Elements of Castor Bay

The infinity pool among the treetops was so idyllic, we could have spent days relaxing there. We were lucky to spend two nights at Elements of Castor Bay, with breathtaking views across Castor Bay. Stuart and Rochelle have made a luxurious, secluded-feeling place that’s still so close to the city, and they were wonderful hosts. The layout, furnishings, high-tech systems and all the thoughtful touches made for a setup we couldn’t have improved on. Thanks for having us!

The hosts were lovely and made sure our stay went smoothly. Restaurants and shops nearby made it convenient, and there’s a beautiful beach walk close by. We spent most of our time enjoying the house, though. Elements is warm and inviting, with heated floors and lovely art and decor. It’s well stocked, from the luxury linens to drinks and cocktail supplies. The views are stunning, with sunrises and sunsets, and you can enjoy them from every room throughout the day. Luxury at its best.

The promise of a beautiful, luxurious home had us excited, but the stay became the most upsetting and traumatic experience I’ve had. My family and I were left shaken by the communication and what I experienced as verbal abuse. After earlier bookings were cancelled at the last minute while we were travelling from another country, we felt lucky to find somewhere. We’d paid $3,600 upfront before receiving an access code, booking confirmation or house rules. Because we’d already been double-booked elsewhere, I contacted Rochelle. At first she dismissed the booking and said she couldn’t accommodate us, even though it had been made through a third party. I explained how desperate we were after flying overseas and needing urgent accommodation for my family. She eventually agreed to let us in after we showed proof of payment and identification, and things initially went smoothly. We were told a host would be on the property in a separate home, and discussed usual rules, including lights out by 10:30 and keeping noise down. When my cousins arrived, they had no access codes or keys and had to get Rochelle to open the gate and door, which was concerning after such a large payment. The person assigned as our host was Rochelle’s underage daughter, in school uniform, staying in a room inside the house. With adults in the home, this felt inappropriate and hard to understand as professional, especially for a third-party booking. My cousin also soon realized much of the house was shared with the host, and there were cameras in almost every corner. That made the listing feel misleading. My cousin let Rochelle know we were having a small family BBQ. There was no reply for over an hour. Then Rochelle called me, swearing and yelling, saying we had threatened and traumatised her daughter and insisting we leave straight away. There had been no loud noise or inappropriate behaviour, just a long-needed family gathering. The aggressive, intimidating, discriminatory and profane way she spoke left me almost in tears. The property owner has assured us we’ll get a refund, but the experience was deeply distressing and disappointing. The verbal abuse, what felt like misleading advertising, limited access, the underage host and intrusive cameras made the stay wholly unacceptable for my family and me.

The views across Castor Bay took my breath away. It’s a stunning, spotless and spacious house, and the bed was so comfortable I didn’t want to get up. I did eventually, for the delicious coffee! Highly recommend, A++++ all round.