Manna Gums

We loved the comfortable beds, nice decor, and roomy layout for six people at Manna Gums. There was plenty of couch and chair space for a group, and the outdoor area has a huge table with heaps of chairs. The shower pressure and heating systems were good, too. The owners were fantastic to deal with, especially when we had to rebook two years later because of the lockdowns. The bottle of wine and late checkout were nice touches. The house has real drawbacks, though, and I think the price is far too high for what you get. Cleanliness was well below standard: the cutlery and kitchen drawers, oven, fridge, windows, and floors were filthy, as if they hadn't been properly cleaned in a long time. The pans and plates in the cupboards were dirty, and our bedroom carpet was heavily stained and a bit yuck. With six guests expected, leaving only two spare toilet rolls felt stingy. It was annoying to have to shop for things that should have been supplied. There was no dishcloth for the sink, only one tea towel, and no hand wash or hand towel in the main bathroom. Something else we hadn't been told is that Mini gums is attached to Manna gums. Doors throughout the house marked 'private' were locked, so it seemed like one big house divided into two under one roof. We felt a bit creeped out, wondering whether whoever was in Mini Gums could hear us, and it was clear someone was staying there at the same time. We didn't use the spa because it smelled really bad and its cover was filthy. There were heaps of blow flies inside, and we couldn't work out where they were coming from. Only a handful of logs were left for the outdoor fire pit, so there was basically no point lighting it. Our power went out for about an hour on Friday night, though I think that was a Daylesford-wide issue. Cheers.