XYL Pets Friendly Seaside Boutique Guesthouse

When we got inside, a horrible musty smell hit us. We were shown a tiny room under the house with a bed, and then the woman told us there’d be another $55 key fee on top of the $614 we’d paid for three nights through booking.Com. She said the price was just what accommodation costs in the area when I asked why one bed cost so much. We’d booked this “holiday inn” while my husband was visiting a cancer clinic in Brisbane and the surrounding area. Nobody was there when we arrived, and the number on the booking went unanswered or the calls were hung up on. Eventually we got through and someone came to let us in. I wouldn’t recommend this place. My husband is sick, and I didn’t think it was safe for him to stay there. When I said I wanted to cancel, the woman smiled and told me it was non-refundable. Then the next day I saw the room advertised again for less. It was a very upsetting experience. The website photos don’t show what’s actually there. This felt like false advertising and a scam, and I wish I could give zero stars.

We were kicked out at 10:30 at night because the bank transfer hadn’t cleared by the time she got home. My wife, I and our two tiny fur babies couldn’t find anywhere else to stay that late, so we slept in the car. If you’re bringing pets, be ready to pay either $30 or $40 a night, depending on what she feels like charging. The $55 key deposit is said to be refundable at checkout, but I haven’t got mine back. I’ve had to dispute it with my bank. I also got abused and hung up on when I asked to change the reservation date, and now she’s refusing to refund my money. I recorded the phone conversations because this booking was for a travel and accommodation critic. They’ll be made public soon. The backyard was in a deplorable, possibly dangerous state, with grass nearly half a foot long. The very next day after our first stay, the council came by to investigate complaints. I still don’t know what to make of that. The photos look either ten years old or completely false. The only thing we saw that matched was one painting. I’m not trying to run this person down, just warn anyone thinking about staying there. There’s a lovely B&B two doors down that, in my opinion, looks five star. What scares me most is that the same person owns a restaurant and serves people food. Be aware, everyone.

Bruno clearly liked the backyard so much he pouted and tried to stay there when we were leaving. It’s usually hard to find places that work for both us and our dog, so that was a nice surprise. The owner takes pride in the property, and inside was clean and comfortable. Don’t be put off by the front. I slept like a baby here, unlike at the four-star place we’d recently stayed at in Airlie Beach, where the bed and pillows were awful. I don’t understand the noise complaints. Traffic wasn’t heavy, and at night there was none at all. We stayed on both weeknights and weekends, so we got a decent sense of it. The location’s great too, with everything about a 15-minute walk away. It’s an easy walk, without big hills or full sun. Great value and plenty of potential. Thanks for the stay, we’ll be back when we’re in the area.

Our room was dirty, unsafe and full of mould, and the manager was rude, dishonest and completely unprofessional. This feels like a dodgy business. Our experience was much like the other reviews. Don’t stay here.