Hill #5

The pool and lawn were great for the family, and the balcony and lawn both have such a beautiful view. We had an amazing holiday at number 7. It's perfect for us, and we'll definitely be back.

Unit 2 was nice, though the view of 4 mile beach was limited. A building site directly in front of the property ruined the stay for us: work began at 6am, and none of us slept past 6:10am for the whole visit. The noise carried on all day, so it was impossible to relax inside or enjoy the view, and the peace and quiet of the location was gone. From the looks of it, construction could continue for at least another year, so I wouldn't stay during that time. The video gives you an idea of the noise.

Unit 4 has the best views in Port Douglas, with a breezy balcony and a spacious layout. The bedrooms were decent, and six adults were comfortable. The styling is older, but the apartment is comfortable and well maintained. I'd come back, especially if the pool were warmer. It didn't seem heated and gets a lot of shade in winter, making it too cold for me. The ocean was 23 and fine, while the pool was much colder. During our eight days, hardly anyone used it, so I suspect most people found it too cold too. It would be great for spending the day in during summer, or in winter if it were heated.

The lawn at the back, with its view, was the best part of the property. The location was beautiful, but the stairs up to the apartment and between its levels were awful, especially since I was in a Cam boot. The place had some odd features too: no toilet on the lounge level, no privacy on the balcony as people passed to their apartments, and no lounge curtains, so they could see inside through the windows. The kitchen was very dated. There was a dirty pizza box under the sink and hair in the sink, both of which I photographed. There was no sachet coffee, just some in a jar that I didn't dare use, and no tea or sugar. The middle-level bathroom had a broken toilet seat and a shower over the bath. The upstairs shower was terrible: there was no hot water unless I turned off the cold tap, and then the pressure was poor. The booking was a stressful mess. I booked through Air BNB with the Host 'BEC', but Air BNB wrongly canceled our booking at Yaralinga 8, which suited us much better and was reasonably priced. We had paid about three quarters of it. 'BEC' agreed Air BNB had made a mistake, but said only one apartment remained, at $800.00 a night. After negotiating, she offered it for $500.00 a night. We couldn't understand why we couldn't keep the apartment we'd booked, so asked her to cancel the new booking and restore the one we'd had for months. 'BEC' said Air BNB wouldn't allow it and that this had happened before. With only a week to go, we felt forced to pay the inflated rate for an apartment that turned out to be completely unsuitable for us. 'BEC' was a nightmare host, didn't answer emails or calls, and didn't help us recover the difference between what we first paid and what we were forced to pay. I wouldn't recommend the property unless you're a mountain goat or the host 'BEC'.