Mt Cotton Retreat

The treetop cabin gave us everything we needed to get ready for our wedding at Mount Cotton. It was quiet, with a lovely forest view, and cabin #7 had spacious, convenient parking. The bed was super comfortable, the room was clean, and the bathroom felt new. Sue was easy to reach by phone or email and helped with everything we needed. The serenity was perfect, the amenities were great, and the accommodation was absolutely stunning. Five stars!

Sue was lovely, and I respect how hard she seems to be working to keep the place going by herself. Still, we won’t return. We stayed two nights with my husband, and the resort badly needs renovation, cleaning, and serious gardening. Our lakefront room had a faulty microwave that sparked electrically, though Sue replaced it. The advertised lake wasn’t there during our stay. At best, it may once have been a pond. Instead, there was bush, broken tree debris, and a general lack of upkeep. There was mould everywhere, lots of dust, and sticky floors and windows. For the same price or less, there are many other options in better condition.

The enclosed balcony and comfortable King bed were lovely, and we really enjoyed the cabins’ quiet seclusion. The decor had a peaceful charm that exceeded what we expected. Thanks to Sue and the team for such wonderful hospitality. We’d definitely come back.

Sue was a delight, and she gave us a free upgrade to a bigger room. It was lovely and quiet, and there were some beautiful artworks and furnishings that made me think the place must once have been amazing. We hoped to book a massage for our honeymoon, but there were no services like that available. Checking in on a Sunday afternoon also came with an upfront extra charge, which didn’t look good. The room was outdated and not clean enough, even after the upgrade. We ended up making a list of problems, which says a lot. It was so dusty that my wife needed her inhaler and I needed Telfast to breathe. We used antibacterial wipes on the windows and sideboards. The kitchen was dusty too, and not presented very well. I had to twist myself around to reach a power point to charge our phones and got a blast of dust while doing it. There was just one tiny bin, no tissues, and an empty toilet roll in the bathroom, although plenty of replacement rolls were available. The curtains wouldn’t close fully, the screen door was badly broken, and the shower was mouldy and leaked badly. The air con blades were mouldy enough to trigger an asthma attack for my wife. The gutters were packed with leaf litter, the grounds were badly overgrown and hard to explore, and the water tank and ladders in the garden were overgrown too. The dining area had thick cobwebs. Chairs were splitting and the sheets were badly pilled. The continental breakfast was cereal and granola in jars without scoops, so we couldn’t be sure nobody had put their hands in them. The juice in the fridge was half empty and four months out of date. I feel bad writing this because Sue is very lovely and seems to be doing it all on her own, but some basic cleaning and upgrades would improve the place a lot.