Lochiel Luxury Accommodation

We spent a long time saving for this family getaway, so being left out of pocket without the break we hoped for was devastating. We contacted the owner before writing this, but got no reply. Their lack of care and attention says a lot. Book at your own peril. The cottage was in serious need of upkeep and nowhere near the advertised luxury. The price felt exorbitant for such poor accommodation. Dust was on every surface, with food debris under the coffee table, and cobwebs throughout. The blinds were worn and warped, with visible mould, bacteria and dead insects on them. The shower was mouldy and needed repairs too. Furniture was old, scratched, damaged and uncomfortable. The walls needed patching and repainting, and the fireplace latch was broken, which felt like a serious safety risk. The whole place seemed rundown and neglected. BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!

We booked because of the five star reviews, but the place we arrived at was a dusty, mouldy, run-down cottage full of spiders. There were huge ones in every corner, from the roof and walls to the furniture, and we felt it was unsafe for families with young children. We lasted about two hours before we had to leave. I wish I could post the photos. Horrible experience, never again. The tree house with a double deck shown in the photos is not the Lochneil house, so we found the advertising misleading and expected somewhere much nicer. It smelled of mould and had clothes from the previous guest still hanging in the wardrobe. The place felt creepy and neglected. The owner was difficult to communicate with. After paying over $550 for the night, we were offered only $250 back. There are much nicer places around the area, so avoid this one.

We could walk to the main strip in under five minutes, with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants nearby. Our cabin was clean, and the spa was great. The interior felt just a little dated, but the greenery all around and the beautiful views through the many windows more than made up for that. My husband and I had a lovely night away, and I’d definitely recommend it.

The kitchen, lounge and bedrooms were lovely and suited what we needed, and we still had a nice stay. Communication took some back and forth, but we got things sorted in the end. There was quite a bit of storm damage being repaired, so the place didn’t look like the website. Tradies were around, including on the balcony, and both the balcony and lower level were off limits during our visit.