Overall: Very good. The best of what’s available at Rhodes. Easy to find with all the essentials plus some nice extras. Nappy change, private feeding, food prep, rest and play.
Good Points: Simple to find and enter. Located between the Lifts and Westpac on Level 2 (ie the floor with Coles, Target and the playground). Push button auto-slide door. Three private feeding cubicles. Four nappy change bays. Disposable change mat liners. Separate sink for washing hands after nappy changes. Clean and working microwave, and separate sink for food prep. Fenced play area. Couches for parents. Television. Adult and kid size toilets.
Bad Points: Curtains for privacy in feeding cubicles. No additional powerpoints for mums who need to express. Just the one sink in the toilets.
 |
| 4 change bays |
 |
| Food prep area |
Finally we made it to Rhodes and managed to check out the last remaining Parent Room without too many hassles. This was quite fun because being school holidays, the place is usually packed with young families. But it seems this early in January, people must be away on holidays. Whatever the reason, it was nice to come here again to check out the last Parent Room on the list for this shopping centre.
This one is on Level 2, which is actually the ground floor of shops but it’s called Level 2 because of the Lifts. Details details details. This is the floor with the very good small softplay indoor playground for young ones, and Coles, Target and other clothing and grocery stores. The Parent Room is smack right between the Lifts and Westpac – very easy to find.
 |
| Kids play area and television |
 |
| 3 private feeding cubicles |
The door has a big silver square button which just needs a press to open. I love this door. It has sparkly frosted glass which is very pretty but also gives loads more privacy than others I’ve come across elsewhere.
To the left of the room is the change bench and food prep area. The change bench has 4 nappy change bays, with bins underneath the bench, disposable change mat liners mounted on the wall, and the hand washing sink with soap and paper towel located at the far end. Up the entrance end of the bench is the food prep area. It has a clean and working microwave plus separate sink with soap and paper towels. While it would be ideal to have this part on a separate wall altogether, it’s good to see there is a separate sink for each of these functions.
 |
| Side table and armchair in each cubicle |
On the right hand side of the room is the 3 private feeding cubicles plus the toilet. The cubicles are average in size. Big enough to fit mum, bub and pram in there. There’s an armchair and side table in each, and it’s actually pretty comfy. The front of each cubicle has a curtain for privacy. These are not my favourite but it’s better than nothing. I’d rather see every private feeding cubicle have lockable solid doors, like there are at many Stockland shopping centres (my personal faves). It’s not much fun when you are feeding your baby, skin on show, and some other little one decides to throw open the curtain to play peek-a-boo. Lockable solid doors stop this from being a problem, plus they make you feel more safe and secure.
 |
| Adult and kid size toilets |
 |
| Just the one sink in the toilets |
The best feature of this room, for me anyway, is the small fenced play area for the kids with the couch and television for me. Love it! Sometimes after shopping and spending time at the other playground, you just want to be able to chill out for a few minutes someplace where you know your little one is not going to be able to escape. So I’m very happy with this setup. The play area is small but a couple of kids could happily entertain themselves in here with the assortment of toys available. And I can keep an eye on my little one while checking out what’s on television, as the tv is mounted high above the play area and the couch is facing it. Too easy and definitely a nice touch.
Also on the right side of the Parent Room is the toilet. Inside there’s adult and kid size toilets, and one sink with soap and a hand dryer. This toilet room is big enough to fit a pram and the door is locked from the inside. The sink, however, is not all that accessible for little ones. The tap is one of those push down round knobs which requires a bit of force, and the soap dispenser is a little high on the wall for most little kids to be able to access. So for hand washing after using the toilet, parents will most likely need to give kids a bit of help.
This Parent Room is definitely the best of what’s on offer at Rhodes. So when you’re next there, make sure you check it out….and let me know what you think of it.