Sanctuary Park Cottages

I’ve stayed at these cottages about ten times over the last 10-12 years and always loved the experience and support from management. This visit was very different. They’ve changed hands and are now run by Stay AU, and it felt like making money had taken priority over giving guests a good stay. The wood box was locked, so I was told to buy my own firewood. That’s not what you want to hear late in the day on a freezing winter afternoon, especially since they don’t advertise that wood is no longer supplied. I did buy some, and the fire was good, but it didn’t draw properly. I suspect the flue is starting to block, which also seems like a fire risk the operators should be on top of. The spa didn’t work either. I reported it and was told someone would get back to me, but nobody did. The support team didn’t seem to know much about the cottages. There were plenty of other things that had slipped. The kitchen table light and some bedroom lights didn’t work, floors were dirty and the TV cabinet had old dust on it. The small table for drinks or food had disappeared from the verandah, and the glass door onto the back verandah no longer had the blocking curtain it used to have, so people outside could see in at night. One ceiling fan wouldn’t run on low, but was too noisy on high. There was also a hole in the wall beside the fridge that looked like a highway for mice. The little touches the previous management provided were gone, despite the top-dollar price. My five-star experience has dropped to one, and I’m unlikely to return. There are lots of lovely places in the region, and I’ve already found somewhere else for my next visit. Being able to book any of the six cabins mid-week suggests other people are being put off too. Come on, Stay AU, get your act together. It shouldn’t take much effort to restore this place.

The cabin had lovely trees around it, and it was nice to stay on land. The rooms were comfortable, though outdated and in need of some TLC. We arrived on a hot day to a closed cabin, and it was stifling inside and took ages to cool down. I booked specifically for the pool, but it was extremely cold, felt strange in the water and turned our skin pink when we put a foot in. It looked clean, but didn’t seem to be filtered, so we went to the local pool instead. That one was cleaner and a comfortable temperature, and the kids had a great time. There were also lots of notices about extra charges for excess rubbish and for not cleaning dishes and floors before leaving. There’s a way to explain those fees without putting guests off. We won’t be back.

We loved the loft so much we added another night, and nearly booked for the following weekend too. It was beautiful, homely and peaceful, with a perfect fireplace and view, a Jacuzzi, a fully equipped laundry and a very clean loft. The bed felt a little stiff at first, but you adjust. Grant was lovely and really accommodating with our requests. There was a little phone service, but no WiFi, so don’t be fooled by the Netflix option on the TV. There’s free-to-air TV or DVDs if you want to watch something. Since the loft suits a couple more, my one small suggestion is to have an L-shaped lounge where you can cuddle up in front of the fire. Otherwise, 10/10. I could live here!

The property was gorgeous, with wildlife all around and brilliant stars at night. We stayed in the loft, where the big spa was perfect. On a cold winter day, we arrived to find the fire already going and the radio playing softly. They’d left milk and real coffee with a plunger too. Such a beautiful place.