Some individuals commented that being detained at the hotel APODs was preferable to being at either the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation (BITA) or Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) as they were more likely to have single occupancy rooms, be separated from people who had violent or criminal records (with a number saying that they felt safer in the hotel APODs) and were able to tell relatives that they were staying in a ‘hotel’ rather than a detention facility which reduced their humiliation and anxiety. At the same time, detainees described how they were largely confined to their rooms, with social isolation and entrenched loneliness being significant problems. People who were required to share a room also reported having no choice of whom they shared accommodation with and a distressing lack of privacy. Most of the individuals interviewed by the Commission reported that they were satisfied with the physical condition of the accommodation at the hotel APODs. There were, however, some reports of the cleaning of rooms being problematic, with basic cleaning equipment sometimes being denied. Examples given included laundry powder not being available at various points, and shared nail clippers being provided that had not been properly cleaned. Individuals reported that when they were first placed in the Melbourne APOD, they were unable to open the windows in their rooms, meaning that they had no access to fresh air when they were in their rooms. The lack of fresh air in the rooms was a significant issue, particularly given that individuals described being confined to their rooms for the overwhelming majority of the time. This appears to have now been somewhat addressed, as the windows could be opened to a limited extent in all of the rooms the Commission inspected at the Brisbane APOD. However, the fact that windows could only be opened to a limited extent highlights the importance of ensuring that individuals be given the opportunity to spend time either outdoors or in spaces with better access to fresh air. The Use of Hotels as Alternative Places of Detention (APODs) • 2023 • 27