community enjoy putting on events…

Never underestimate the power of positivity!

Imogene — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:09:30 +0000

As I was googling away today, looking for the right piece of information that could help me to answer my uni homework questions, I stumbled across a research article that enlightened me to the power of a positive attitude. The article went into detail regarding the necessity for happiness and positivity for nurses caring for cancer patients…which I know sounds like a pretty dismal topic but the simple notion of how something as small as a pleasant attitude could have such a drastic effect on those surrounding you got me thinking.

As I have started working at Caroline Serviced Apartments in Brighton whilst studying for my nursing degree, it has very quickly come to my attention that in life you come across a variety of different situations and individuals. The limited interpersonal skills that I have developed in my 19 years, through my schooling experiences and via interactions with those directly connected to my life are still a work in progress when it comes to dealing with a broader spectrum than my Brighton bubble.

Having recently taken up a position as a Receptionist for Caroline Apartments in Brighton I enjoy meeting the many guests that stay with us. These guests are not all on holidays or without stresses as they come home from work, or a tiresome day of house hunting and it seems that a warm smile or having someone to talk to can give a sense of relief and make them feel more at home. What’s more the uplifting feeling I get when someone asks me how my day has been or stops for a chat on their way out makes me feel more valued and happy!

Similarly when working at the local hospital as part of my uni studies, I deal with people who are confused; in pain; and who are often very frightened as they await surgery. At such a time a smile and a friendly , caring attitude does a great deal to comfort and reassure the patients. By taking the time to talk to and listen to their thoughts and worries; they seem to become more positive at with a sense of being of importance and not so alone.

Although a smile may not completely dissolve the pain, fear, worry or anxiety; laughter and a positive spin is by far the best medicine.

Many, including myself can often become far too bogged down in their own stresses that they forget to or don’t take the time to offer a smile or a kind word. So remember that there’s always a nice way of saying everything and that a positive attitude can go a long way! It’s amazing to see the difference it makes!

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

Ali — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:43:07 +0000

March is HUGE in Melbourne. There’s Moomba, two weeks of celebrating Victoria’s delicious food and wine produce, followed by the Grand Prix…. And let’s not forget the start of the AFL Footy season! You’ll be forgiven for not remembering what your home looks like if you were to get involved in all the fun events that are on available.

This weekend, it’s no wonder both of our properties (in South Yarra and Brighton) are 100% fully booked. I might kickstart the weekend with a ‘dazzling breakfast & sparkling wine’ in St Kilda at Veludo on Saturday 20^th March. Sounds like fun.

What I’m most excited about is heading to the Cellar Door at Southgate promenade, where over 60 of Victoria’s best wineries are setting up camp practically on our doorstep! While the Yarra Valley and Mornington wineries are spectacular to visit, there’s always the problem of who has to drive. Not this weekend! They’re all coming to us and it’s going to be glorious!

On Sunday there’s also the Bright ‘n’ Sandy Food & Wine Festival where the StayBayside Group [which we are proudly part of] has a stall to promote the Bayside area as a destination with lots of different types of accommodation. Head down to Green Point to find all the local restaurants showcasing their culinary delights amongst a variety of entertainment for all the family. A great afternoon out – You can even bring your dog!

So what’s it going to be for you this weekend? If there’s something not to be missed, please let us know and we’ll tell our guests!

F1 Grand Prix – March 2010

Ali — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:12:52 +0000

Albert Park 25 – 28th March 2010

Looking for an adrenaline rush?

Then get caught up in the excitement and roar of the Qantas Australia Grand Prix at Albert Park in March 2010.

We’ve got your accommodation covered. Caroline Serviced Apartments are offering racing fans some fabulous 4.5 star accommodation only 10 – 15 minutes from the track. Why not stay for a 5 nights and give yourself a chance to explore other places Melbourne has to offer?

Get in early though: South Yarra has already booked out and Brighton is filling fast!

Pets in the Workplace

Ali — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:16:49 +0000

Tumbles the Mini-Schnauzer

Tumbles. It’s a name that hardly strikes fear into anyone, and if you’ve met him you’ll chuckle at how placid our ‘Head of Security’ really is. Tumbles is our Managing Director’s Miniature Schnauzer, who comes to work everyday to keep an eye on things for us, and make sure there are no ‘unsavoury’ characters bothering us at Reception.

He bounces in wagging his tail, wanders around the office (obviously completing his security check), then finds a cosy spot on the floor next to whoever is working at the Front Desk and sits like a sphynx. To some, he may look like he is sleeping, but it’s just a ruse. In the event of an emergency his senses cause him to spring into action and be in front of the target within seconds. However this is only if the ‘emergency’ involves hunger, and ‘the target’ is someone carrying food.

Likes

His Master – you should see how high he bounces when Doug enters the room
Fruit! Yep – he can’t handle it if an apple is not shared with him
warm seats
Anyone carrying food – he thinks it’s always for him

Dislikes

puddles (or rain)
he whimpers when he sees another dog
screaming children

Tumbles takes his role seriously

He loves our elevator at Brighton. He seems to think it’s some sort of magical place that he can go into and when the door opens he is miraculously in a different place. I was working on Reception one day and a guest walked past (she must have been carrying take-away food) and Tumbles followed them to the lift, the doors opened and he got in the lift with the guest. The doors closed before I reached them, so off he went on a ride to a different floor with the guest and the food. I had to wait for the lift to return, and when the doors opened I see Tumbles wagging his tail looking up at the guest hopefully. The lady was laughing at him and hadn’t realised she had been followed (by a ninja-dog) into the lift, so she came back down to make sure Tumbles was delivered back to Reception. So as you can see, he is particularly vigilant with his security duties!

Pets at work may not be appropriate for every workplace

Are pets in the workplace a good idea?

Tumbles acts a lot like a young puppy, but he has actually reached his senior years. He still loves attention and will always greet anyone who wants to say hi. The kids and families staying at our apartments all seem to love him! We think it’s great that he gets to come to work every day – a couple of days at South Yarra, a couple of days at Brighton… he seems to take the workload in his stride! It got us thinking if anyone else brings their pet to work? Is it welcomed or frowned upon? I think it really helps the animal feel more relaxed, particularly if they’re a social pet. They don’t have to have any feelings of anxiety at being left at home alone all day. That’s got to be a good thing right?

Is this what happens when we're not looking?

Boxing Day Test 26th – 30th December 2009

Ali — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:08:13 +0000

The 'G' is electric

If you’re a massive cricket fan like me, you’ll understand the excitement when anyone talks about the Boxing Day Test at the ‘G’. Nothing is more electric than feeling the atmosphere at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during any sporting event, and the Boxing Day Test is no exception!

The (5 day) 3 Mobile Test Series will see Australia take on Pakistan from 26th – 30th December 2009. It’ll be interesting to see how Pakistan play against the Aussies after their recent smashing of the West Indies in Twenty20 cricket in June.

Accommodation packages at Caroline Serviced Apartments start from $225 per night. Our South Yarra property is only a 25 minute walk (or 1 train stop) from the MCG, and Brighton is only a 15 minute train journey to the ‘G’.

Get your sunscreen, get your hat, get your tickets and get in quick for the most convenient 4.5 star accommodation to catch all the action at the G!! To check South Yarra‘s availability just call +61 (0)3 9868 5600, and Brighton is +61 (0)3 8591 3333.

Australian Open Tennis in January 2010

Ali — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:05:11 +0000

Summer is here so it’s almost time for tennis fans to converge on Melbourne for the annual Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam. The Australian Open is on from 18th – 31st January 2010 and it’s an event not to be missed!

Caroline Serviced Apartments are in the perfect location to catch all the action of the tennis and also take the time to conveniently access all of the other attractions that Melbourne city has to offer. Melbourne Park / Rod Laver Arena is only 1 train-stop from our South Yarra Property (5 mins) and about 8 train-stops from our Brighton Property (15 mins) on the Sandringham Line.

Get in quick to secure your accommodation, as availability is becoming limited!

South Yarra has a minimum stay of 10 nights throughout the tournament
Brighton has a HOT DEAL for stays of 4 nights or more – just remember to mention that you want to book The Australian Open Tennis Package that you saw on our website or our blog so we can throw in a couple of little extras for you (including a Tennis Survival Kit).

Phone +61 (0)3 8591 3333 for Brighton or +61 (0)3 9868 5600 for South Yarra.

Getting Listed: How we use Twitter Lists

Ali — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:50:59 +0000

This goes with this and this goes with that….

After reading this great blog post (from Jade Craven & ThinkTank Media) on Twitter Lists, we put together all of our new found knowledge to try to make some sense of this new feature of Twitter…

How do we use Twitter Lists?

Twitter lists have made it so much easier for us to categorise the people or companies that we follow on Twitter. We have created lists based on industry, geography, clients, connectors and activities in our area.

Industry

This has helped us group together all of our peers (accommodation providers) around the world. We can easily keep up with trends in our industry. We use this to see how other hotels are utilizing their Twitter accounts, and also to find some really useful links on marketing or industry trends. It actually has reinforced to us that we are leaders amongst our competitors, as we have created a Twitter community that we engage with on a daily basis.

Geography

Our business is located in 2 areas of Melbourne. So we have created one list for South Yarra businesses and another for the Brighton area. We’re hoping to increase these lists as more local businesses get on board with the power of Twitter, but so far it is fairly limited, and not as useful as it could be. If we had more businesses to add to these lists it would be a fantastic opportunity to cross-promote other businesses and create close relationships that help bring more people to our local areas.

Clients

At Caroline Serviced Apartments we have a number of large corporations that send their employees to stay with us whilst working on projects in Melbourne. This Twitter list has only a few of our clients on it, at this early stage and we hope to find more of them utilizing Twitter in the near future. We hope to be able to follow and provide support for the company progressions.

Connectors

There are a number of Travel Bloggers and Twitter networking events that we can bounce off to improve our profile within Social Media platforms. Travel Bloggers may even be able to use our accommodation for a review on their blog, or offer our accommodation as a prize in their own competitions. Twitter networkers such as @tweetupmellers is an invaluable source of people that we’ve met face-to-face. Although it’s great to chat to people online, there really is something to be said for meeting people in the flesh! Now we’ve met lots of the people at TweetUpMellers, they also now have a connection in the accommodation industry in Melbourne, so that they can recommend us to their clients or friends. Connecting is all about sharing!

Activities

I made a separate list for Melbourne Activities after discovering several individuals or companies who have some outstanding content on things to do in Melbourne. At our Brighton Property we provide ‘daily news’ for our guests with suggestions of activities and restaurants , so this list is a great source of ideas! It provides a ‘locals’ perspective on some cool things to get involved in around Melbourne.

It’s a good start…

Although some of our lists are more useful than others at the moment, we see the potential that some lists can bring. Now all we need is more businesses and good connectors to become involved in Twitter!!! It’s not as scary as they may think!