We really wanted to love this hotel. A stunning venue with beautiful finishings. Food was great, not to mention the amazing garlic bread! Service was less than average, unfortunately. Not one staff member seemed like they wanted to be there. Personalities aside, some basic training wouldn’t go astray around greeting people at the door by the sign that says “please wait to be seated” instead of looking over a few times then yelling from behind the bar when there was no one else in the restaurant and serving some side plates for a shared entree and 4 people. We are huge for service and this place was just not it.
We arrived in Bendigo by train and walked to the motel which was a 15minute walk and the location was great. Staff were friendly and let us check in early and asked us which milk we want and told us about the lookout tower step counting challenge. The room was great and the only downside was the absence of a shower curtain and there were no overhead lights. There were more than enough towels and soap a toothbrush and toothpaste as well as Shampoo and other toiletries were all provided. The table was small but had cutlery a toaster, kettle, microwave, tea coffe and a fridge. They also have breakfast starting from $8 but we decided not to opt. If they had a stove you could probably stay there for a week but without one it’s perfect for a overnight stay or 2 night stay.
Large well furnished room with large spacious bathroom. Walkin shower. Pleasant view from full door/windows to inner courtyard with pool surrounded by green grass. Enjoyed watching some families of ducks walking around there in the morning. Appreciated the tea and coffee ammenities. Everything was clean and neat. The Lake was just opposite for a walk around in the morning after checkout before enjoying a coffee and jam donut! Reception staff were friendly and very helpful.
MMelbourneChrisThe location was good, about 15 minutes walk to the city centre, with a Woolworths nearby. Although my room was at the back, there was a lot of noise from the road. The room was dark and gloomy though fairly comfortable and well equipped. There was a large communal table outside my door where a group of guests congregated, shouting and swearing and being generally rowdy - including on their return from a night out at 3am. When I left my room I had to step over the pile of beer cans they left behind. I won’t be returning.
We stayed a night in a Deluxe Room in Hermitage House. The room was huge, as was the bathroom, and had expansive views out over the vineyards, as well as some of the glamping tents in among the eucalypts and passing kangaroos at dusk. Our stay included a free wine tasting at the cellar door, covering most of Balgownie's extensive range. We also dined in the restaurant for both dinner and breakfast - both of which were very good. A relaxing and enjoyable stay.
I booked a 2-day stay for a family outing with kids. The only reason I chose this hotel was the heated pool and jet spa, which were mentioned in the reviews and hotel description. I read a lot of reviews on the internet before booking. The moment I stepped into the hotel, I started to wonder if these reviews were about this property. The exterior looked like an outdated, below-average motor inn. The front desk was not friendly. The first question was, “Have you stayed here before?” I said no, and then he told me I could go to the first floor using the stairs or the lift near the reception. He provided no other information about any of the amenities. The corridors were dusty and looked like they hadn’t been cleaned for months. The room was not neat, with outdated furniture and carpets. However, I was not aware that this was just the beginning of my disappointments. As I mentioned earlier, my preference was for the pool for my kids, so I ignored all the above and went to check the pool. It looked like it hadn’t been cleaned for a long time, and the water was so cold. The receptionist said the heating system was damaged. The kids were very disappointed, and I thought I could make them happy with the jet spa inside the bathroom. I filled the water, and when they switched on the jet, the whole unit went dark as the main power switch went off. I tried to call the reception through the hotel phone but failed, then I tried from my mobile, but it went to voicemail. I went and spoke with the receptionist. He came and had a look and told me he couldn’t do anything to fix the jet. I was thinking, why did I book this hotel? There is a nice hotel very close to this property. After two days of an unpleasant stay, when I went to check out at the reception, no one was there. After waiting and ringing the call bell several times, I left the key at the reception and again went to the first floor and wandered around looking for the receptionist. At last, I found him, told him about the key, and left. Very unprofessional hotel. Stay away.
BBrenton PWe stayed for 2 nights on a recent trip. The room and bathroom were both very clean. We found the bed to be comfortable and, although near the road, did not notice the traffic noise. Overall a very pleasant and enjoyable stay. Finally, we realised a day later we had left a pillow in the room. On contacting the motel we were able to arrange to have the pillow posted back to us. The staff were extremely friendly, helpful and cooperative in arranging the return the pillow for which we are very grateful. We were very happy and thankful for the extra time and effort the young lady put in.
The Motel room was clean,comfortable and modern,interesting feature- a code is needed to put into the door to get into your room ( No key). Had a cosy feeling but the bathroom was very tiny and the dishes,cups and glasses you had to wash yourself in the bathroom sink no room service as per say as far as that is concerned. There is a certain amount of trust in the previous guest to do the right thing I guess. On the Monday morning a male Room attendant came to rouse you out to make sure you were out by 10 a.m, and also to clean the rooms. This Motel is a good place to lay your head for the night and for a single traveller on their own. The shower needs a lot to be desired as it is tiny and the shower door just opens enough to be able to get inside and you have to step down to get in to the recess and step up to get out. The owners have done a nice job to renovate the rooms, but with no Front Office person on site it is a bit disconcerting.