Shoredrive Motel

Edit: I've since received an apology and was told the room definitely wasn't up to standard. I only wish a better solution had been offered before I checked out early and found somewhere else to stay. Vile. This was the most disgusting room I've paid for. It was badly run down, with dust everywhere: on the walls, windowsills, lights, and fan, where dusty clumps hung off it. There were holes in the wall, toilet paper stuffed into gaps in the window, and a large gap beneath the aircon that exposed the outside. The freezer was so iced over I couldn't even open it, and both the fan and fridge were rusty. Our room looked nothing like the advertising photos. Just a hot mess. The linen seemed clean, at least. When I told reception how unhappy I was, they said, “you did book a budget room.” I didn't think budget meant dilapidated and run down.

We travelled to Townsville for a funeral, and the staff at Shoredrive were wonderful to me and my family. They were extremely accommodating and went the extra mile in several ways. The motel was clean, lovely, and quiet, and close to everything.

We couldn't find anywhere else to stay, so this was our last resort. Reception staff were very helpful and apparently gave us a discount, but the room still cost $200 a night, before peak season. We were put in one of the questionable deluxe rooms upstairs at the front. The room was small, with only one chair, so eating there meant sitting on the bed or taking turns in the chair. There was just one cereal bowl to share. The bed was comfortable and the linen was clean, but the bathroom blinds had disgusting mould on them, despite the rest of the bathroom being a reasonable size and clean. The walls and doors let through everything: people talking and yelling, doors slamming, and the shower next door. I wondered whether the doors were fireproof, given how thin they seemed. I'd accept these conditions for low-budget accommodation, but I don't think the price matched the standard.

We stayed in the spa room. The spa was small and very noisy, the bathroom was only kind of clean, and you'll want to bring your own soap. The room layout made little sense, with the TV and air conditioner both in the wrong spots. The air conditioner didn't cool the room, and we could hear the street traffic and people in the next room.