Ocean Blue Villas

The setting is absolutely beautiful, but the stay itself was terrible. The caretaker seemed to want to control every moment we were there. For what five couples paid to book the whole place, the attention to detail was dismal. Bathrooms were dirty and poorly maintained, the showers wouldn't drain, and there was no hot water. The small pedestal fans barely helped with the heat and humidity, and the beds were incredibly uncomfortable. Maggots kept coming out of the bin. I wouldn't recommend staying here at all.

The place is big and basic, and its size is probably its best feature. It can fit a large family group and is almost on the beach, with a lovely swimming spot nearby. Just be aware that houses hem it in on most sides, which the promo photos don't show. It needs a lot of care. Inside, the old lounge suite was worn, with tapa cloths covering dirt and stains. The beds were uncomfortable, the sheets basic, and the only blankets were heavy polar fleece. In winter we needed more than a sheet because it was cold, but those blankets were too much. There were no drawers, just a freestanding wardrobe with small shelves. The deck was grubby, grease was around the BBQ, and the deck chair squabs were filthy. Some of our group got only one hot shower during the whole stay because the solar water and backup system were so unreliable. Bring your own loo paper, as only part-rolls were supplied and there was no top-up. We also needed beach towels, paper towels, glad wrap or bags, large rubbish bags, salt, pepper, oil and mozzie coils. Only one large rubbish bag was provided. Food is pricey and comes from NZ, so bring as much as your baggage allowance permits if you're self-catering. There's a good fish market near the airport, fruit and veg stalls, and Wigmores, which has a great range of Ceres Organics. Nearby, Moana Sands is a short walk up the road or beach for decent coffee and exceptional pina coladas. There's a fruit stall almost opposite and a basic store about 100m away. Expect basic accommodation, and the location and space make it worthwhile.

We won't stay at Ocean Blue Villas again. The villa had several problems: dishes were dirty, tea towels smelled, the blankets weren't clean, and the bath mat was soaking wet when we arrived. A Heineken can was under the bed in the first right-hand bedroom. The website said linen was included, but there was none, so we washed and reused our own. The photos showed a fridge and microwave, but neither was there during our stay. On our first night, the lock came off the right-hand bathroom door, and my brothers fixed it. The left-hand toilet wouldn't refill until my dad repaired it. We come from a clean family and left the villa to a high standard. We did have drinks there and apologize for the noise, but our guests only visited and did not sleep over, despite the owner's claim. What were we meant to charge them for, sitting on the seats? I understand the owners were on holiday when we arrived, but in the two weeks we were there, they never came over to introduce themselves or even say hello. The first contact with the owner was when we asked to extend our departure time because our flight was at 3pm, and she hesitated. I'd recommend checking the villa and contacting the owner thoroughly before unpacking.

The beach is right in the backyard, and the location is excellent. There’s a large main house with two separate units below, which works well for big groups. When we had issues with lightbulbs and fans that didn't work, they were fixed straight away. Thanks for making it a family-friendly place.