The Residences at The Peninsula

The gated community is handy for feeling secure, and our 3 Bedroom collection apartment was clean, modern and well maintained. It was a nice base for nearby theme parks, and better than most hotels I’ve stayed in. After worrying over the negative Google reviews, I called the residences and was told some townhouses are poorly kept and unmaintained, while the apartments are better. You’d want a hire car here. The gated setup could be a problem if you rely on taxis. We’d happily come back, though a second swipe card would make a big difference. If someone wants to go out without the group, they’re stuck in the building, and if they leave, they can’t get back in.

I was anxious after reading the negative Google reviews the night before our trip, since I’d only seen the good ones on booking.com. I messaged the property, and they reassured me they’d sort out any problems. We had no issues, and I was pleasantly surprised. The apartment was really clean overall, the balcony view was decent, the beds were very comfortable and the air conditioning worked perfectly. We were upgraded to a two-bedroom apartment at no extra cost. I think that might have had something to do with my booking.com rating, but I’m not sure. The gated community felt very safe, the surroundings were pretty, and the bus stops nearby made getting around convenient. The nearby Coles is a 5-10 minute walk depending on the apartment, with easy pickup points there too. A few small cleaning details kept it from five stars. I’m a cleaner, so I noticed streaky mirrors, grime around the shower base and grout, dirt under the sink plug, and some questionable stains on the sofa. The location is a little far from things. Buses are close, but they don’t seem to run very late, and if you’re getting an Uber you may need to walk to the nearby Coles because the apartments are in a gated community. Tea and coffee options were basic, with no white sugar or decaf, but fine.

The apartment wasn’t clean or maintained, and I’m posting photos because Zoe asked us for a $200 deposit over the phone and said we wouldn’t get it back if the place wasn’t clean or had damage. I couldn’t add all 59 photos. Getting there was a mess from the start. We landed at Brisbane airport at 2:30 pm, had trouble finding an Uber to Hope Island, and didn’t get one until 4 pm. Zoe from hotel reception called to say reception closed at 4:30 and we’d have to collect the key from another location, which she’d leave in a safe. She was rude even though I explained the delay wasn’t our fault. We added a stop to the Uber, which cost extra, followed her text instructions, and found no envelope in the safe. When I called, she said she hadn’t put the key there and was still at the original location with it because of a “customer delay.” She’d told us to go to the other place, so there seemed no way around it. I said I wasn’t happy about paying for the extra stop, and she hung up. At the original location, she met us on the road and handed over the envelope with hardly a word. I said we weren’t happy with the mixed messages and asked about compensation. She looked at me and said, “if you want 24hr service you should have booked with another hotel.” She kept making unreasonable excuses, raised her voice, and walked away. She was rude from the start, didn’t apologize for sending us back and forth, and seemed more concerned about finishing at her usual 4:30 time. The reason she couldn’t finish then was supposedly “another customer delay,” her words, but she took her frustration out on us. Appalling customer service. Not impressed.

I stayed here in 2021 and booked again for December 2025. That was a big mistake, as I hadn’t checked recent reviews. The high price made the deterioration in the townhouse and service even more frustrating, and our holiday was ruined. The place was filthy. Two toilets had faeces and urine residue, pillows and linen were dirty with visible hair that triggered allergic reactions, and there was a bad smell the whole time. We got only four towels for four people over five nights and had to keep asking for basics. There were no tissue boxes, and staff said they don’t provide them. Kitchenware and amenities were sparse and poor quality. The building felt cheaply made: the stairs cracked constantly when we walked upstairs, making it seem like the floor might break. Furniture was broken, the walls were dirty, and maintenance was clearly neglected. I feel I have to warn others that this accommodation is badly kept and not worth the money.