Rocky Creek Art Garden B&B

We left without staying either of the two nights we had booked. The place was dirty and dusty, the sheets didn't look or smell clean, and seeing what looked like bed bugs on the bed put us off immediately. We had booked the Deluxe Suite with Spa Bath, but there was no balcony or mountain view for us. At $320 a night, I expected a clean, comfortable and secure place. We were so disappointed and upset that we drove home instead. The main entrance is a sliding door with a broken handle. It seemed anyone could force it open with a ruler, so there was no real sense of security. When we saw the bathroom, she said she'd removed three bulbs and left just one because guests leave the lights on when they go out. The towels were still on the oil heater because they hadn't dried in time, and the towel rack broke while she was showing us around. At first the hosts seemed nice. But before we'd properly seen the place, we walked through the back into a dark, messy area that looked like a garage, with paperwork everywhere. We brushed that off and regret paying the balance before looking around. During the tour, she pointed out appliances we shouldn't use and asked my husband if he was a handyman, saying some guests help her fix the place. Even if he could do that, we were there to relax for our anniversary, not work. We called and tried to agree on getting half our money back, but nobody returned our calls or messages. In response to their reply: my husband didn't want to bring two kids here, we don't have children. He wasn't happy with the place and never offered to fix anything or discussed changing the payment. We had already paid the remaining half before seeing how bad it was, a big mistake. Maybe the property will become a museum one day, but guests still need the basics. The photos are misleading. My husband did try calling and left a voicemail. What a terrible end to our anniversary getaway.

The room wasn't ready when we arrived at 3:30, and we were cold for the whole stay. There was only one tiny heater, no bathroom heating, and a fireplace you could keep going all night if you wanted. The room was clean, and the hosts were friendly, but this was overpriced and didn't feel like the luxury accommodation it was made out to be. It needs much more attention to detail. We booked two nights, stayed one, and paid for both.

We had a lovely weekend and even spotted a wombat on one of our walks. The room had beautiful high ceilings, wood paneling and stonework, plus a spa bath and a real fire. It was already warm and cosy when we arrived. The basic cooking setup was handy too, since we could make our own breakfasts and lunches.

There was plenty of food already in the fridge, including dips, spreads, bacon, eggs, yogurt, fresh fruit and OJ, and the owners even picked up fresh bread for breakfast. They were the nicest hosts, easy to talk with and made us feel really welcome. My partner and I had a great stay, with a comfy bed, spa bath, well-lit room and a beautiful pot belly fireplace. There was lots of wildlife around the property, including deer and wallabies. Earthstone is a wonderful artist, and they're happy to show you his pieces. Thanks for such a great time, we'll be back!