Sarina Motor Inn

It’s nearly always busy, but the food comes quickly and is great. Heather is so welcoming, and makes the best coffee!

The only room they could offer us had one double bed, which clearly didn’t work for three adults. We’d booked for Friday to split up the 12-hour drive from Townsville to Maryborough, and had been told the office shut at 9pm. If we hadn’t arrived by 8:30pm, they’d charge my card and call with directions for the key. Half an hour from Sarina I rang to confirm, only to be told they couldn’t find my booking. A few minutes later, they called back to say there was no reservation at all. After nearly five hours on the road, we had nowhere to stay, and there was no other accommodation available in Sarina. A local had recommended this motel, but I won’t be recommending it. Very disappointing.

There’s a pool at the motel, plus a restaurant, bar, cafe and a small private function room. They serve breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and dinner. The rooms are dated, but neat and clean. The food is the best in the whole region, way better than anything in Mackay, with Indian, Chinese and Western options. Very highly recommended.

For a small motel in a small Queensland town, this place was far cleaner and better than a lot of places we’ve stayed around the world. We knew it wasn’t a Hilton and set our expectations accordingly, but the service and friendliness were a pleasant surprise. We were in room 28 and didn’t hear any of the busy highway out front. The owners and staff are lovely, and customer service gets 5 stars. The food was awesome, 5 stars. The room was clean and comfortable, about 3 to 4 stars. Totally recommend it.