Armidale Tourist Park

Check-in was quick and easy, and the staff were polite and helpful. The bed was comfortable, but the cabin needs a deep clean and some maintenance. There was dirt in the cupboards, behind and under furniture, and under the lounge cushions. Some windows wouldn't lock, some flyscreens were missing and others torn. The curtains were very worn and thin, and the ceiling fans were noisy. The kitchen was tiny, with only a bar-size fridge despite bedding for six. The bathroom wasn't adequate for more than two people, with no bench space and too few towel rails. The cabins also face one another, so privacy is limited.

The check-in staff member went out of her way to sort out the TV when I reported it wasn't working, even though she was about to finish for the night. She'd been friendly, professional and helpful from the start, and communication after booking was excellent. The park itself was quiet, tidy and well presented, with the amenities you'd expect for its size. We had a two-bedroom villa that was an accessible unit, with a huge carport and nearly as much space as my house. It looked fairly modern and recently refreshed, and on that warm day the air conditioning and fans had been left on, so it was cool when we arrived. The cleanliness let the place down. After walking barefoot inside for a short while, my feet were black. The floors seemed to get swept but not vacuumed or mopped, the vertical surfaces were dusty, and there were spiders of different kinds throughout the unit. My son lost a toy under the lounge, and when we moved it, there was rubbish left by previous guests. I've worked as a cleaner at a caravan park, and it shouldn't have been left like that. I was hoping for a nice shower in the morning. The water was hot enough, but there was hardly any pressure, like spraying myself with a Windex bottle. It's disappointing because this could be a great little holiday park, but it fell short. I paid $164 a night and honestly don't think the unit was worth more than $130. The cleanliness would have to improve a lot before I'd consider coming back.

The pool was popular with families, and the barbecue area was good. The facilities were clean and easy to reach. It's a short drive into town, and the staff were friendly. Lots of caravan parks are drive-through, which makes things much easier.

The pitches are flat and easy to get into, and the amenities are very good and really clean. It's a spacious site with plenty of grassy areas and even its own pond. The staff were wonderful and the prices reasonable, so it ticked all the boxes for us.