Inn the Tuarts Guest Lodge Busselton

The rooms are a good size, and the location is beautiful, but the kitchen needs work. There was mold in one cupboard and lots of ants, and it was hard to find things. Labels on the drawers and cupboards would help with finding and putting away utensils. The kettles are gross. Some card and board games would be nice to have, too.

We hired the whole property for three nights with our extended family, and there was room for everyone to spread out. The rooms were bigger than expected and everyone was happy with theirs. The kids could run and play in the large outdoor areas without leaving the property. Meals worked well, with a kitchen in one room and a long table set up for 22 in the main pool area. It’s a really nice space, and the gas heater helped warm it on a cool evening. Most evenings the adults relaxed in the lounge, with its big couches, dining table, pool table and fire. We didn’t use the pool in August because it was a bit cool, maybe in summer. We had lovely days driving to nearby Dunsborough and Margaret River, and on a morning walk near Tuart Forrest we saw kangaroos, which the kids loved. We all had a relaxing time and hope to return.

The location and spacious property were the only things that really worked for us. The rooms were clean, but communal areas had cobwebs everywhere, and the available dishwasher was full of ants and hadn’t been cleaned before we arrived. One room’s toilet wouldn’t flush properly. The pool floor was coming off and held down with buckets of sand, the pump didn’t seem to be on, and by the second day the water was murky. None of this had been disclosed. It was very expensive for what we got, even with the whole place booked. We couldn’t play music outside, and it was quite hot inside, so sitting outside wasn’t an option for us. The owner was poor at communicating and didn’t respond.

We came to Busselton for the tennis and stayed one night. The photos looked good and the price seemed okay. We were given a room overlooking the indoor pool, apparently an upgrade, so there must be an even worse room. The place feels old and tired. To reach our room we had to walk through an old-fashioned living area and then the pool space, which is also used for BBQs and has tables and chairs. There’s nowhere by the pool to hang a towel. The spa at the back is old and has far too much chlorine. The glass pool fence looks ugly and flimsy. There’s no decent ventilation in that area, and although we went for a dip, I didn’t feel comfortable putting my head under the water. Our room had no fresh air. There was a door near the bathroom that we could open, but the area beyond it was dirty and full of leaves. A wall separated that space from the bedroom, so the air couldn’t circulate enough. In the corridor there’s an old fridge, no fresh milk, and some glasses with coffee and two biscuits. I wouldn’t have dared eat them. Who knows how long they’d been there? There were spider webs running from the bedroom to the lamp, and spiders in the bathroom. The shower pressure could drop to nothing if someone in another room was showering. It’s a B&B with no free breakfast. Breakfast cost extra, but we didn’t see any activity, so I don’t even think there was a chef making the advertised “delicious 3 course breakfast.” The bathroom is old, and its lighting is shockingly bad. There are signs everywhere saying where to put things and what you should or shouldn’t do. The property is among nature, but also away from everything. We’ve stayed in many remote places, and this doesn’t feel truly remote. We were surprised by the good reviews, and most upset that it’s rated as 4 star accommodation. I guess the stars don’t mean anything. We’re not coming back. For the amount we paid, it wasn’t worth it at all. I could hardly sleep, breathing air from the air-con. This place seriously needs renovation and needs to be more functional. +++++ Hi guys, madame has forgotten that we arrived after hours and she wasn’t there when we got in. She left us an envelope with three pages and the keys. So she can’t say she knew we were unhappy from the moment we arrived, unless she has hidden microphones in the lobby and common area... Please don’t make up stories. You didn’t offer a refund or give us a discount. But now that you’re confirming this publicly, I want to see it in my account or I’ll call the bank to reverse the payment. Your comments are very confusing, and you’re overrated for the kind of accommodation you offer. I told you and showed you exactly what I meant. You saw the spider webs with your own eyes and admitted the fence was falling apart, while blaming guests for your bad glass fence design.