Ecotel Narooma

The friendly people, nice animals, and great location made the dirtiness all the more disappointing. There were hairballs on the bathroom floor, dead insects around, and unbelievable amounts of dirt in the room corners. The cupboard dishes hadn’t been washed, there was no bin or washing up gear, and the kettle smelled damp and stale until I’d boiled it four times. I even had to catch three cockroaches with a greasy glass. Pretty grim, especially for 100 dollars, which felt wildly overpriced. I would have stayed longer if the place had been clean. If you do stay, I’d ask to see the room before paying.

Quiet setting and friendly service, with a nice view from our room. It’s a budget motel with plenty of character. I liked having a sink in the main room since I hate filling the kettle from the bathroom tap. Just remember to check the fridge and turn it on. The single bar heater above the bed was surprisingly effective.

The motel’s in a great location, and I’d love to see it reach its potential. New management told us renovations were coming, but guests still need more care in the meantime. Our room’s heater didn’t work and there’s no aircon. The spare blankets in the wardrobe were dusty, very old, and full of holes. One bath towel was filthy and blood stained. Cleanliness is a basic expectation.

The lovely location couldn’t make up for the cleanliness problems. The room was outdated, which was fine for one night since I was told renovations were planned, but it felt unhygienic and smelled a bit, especially in the bathroom. The sheets had stains, dust, and hair, and the towel had blood stains. We had to clean mould out of the kettle ourselves. Absolutely disgusting. Cleanliness is a basic requirement.