Ballaratprimavera

This house wasn’t suitable for families and is badly in need of repairs. We booked it for a long weekend with two families, but several of the features that led us to choose it turned out to be broken. We’d asked whether the indoor pool was heated so the kids could swim in winter. The host said the heater was broken and only solar heating was available. The house also couldn’t be heated properly, so we spent the weekend freezing day and night in our bedrooms. After we told the host, we were told, “oh no maybe it doesn't work.” One side of the house had a loud knocking noise all day and night, making it impossible to sleep and irritating during the day too. The only warm room had the open fireplace, but its lounge TV didn’t work. We only found this out after checking in. The host told us to enjoy each other’s company by the fire instead of watching the footy, and suggested all eight of us sit in a room with no heating if we wanted to watch TV. It felt like being told how to live while paying to stay. Amenities were lacking too: just one towel each for three nights, body wash and hand soap, so bring everything else you need. The kitchen was underwhelming, with scratched Teflon pans and only a couple of very old pots. The fridge and freezer were dirty, surfaces dusty or dirty, and there were cobwebs everywhere. I had to buy cleaning supplies to wipe things down. At least security was good, there was plenty of firewood, and the grounds were lovely. But the tennis and basketball courts were not really usable and, like other things, we were told they were “a little broken” and needed repairs. Definitely not worth the money or anywhere near four stars in 2024.