Busselton Ithaca Motel

The building is historic and well placed for the Busselton jetty and town centre. We had a small but functional motel-style room behind the main building, with a comfortable bed and a kitchenette that was enough for breakfast or light meals. It had a microwave, kettle, sink, and fridge. The bathroom was huge in comparison, and the shower was good. The pillows were rather rock-like, and the walls were so thin we could hear someone sneeze, talk, and other things quite clearly. It was quiet overnight, though, and we slept well. The laundry needs to learn not to mix colours, since the once-white towels are now grey.

After my mother-in-law booked an overnight stay for a family event, she arrived to find there was no record of her booking. Other family members who had booked for the same night had the same problem. Staff searched and eventually found both bookings, then said the rooms would be next to each other and ready in an hour. When my mother-in-law returned, another receptionist again couldn't find any record. After some discussion and several phone calls, they worked out the bookings had come through, but only one family room, for the other booking, was available. They couldn't accommodate my mother-in-law and her partner, so they had to drive home late at night with nowhere else available in the area. The customer service was rude, nobody seemed to know what was happening or communicate with each other, and the whole thing was really disappointing and unacceptable.

The location was the only great thing about our Christmas stay, with everything close by. The room looked quite different from the booking photos. The shower barely had any water, and I was always adjusting the temperature. Outside the hotel was untidy, with leaves everywhere. The curtains were poorly hung and let in light, so I couldn't sleep in. There was also a constant noise like an owl that was really annoying. Some renovations and a tidy-up would be worthwhile.

I left without staying, even though the room photos had made this look like a cosy, affordable motel. The smell hit first, stale and musty, and the noise was far too much for somewhere described as quiet. Inside, the walls were grimy and spotted with mould, dirt coated the skirting boards, and the towels were grey, rough and torn. The beds hadn't been made properly, and the bedding smelled of mildew. I felt dirty just standing there. When I complained, the woman at reception said, “The room is 15 years old,” as though that explained the condition. To me, it looked like it hadn't been touched in over 20 years. I wouldn't recommend staying here. Save your money and go somewhere else.