Surf Parade Resort

I was angry about wasting so much money on our first holiday together. My partner and I paid a little under $5,400 for 13 nights, arriving on the 27th of December, and the stay was disgusting and hugely disappointing. The photos online looked nice, but seemed to hide major problems. I wouldn't want anyone else spending their hard-earned money here. The spa bath only had one working jet out of six, and the TV kept lagging and often didn't respond to its remote. The advertised 4 star hotel felt more like a 2 star one. When we reported the issues to management on Monday after arriving Saturday, they said they'd been having trouble with Saturday housekeeping. There was no apology or compensation. A male staff member at the front counter said we could arrange an earlier cleaning or leave it since we'd already cleaned it. We shouldn't have to do the cleaners' job as guests, but accepted the earlier service. Housekeeping missed the booked day, then came the next day and only changed the sheets and towels. The sheets they put on were dirty and stained. On arrival, after housekeeping had supposedly just finished, the cutlery, pots, pans, mugs, bowls, and plates were all dirty or stained with grime, with old food stuck on some of them. I had to wash everything before we could use it. Both ceiling fans were caked in dust and grime, the carpets still had dust and old hair, and a crusty old tissue was in the TV cabinet. It was disgusting.

We booked months ahead for the weekend of the Laneway music festival, but a week before the trip we got an email saying our card hadn't been accepted and the room was cancelled. We called to sort it out, but were told the room had already been booked and there was no chance to fix the issue. We could see no problem with the card or its balance, and were left with nowhere to stay. Terrible customer service.

The staff were lovely and helpful, and we'd definitely stay again. We had a very clean, comfortable room in a perfect location, just a five-minute walk from the light rail. It was quiet at night except when we had to evacuate at 3 in the morning. That showed the system worked, and we met some lovely people on the footpath while waiting for the all clear. After a day of shopping, we loved relaxing in the pool and spa.

We had a fun, exciting stay for six nights, with a very nice house, a good pool, and a good tennis court. The lady at the front was very nice, and overall it was pretty good. Outside, though, people screamed and fought, so it wasn't peaceful. Reception was barely staffed. There were several issues inside: the bathroom tap connected to the bedroom dripped all night, the lounge lamp didn't work, the bathroom door looked ready to fall off, and the blinds on the bathroom window didn't provide privacy, though you could close them. The hot water turned off too. The fire alarm went off at 3:18 in the morning, something we were told hadn't happened for three years.