Bannisters Port Stephens

We really enjoyed our stay at Bannisters! The rooms are well appointed and very clean and tidy but I wouldn’t say 5 star. The beds were super comfy and the hotel reasonably quiet although there was that one “ party” group who had to disrupt everyone’s siesta s with over the top, inappropriate conversations ( children were everywhere) and other shenanigans. The staff were fantastic and had an eye on the group and may have asked them to tone it down( not entirely sure) I really rate the staff. All super professional and slick but also very approachable and friendly. We had a SUPERB breakfast buffet at Rick Steins!! Definitely seek it out. We loved the creative range of mix and mingle options- boiled eggs, mini capers, cucumber red onion and cherry tomato salad, feta, Swiss cheese and smoked salmon. All excellent quality and fresh! The pastries were also excellent quality and very fresh. There was a large selection of tropical fruit and muesli and yoghurt. Cooked ala carte options are also available. Overall a very pleasant sojourn away for a couple of night. Thank you to the excellent staff - we really appreciated the outstanding service! Jo( Nz)

As a beachside hotel, Bannister's fits the bill... It's relaxed, quiet, friendly, congruently furnished, has large rooms, lovely landscaped grounds and efficient and helpful staff. For me, the stand-out was the cuisine, which was excellent (regardless of which restaurant you were visiting). Breakfast (included in the room rate) was exceptionally good value and included a good selection of cold-cuts (the smoked salmon was superb), accompaniments and pastries, although the pre-cut breads were always hard and stale, which required toasting. However, when I asked, they happily gave me fresh bread, which I appreciated. Hot food is an additional cost and my party of guests confirmed it was good. The hotel is by no means a resort. It is contained, with a small outdoor infinity pool, and a poolside area for relaxing. I found my room (a king ocean-view) was comfortable and quiet. I didn't like the open car parking area and would have gladly paid for parking to keep my car clean. However, I acknowledge this is a small consideration. The receptionist gladly parked my car to save me the steep walk up the hill into the hotel. Overall, I would recommend this hotel for brief and relaxing getaways, although it may have its limitations for lengthier stays. The hotel is situated close to the beach, local shopping areas and restaurants. I very much enjoyed my stay and would definitley return. Thank you to all the staff who helped make it a very enjoyable and relaxing break.

Hard to fault this amazing hotel!! Stayed here with our one year old and what a dream. Service was immaculate. Kindest staff I’ve come across in a long time. Patient, accomodating and always cheerful. Housekeeping were great especially with our nap times schedule and coming back later to fix up our room. Breakfast and coffee was great. We had the best time, worth the 4 hour drive ☀️

We were fortunate enough to be gifted a 3 night package at Bannister's which we used this week. What an excellent experience. The room were fresh and spacious with a lovely view of the bay and surrounds. A couple of standouts for us. 1. Cocktail happy our on the pool deck each day. The margaritas were outstanding 2. The service. The staff were friendly and little things like a complementary glass of bubbles on arrival was really appreciated. 3. We dined at Rick Steins and we Both were very satisfied with our meals and though it was not cheap we felt it was worth the experience. We will definitely be back.

Beautiful spacious clean rooms in a lovely peaceful environment. The setting around the hotel is just gorgeous. The pool is lovely, the restaurants looked great & smelt great (we didn’t get a chance to try them though) and the staff were so helpful/friendly. Check in process was one of the smoothest I’ve experienced. Worth mentioning they had a great poolside happy hour and all the menus catered for gluten free too. We will definitely be back!

We had the most wonderful stay at Port Stephens last night. The room was magnificent, and waking up to a sunrise with the soundtrack of all those beautiful birds was pure magic. Dinner at Rick Stein’s was sensational (we’re still talking about it), and this morning’s continental breakfast? Honestly, one of the best we’ve ever had. We left feeling very spoiled, very happy, and already looking forward to staying again in the future. Thank you for making it such a memorable escape.

Always a lovely stay at Bannisters. Food nice. Pool nice. Ambience nice.|The welcome drink is a lovely touch. Parking can be difficult at times but there is generally enough. Pricing of accom and food pretty good. The only issue during our recent stay was finding several large cockroaches including in the pool/mexican area and in our rooms. We recommend Bannisters check their pest control efforts are up to date, and ramp up the effort in prep for busy season. Otherwise, no issues. Would stay again.

Excellent place to stay and enjoy a special occasion. Enjoy the fine dining experience of the “Rick Stein” restaurant. The best in the Bay. An upmarket menu, not overly extensive, demonstrating confidence in the cuisine. Every option is superb. An extensive wine list with matching if that is your taste. Friendly and efficient service. Booking is essential. Indoor and outdoor dining options.