True Blue Motor Inn

We don't usually complain or leave bad reviews, but we feel strongly that people should know about our experience at TRUE BLUE. We booked a family pet-friendly room and were told our dog would have a fenced outdoor area. Room 24 had no fence at all. After unloading with two adults, two children and a dog, we opened the door and were hit by at least ten flies and an overpowering ammonia and cigarette smell, like a cat litter tray. It took our breath away, and our dog wouldn't go in. Opening the doors and window only let more flies in, and the air conditioning made the smell worse. The sliding bathroom door was broken and wouldn't move, so we had to use it with the door open. The bathroom also smelled like a drunk man's urinal. We went to the pool to spend as little time in the room as possible, and found two cane toads stuck there. We scooped them out with a net. As it got hotter, the smell grew worse. Our eldest came to get us and said he felt very unsafe because of screaming. In the room next door, 23, there was a domestic dispute, with loud screaming and banging on the walls. It sounded like a child might be getting hurt, and our children felt unsafe; our dog couldn't settle either. This went on for well over an hour and a half. My wife and I called other pet-friendly places to find somewhere else, as we felt unsafe and uncomfortable leaving the car outside our room. Once we secured another place, we packed up within five minutes and left. The woman at reception refunded our money, the only positive part of the experience. We can't understand the good reviews. The place was disgusting and unclean, and it didn't feel family-friendly with what seemed to be long-term tenants, substance-affected people, and disturbing, violent behaviour. We highly recommend The Stirling instead. The service was fantastic, and the accommodation was clean, modern, safe and fairly affordable. Avoid TRUE BLUE.

We barely slept because of the noise all night, and I wouldn't have felt safe without the flimsy chain on the old round push-button door lock. We booked a pet-friendly room with a fenced area, but were told on arrival it had been given to someone else. They apologized and knocked the price down from $170 to $160, which we accepted, though even that felt like poor value for the room. The whole place looked run down, dirty and cluttered with rubbish and junk. It felt more like a makeshift boarding house than a motel, with people apparently living there long-term, smoking everywhere and coming and going at all hours. We paid $90 for dinner as room service because there was no restaurant. The food was awful, some of the worst I've had, and went straight in the bin. It felt unsafe and unhygienic, and I'd honestly rather sleep on the street than stay here again. One star.

Management was exceptional when bad weather caught us out. Amanda found us a room where we could bring our dog and kept us updated about road closures nearby. The rooms are large, clean and have basic facilities. Wifi worked well, and I could set up my computer and work remotely during our stay.

We arrived around 7:30 pm absolutely starving. Amanda checked us in, and when I asked for numbers to order food, she mentioned a few places and then offered lamb shanks with mash, gravy and vegetables. They were delicious and there was plenty to eat. The accommodation was clean, and the outdoor area was perfect for my two dogs. Slept really well with a full belly.