The troubled timeline of medihotel Tom’s Court – and the reviews of those forced to stay there

You can check out any time you like … oh, no you can’t. What was it like as an enforced guest at the multimillion-dollar quarantine silo?

Tom’s Court, that multi-storey monument to mandatory isolation, is back in private hands.

As the pandemic gathered speed and Australia found itself with nowhere to house people returning from overseas, the state government took over the newly-built hotel and transformed it into the main quarantine facility for infected patients.

It’s hardly the most auspicious beginning for a multimillion-dollar investment, but strange times call for unusual measures and instead of boasting about the views and the buffet breakfast Tom’s Court found itself spruiking airflow and deep-cleaning processes.

And the hotel had the unenviable, and – before Covid – uncommon privilege of housing guests that would rather be anywhere else than a hotel room, even if did have sweeping views of the Adelaide Hills. There’s not much benefit in being within walking distance of all the CBD has to offer if you’re not allowed to walk anywhere.

One “guest” who really didn’t want to be there was Cleo Carter, who was charged with failing to comply with a direction under the Emergency Management Act after she noped the heck out of there and went to a friend’s house in Rostrevor. The police caught up with the Covid-positive escape the next morning and arrested her.

Ms Carter didn’t throw a table from the ninth-floor balcony though. That act of frustration came from Jaye Dean James, then 39, who told the court he was hungry and frustrated by the food – or lack of – when decided to play furniture frisbee.

Cleo June Carter left Tom's Court medi-hotel in December 2021 while directed to quarantine. Picture Facebook

Jaye James was denied bail, charged with breaching a Covid-19 direction. Photo: Facebook

Thankfully no pedestrians had the misfortune of being under the table, and Dean expressed remorse before the magistrate jailed him for 10 days.

And while throwing your table off the balcony might be … a bit much, the food in Tom’s Court during mandatory lockdowns wasn’t highly reviewed. To be fair though, not many medi-hotels were getting five-star reviews on Zomato at the time.

Could you spend two weeks in here … and only in here? Picture: Dean Martin

Expectant mum Tyarna Hansen found herself an unwitting guest of Tom’s Court after contracting Covid, and was less than effusive about the fare on offer.

Tom’s Court Hotel is returning to the market as a normal, Covid-free hotel. Picture: Dean Martin

“The food and meals — two meals a day, that’s a bit ridiculous. They’re cold and we have to heat them up,” she told the media, providing a picture of a rather sad-looking piece of raisin bread and a muesli bar.

Despite the rough beginnings, Tom’s Court’s online reviews are very positive with the hotel receiving a rating of “fabulous” and a score of 8.8 out of 10 on booking.com.

No doubt staff are very much looking forward to welcoming more guests there of their own volition and not because of government orders.

And those of us – here, interstate and around the world – who have been itching to stay at Tom’s Court, tucked away behind King William and Halifax streets – will get our chance from next month.

Having sat empty for five months it’s likely to be the cleanest hotel in South Australia and the food will no doubt be a vast improvement on the government-issued rations served up during the pandemic. And the best bit? When you walk out the door you’ll hear “have a nice day” instead of “Stop! Police!” Sounds like paradise. Five stars.