Sun Plaza Motel Mackay

The room was far below what I expected, and the arrival was just as disappointing. Reception had a sign saying rooms were being cleaned and to call a number. When I called, a staff member came out of the office and gestured for me to go away. After I explained I had a confirmed Booking.com reservation, she reluctantly opened the door and rolled her eyes. She repeatedly mentioned how busy it was because of the public holiday, which made it feel like my booking was an inconvenience and left a very unwelcoming first impression. The room had a strong, unpleasant smell that made me worry there might be mould. The air felt poor enough that I wondered if it was safe to breathe. It was very outdated and didn't feel clean. The walls and chairs were dirty, and there were droppings on the counters that looked like they might be from a mouse or gecko. There was also an old radio in the cupboard with exposed cords hanging out, a safety concern when travelling with a toddler. The bed was acceptable and sleepable, but that's about the only positive I can give the room. I would have asked for a refund and gone somewhere else, but while I was checking in, I saw another guest try to cancel and get refused. It seemed pointless to raise my own concerns, so I went ahead with the stay. When I got home, all my clean clothes had picked up the same mouldy smell. The experience was very disappointing for cleanliness, safety, air quality, and customer service.

For $106 a night, it was comfortable enough, and I've stayed in worse. The place is a bit run down, with things like a VHS player beside the TV, but it was clean. Hot showers were an issue at first, though that was fixed by the second night. Parking a large vehicle was difficult because of the 2.5m height clearance and short turning circle. The price seemed okay for what it was.

We booked a month ago, but arrived today to check in and were told the room had been cancelled. They claimed they'd tried to call, but that was a lie, there were no missed calls. Then they said another room had a leak and they'd given our room to those guests. That's not how you run a motel. We stayed here before, but never again. They've lost a loyal customer.

We had booked two nights but cancelled the second. The reception staff were helpful and cooperative about that. The room was dirty and had a strange smell, with a rusty fridge and old, torn sheets. In the bathroom I found two dead cockroaches, and my friend's room was full of small ones. I can't recommend staying here. See the pictures.