Eltham Motor Inn

Do not book or pay. The motel is no longer operating. We booked online two months ago and arrived this afternoon to find that there was no reception, and each room was occupied by private owners. The owner hadn’t emailed or messaged us before we arrived. If you’ve already booked, ask for a refund and find somewhere else.

Breakfast was nice, though it was just two thin slices of bread. The pool was very green, but there was a nice big spa. It’s a dingy, retro hotel with a cool, time-travel kind of atmosphere.

The room and amenities were what I expected from a three-star motel, and it was good value. But nobody was at reception, and checking in meant trying to use an odd intercom to get our keys. It was a Sunday, but I still expected hotel or motel staff to be there for guests’ service requests, especially since signs said no vacancy and the place was apparently full.

The prices are reasonable, and although the rooms are very old, they’re clean, spacious, and do the job. The shower had good water pressure. Staff were rude and didn’t tolerate guests visiting each other’s rooms after a wedding. They knew we were there for the wedding, but spread us around. I understand they didn’t want us disturbing other guests, but they could have put us together and spoken more politely. Instead, they threatened to kick us out and keep the security deposit without giving us a warning first. They would have earned a solid four stars from me otherwise.