Shambhala@Byron

Our family of five stayed in the SARITA villa with our two chihuahuas, and there was plenty of room for all of us. We especially enjoyed the private spa, sauna, and steam room, and the on-site facilities were great. The property is a short drive out of town, which made it feel serenely quiet, and the beach access was fantastic. Cyclone Alfred was bearing down during our visit, so the beach wasn't very inviting for swimming, though it was still lovely for walks. The cyclone shortened our stay, but we'll definitely come back.

The gardens and location are wonderful, which made the state of our cottage all the more disappointing. For what we paid, we felt ripped off and taken advantage of. The Shanti Cottage smelled damp, and the cupboards and drawers had a mildew and mould smell. Several bedroom windows had no coverings, so daylight came in early. The place felt tired and needed some love, including new furniture and fittings. We also ran into several problems during our three-night stay, which my friend had booked for my 60th birthday. We understand management couldn't control the weather, but they could have told us the steps down to the beach had washed away. Around 11pm on the first night, a smoke detector in another cottage went off for quite a while, and we had to call someone to turn it off. They gave us a bottle of bubbly and a block of chocolate for being woken the night before. One room was missing a bath mat. We asked for one and were told we'd get it, but it never arrived. On the second night, the TV screen stopped working. We messaged management the next morning and were told someone would come by later that day, but nobody showed. We spent two nights without a TV in the lounge room. The sauna lights went out on our last night, and after the earlier issues we didn't bother contacting management. The spa chlorine was so strong that I ended up with a rash on my back.

The Shiva room looked lovely at first, with a great atmosphere, but I was left very disappointed. There was a lot of dust behind the bed and bedside cabinets, as if the unit hadn't been properly cleaned in a while. Privacy was another concern. When lowered, the blinds were completely see-through, so other guests could look straight into the lounge and bedroom. I'm not sure why this wasn't fixed, since blinds are generally affordable and replacing them seems like a simple way to give guests privacy. We were also given just two towels for the whole trip. In the cooler months they stayed damp the entire time, which was uncomfortable.

The deck, BBQ and spa at the fantastic Samadhi cottage were all put to good use. The bedroom was delightful, and being so close to the beach, with the sound of the waves, made it feel extra special. Three nights left us wanting more, so we'll return. Thank you, Rachel, and best regards to the brush turkeys. They're imposing birds, but really quite chilled.