Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific by IHG

The hotel is right by the beach, with everything our family needed close by. We had a great recent trip with our young kids, and the team helped make it memorable for them. At check-in they had a scavenger hunt around the hotel, with a prize for every child who finished. We were hoping to make family memories, and they definitely helped.

Our Pacific Ocean Suite was beautiful, with a comfortable bed, good air-conditioning and a wrap-around balcony that made it feel special. The spa area has lovely views, and we really enjoyed cocktail hour with its relaxed feel and wide ocean outlook. Breakfast was excellent, with fresh, tasty fruit and a good quality buffet with plenty to choose from. The hotel sits right on the beach in the heart of Terrigal, with ocean views and coastal walks nearby. Cafés, restaurants and bars are just steps away. Kelly from VIP Guest Services gave us a warm, genuine welcome at check-in. Champagne on arrival was a lovely touch, and she looked after us all the way through checkout. We felt like VIP guests during our visit. I’d highly recommend staying here in Terrigal.

Denise was especially lovely. We were first put in a room without much ocean view, and she made sure we got another one with a full view. The staff were all super friendly. Our premium king room was great for a romantic two-night stay. It had a comfortable bed and pillows, a couch, TV, bath-shower, and a balcony looking over the pool and ocean. The room was clean and nice, with an older style that adds to its charm. A hairdryer would have been nice, but that was the only thing missing. Waking to the sound of the ocean and looking out over the beach and sidewalk from the balcony at night was fantastic. We also loved hearing live music from there. It’s a short walk to shops and cafes, and a great spot to relax. We enjoyed the table tennis, and the gym looked good, with three equipment rooms. There’s also a hot sauna. Can highly recommend.

The staff stayed incredibly kind and helpful despite all the hiccups, and that’s a big reason we returned and hope our next stay goes better. We had to talk with several managers to sort things out, so neither check-in nor checkout went smoothly. Given the trouble, some partial refund or even a complimentary night would have been appreciated. My husband asked the person helping us at checkout to leave a note about the experience. We booked a three-night stay for two adults and two kids, and the confirmation clearly said two Queen beds. On arrival, there was just one King bed, and the kids weren’t included in the buffet breakfast, so we were moved to another room. The hotel sent a complimentary bottle of wine to apologise, which we appreciated, but I later noticed on checkout day that the wine had been charged to my in-room service bill. It was frustrating having to chase that up. Breakfast was the best part, though the buffet was exactly the same each of the three days. On our last visit there had been more options and a better dessert variety, which made it feel special. This second stay was a bit disappointing compared with our first.