Barham Colonial Motel

The room was filthy, and this experience completely ruined my holiday. I ended up driving home the same day, despite having paid a lot per night, as much as I’d expect at any quality motel. From arrival it didn’t feel like a motel. Reception was unattended and being used to store toilet paper. The swimming pool was black. An Indian manager said he was cleaning my room before I could enter, and I wasn’t allowed in until well after check-in time. There was dust and dirt, bird poo on the window sills and wall fan, dirty mirrors and torn carpets. The shower rose was broken, and the manager fiddled with it trying to fix it. In my opinion the room hadn’t been used in 20 years. The filthiest motel in Australia. It shouldn’t be advertised on booking.com.

The pool has apparently been under maintenance for years and can’t be used. There’s no one at reception to talk to, and after I texted the owner this same review, I got no response. They don’t care. Needs a makeover. I won’t be back.

Cobwebs all over the room, and I had to fetch a TV remote from another room because ours didn’t have one. The bathroom smelled mouldy, with used soap and empty shampoo containers left in the shower. The beds didn’t look like they’d been made after the previous guests. Really disappointing. Even at $115 a night, I expect a clean room.

We stayed one night. The air conditioning ran all night but still didn’t cool the room. When I went to make coffee, the cup had an old coffee ring in it, and the long-life milk was off and lumpy. I won’t stay there again.