Kelly A.
Yelp
It's got potential . That is why it gets two stars.
I feel misled. For the $372 AUD per night price tag (on par with a luxury resort), I feel the accommodation falls short and not worthy of such a steep price. When I booked the Wollemi Wilderness Cabin for a part of our Australian holiday, I was so excited! I couldn't wait to surprise and impress my husband with the coolest accommodation ever. This was going to be a great place for us to reconnect with one another however, it just didn't inspire romance for several reasons.
WHAT I LIKED
The view. The sound of the bush coming alive at night. The remote location.
WHAT I DISLIKED
The remote location. I know I said I liked it, but it was also a pain to get from the cabin to the main road. You drive on an unpaved road for several kilometers which is extremely narrow and treacherous to travel on in the dark, because, well, it's DARK. And there is a lot of wildlife. And big bugs. And did I mention the road is very narrow? If you do any sightseeing, you had better be back at the cabin before dark.
The lack of comfort. How do you not have an air-conditioner for 41 Celsius temperatures during the summer??? That would have been GREAT information to know prior to booking the accommodation. The cabin was blazing hot when we arrived and remained weltering and uncomfortable for the two nights we were there. There wasn't even cold water in the refrigerator waiting for us. I sent the owner an email shortly after arriving to inquire on how we were supposed to cool the cabin down. The one floor fan in the bedroom was not going to cut it. He stopped by the cabin to offer his "suggestions" which was that 1) the weather should be cooling down soon and 2) he opened the sliding door and the front door to try to get a cross breeze. I pointed out that doing so was allowing insects inside the cabin as there are no screen doors on either one. He was quite dismissive saying they only come in with the light, meanwhile I'm watching all sorts of flying things come in. The result: There wasn't a cross breeze and it never cooled down to a comfortable temperature and we were miserable. Who wants to get it on when you are already a sweaty gross mess before the lovin' starts to happen?
The lack of general maintenance and cleanliness of the cabin. The furniture was old and worn, the bookshelf with games and books was unkempt, the provided dishtowels had a gross, musty smell, the only toilet was a composting toilet complete with flying insects in the toilet and in the bathroom (this would have been important information to know upon booking), the screens on windows were not properly aligned (letting bugs in if you open the window) and the amount of spider/cob webs and live insects INSIDE the cabin (before he let MORE inside) indicated the interior floorboards, windows, ceilings of the cabin never get any type of cleaning attention (see photos). I understand we are in "the bush", however, I don't think any of those flying bugs paid any part of my accommodation cost, so I shouldn't have to share it with them. Finally, let's talk about the bed. We both tossed and turned all night as the mattress was very uncomfortable. The bed linens were old, scratchy and too heavy for the hot summer weather, let alone to create a romantic environment. They looked and felt like they were obtained at the Salvation Army.
Moving on to dinnertime. As I prepared to grill some steak for dinner, I go out to the BBQ to warm it up and guess what? There is no propane! If you know you are having guests stay at your accommodation it should be fully stocked with everything they need. I ended up cooking the steaks on the stove (a heinous crime, I know). I missed out on the experience of having a glass or two of wine whilst grilling our ribeye steaks on the deck overlooking the bush and the gorgeous view. I get dinner ready and set the table only to notice there are no paper towels or napkins. How are you supposed to wipe your hands and face while eating your meal?
For the price tag I expected this place to be spotless, comfortable, and immaculate. Instead it was like I was attending grade school summer camp. I was ready to pack up after the first night and find another accommodation except for the fact I paid so much for this place and most everything else was already sold out since it was the high season. The website describes the Love Cabins as a romantic Blue Mountains getaway and "stunning" with "new" interior design concepts. Only if they mean "stunning" in a bad way. I seriously hated every minute here and the ironic part is that this was the accommodation I was most excited about on our trip to Australia. I probably wouldn't be so bitter if I paid $79 AUD per night instead of $372 AUD.
Maybe a visit in the winter would have been more inspiring. Probably not though.