Allumbah Pocket Cottages

We could happily have stayed longer if time had allowed. The cottage was roomy, and the welcoming owners had thought of all the extras. The attached little coffee and gift shop was a nice bonus. It's right in town, within walking distance of some great places to eat, and there are plenty of attractions nearby. Highly recommend.

We loved our stay and hope to get back soon. The website doesn't show how well looked after the place is: it's spotless, private, and has all the amenities. There’s a shared space and hot tub, plus free wine in the evenings. The host was so lovely. Definitely a must stay.

We stayed in one of the cottages for six months during the corona situation, when the owners were looking for people to stay longer. At first it looked really nice and clean, but looking closely, there was dust in some spots, the ceiling was a bit dirty, and there was dust and other little things on the fan. It’s an older house with older furnishings, which was fine with us. We didn’t complain and were glad to have found a home. We were told air conditioning wasn’t included in the price, and it can also be used for heating. Winter was very, very cold. Friends of ours in another cottage and we bought a small heater because the fire oven was defective, with an opening that let smoke out. We told the owner, but nothing was done, and we stopped using it because of the smoke. One of the owners also came into the house once without warning, which felt like an invasion of privacy. At the beginning of September we reported a problem with the toilet and were told it would be fixed in two days, but nobody came. It kept dripping and smelled of sewage. Instead, we found the notice to leave our cottage. We had planned to go at the end of September anyway, so that was okay with us. Someone only came to repair the toilets on Sunday. We were told the owners clean the bedclothes and linen. We’d been working on a farm, so of course the towels weren’t white anymore, and we understand having to replace those. We were also expected to leave the cottage as we found it, and we did. On the last day, a man who worked for them, Marc, came to check. He was nice and said everything was fine, that he hadn’t seen such a clean cottage in a long time, and that there shouldn’t be any problems with our money or deposit. The owners wouldn’t return our $250 deposit until they had checked the cottage, apparently wanting to do that without us. Given the current situation, we wanted to be there. That day, while we were still in Cairns, they messaged to ask if we were nearby or had already driven further away. Then we were told about several small problems, including the blankets and bed linen being too dirty, things supposedly not in the right places, and that three people had to clean the cottage for a few hours. It’s a shame we didn’t take proof photos at the end, because it was clean, just as we’d found it. We understand paying for the duvet and towels, but not the other charges. We got only $50 of our $250 back, and the owners didn’t respond to our message saying how horrified and sad we were to be treated this way. We feel betrayed and are writing this review because nobody answers us anymore.

We chose Allumbah Pocket Cottages for our wedding anniversary and had a memorable time. Though they’re right in central Yungaburra, the cottages sit among lovely gardens with a bush outlook, so it felt like being out in the bush. Inside, ours was spacious and private, with a spa bath, quality linen, and thoughtful touches throughout. Our hosts were helpful without hovering. We also appreciated the drinks in the lounge area, where guests could mingle if they wanted. Thank you for a lovely stay.