Transit Hotel in Melbourne Tullamarine: Cilom Airport Lodge

Do you have a plan to transit in Melbourne Tullamarine Airport and looking for an affordable hotel or motel to stay? Our flights from Indonesia to New Zealand transit in Melbourne, as we took Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. We arrived at Melbourne Tullamarine airport at around 12.20 am, and our connecting flight from Melbourne to Queenstown was at 10 am. After a long flight from Jakarta, we didn't intend to wait or sleep at the airport. We needed a room for our short sleep.

Ibis Hotel which is located near the budget terminal of Tullamarine Airport was my first choice. I walked passing this hotel when I was looking for a cheap public transport from Melbourne Tullamarine to the city. So I thought, it would be easy to find the hotel as I knew the place already. A room at Ibis Hotel cost around AUD 130, it was within our budget. But I changed my mind after reading reviews on tripadvisor regarding the self check-in process and the lift. Guests checking in after 11 pm will have to do their self check-in, and there was one review saying the hassle of a traveler who failed to do the self check in, and had to make several calls to the hotel staff. Other reviews mentioned that this hotel doesn't have a lift. 

Then I searched for another hotel with better reviews. I came across a motel called Cilom Airport Lodge. Although not in a walking distance from the airport, the reviews say that the motel provides free return shuttle bus from and to the airport. How about the price? Double room cost AUD 138 while Twin Room cost AUD 148. We took a twin room as it provides one single bed and one queen bed. 

I called the hotel from a public phone at the airport. We had prepared coins to make a phonecall upon arrival at Melbourne Tullamarine airport. The hotel staff told me to cross the road two times and wait at the "hotel bus parking" area. We didn't know where it was. We just walked and cross the road two times as informed. We waited in the cold, glad that kiddos were awake after a long sleep at the airplane. Couldn't imagine if they fall asleep and we had to take them in our arms together with our luggage. Phew.

We waited for another 5 minutes, and a white van from Cilom came. Kiddos were excited getting into this van, together with Dini's family.

The van had just arrived at Cilom

As seen from its website, Cilom is an old motel, but very clean and well maintained. We arrived at the hotel around 1 am, the check in process was fast. We booked the free shuttle which will take us to the airport upon check-in. We had to leave the hotel at 7.30 am. Yup, we had a hectic schedule:p

Checking in at midnight

The lobby of Cilom Airport Lodge

Although it has an old interior, this motel was very homey. Our room was spacious enough. The bathroom was clean, we were satisfied with our room at Cilom Airport Lodge.

The hallway to our room

Perfect for the four of us

Location wise, it is located 5-10 minutes away to the airport. I didn't find any convenience store or restaurant nearby. We had our breakfast at the airport.

If you are on budget and looking for a transit hotel at Melbourne Tullamarine airport, I might say this is the motel for you.

written on March 12, 2014

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The Greenhouse Backpacker