T T.
1/5
Honest Review of Our Stay. Room Was Fine, But Disappointed With the Welcome
We stayed here overnight while passing through Coffs Harbour. The room itself was quite decent. We were pleasantly surprised to receive a room that had a bed which was soft and comfortable, the TV and Wi-Fi worked well, and for a short stay it generally ticked the boxes. There is a small kitchen extension for preparing meals, a pool area to relax in, and parking was easy enough. The location is close to the highway so expect some truck noise but that is fairly standard for roadside accommodation and did not bother us.
Where the stay fell down was the customer service. When checking in, we were immediately met with hostility from the woman at the front desk regarding our dogs. This was despite the fact that we booked the correct pet-friendly room through Booking.com. Instead of being greeted politely, as we have experienced at every other pet-friendly venue across the country, we were told right away that if there was any evidence of the dogs being on the beds, we would be blacklisted and never allowed to return. That is a harsh tone to open with, especially considering we are extremely responsible pet owners who always travel with our own dog blankets, clean up after our dogs, and are very mindful of respecting property.
Other accommodation venues whom we visit always ask about the dogs, ages etc and generally want to meet them. Just not here. I understand if you have had past experiences but in today’s age, travellers are all across the furry friends and the polite ways to treat a space when we stay.
The dog run provided behind the property was full of dog waste. None of it was from us. It had clearly not been cleaned for some time, which is disappointing considering how strict the hotel is about pet behaviour inside the room. The towel rack in the bathroom was loose and falling off the wall. There were multiple cockroaches inside the room which we have photographed. For a venue that lectures guests about cleanliness with pets, it felt hypocritical to then have to deal with hygiene issues like that. That ‘lecture’ is readily available as a note within your room. It’s quite a bit of negative energy before you even bring your bags in.
We used the provided blanket to stay warm as the weather was cold. The quality of the blanket was poor and it pilled badly, leaving black fluff all over the white sheets. This was frustrating and again, we have photos to support this.
The room itself is perfectly functional for a one-night stay but basic courtesy at check-in goes a long way. Had the initial interaction not been so unpleasant, we would have left a much more positive review overall. When you start by threatening paying guests, and then provide a room with cockroaches, maintenance issues and poor cleaning of shared areas, you are setting the wrong tone.
Have to say that the mornings cleaners were smiling, chatty and friendly.
There are many ways to be pet-friendly. Being kind to responsible owners is step one.
Summary
Room was updated and comfortable
Facilities fine for a short stay
Kitchen, pool and parking available
Highway noise as expected
Abrasive and unwelcoming check-in experience
Cockroaches inside the room
Poor maintenance including towel rack and uncleared dog run
Blanket provided pilled badly, leaving mess
We hope this helps the management reflect and improve the guest experience.
