Q Station Manly

We booked a weekend work retreat and unfortunately the experience was below expectations. On the first evening, we ordered food and drinks that never arrived. When we approached staff to follow up, we were told “we ran out,” without any solution or communication beforehand. This set a disappointing tone for the stay. There was also confusion around the beach seating. The night before, we had moved chairs on the beach with no issues while we purchased drinks at the bar. The following morning, doing the same thing resulted in a staff member yelling at our team. The inconsistency felt unprofessional and left us unsure of what the actual rules were. Some hotel staff and shuttle drivers came across as rude or disengaged, which didn’t help the overall experience. However, two shuttle drivers, Lily and Alice, were exceptional. They were friendly, helpful, and brought a great attitude every time they picked us up. Their positive energy, sense of humour, and professionalism made a noticeable difference. Throughout our two-night stay at Q Station, our group specifically requested them — we were happy to wait longer for a pickup if it meant being greeted by their warm service. Overall, the stay had significant shortcomings, but Lily and Alice were standout staff members who truly elevated parts of the experience.

Whilst the “hotel” aspect of the First Class Precinct isn’t overly premium, the experience of this property is truly unique and absolutely worth a visit. Getting around the resort is easy with the complimentary shuttle services shared with other guests. The rooms are full of character and rich history — staying here genuinely feels like stepping back into the late 1800s. During my stay, I chose to do the history tour at the Visitor & Tourism Centre, which I highly recommend. It gave me a deeper connection to the generations who lived here before, sharing both the challenging and the beautiful parts of their stories. Museums around the area showcase original pieces, and walking through the site feels like exploring a preserved island village from another era. I would happily recommend this experience to anyone visiting Sydney — especially in summer. One suggestion: it would be wonderful to see more thought put into the Accor Plus Explorer benefits for this property. Something unique to Q Station would elevate the stay even more — perhaps a complimentary kayaking session, a history tour pass for guests who don’t drink wine, or a small memorable touch that highlights the character of the site. Overall, it’s a beautiful and meaningful trip that offers something very different from a standard hotel stay.

I have stayed at this hotel many times over the years and keep coming back because of the fantastic location. So close to the city, but yet so far away in atmosphere. The staff are great cant do enough to make you happy. I have given 4 stars as the property is beginning to get a little run down, and breakfast is very basic. But apart from that the rooms and beds are good, very clean and comfortable.

Excellent set up for booking in at reception and quick shuttle to our room in the Isolation area. Lovely room with nice seperate living room, very comfortable and so quite!. Cloudy day so no sunset but later that night after the "extreme ghost tour" we enjoyed the beautiful lights of Manly and the City from the deck of the Isolation Rooms Guest Lounge. Shuttle on demand service meant we could meander down through the whole station and then get the regular shuttle back to our room. Food at Boilerhouse was sumptuous and breakfast by the beach at the cafe was yummy. Overall great experience and lovely staff from all over the world especially Lisbon!

Pretty Bad customer service throughout whole of the stay! Besides 2 Shuttle bus drivers Lily and Alice who were exceptionally funny, kind and made our experience much better. We were happy to wait longer for them to pick us up as we knew that they were going to greet us properly and so kind. So thanks to Lily and Alice for making our stay memorable and happy, it’s a simple greeting and smile that goes a long way!

Great location in authentic Australian bushland with lovely views. There ends the good news. Poorly trained staff that provide an inconsistent level of service. Night porter in particular as about as bad as they get. Our walk from accommodation to the breakfast hall was a 1.6 km round trip. Wait times for the shuttle bus varied between 11 mins and 32 mins. The rooms are sparsely furnitured and very basic. Ours was also in need of a very deep clean. Our bathroom was aged, and the mirror was at right angles to the basin so you had to lean over and look hard left to either put make up on (her) or have a shave (him).Breakfast was basic and did not reflect good value for money. We did the 1 hour historical tour which was led by a chap from the Azores. He had the best intentions as he hd been roped in from organising activities but it was haphazard and not worth the money. Everything felt it was been done on the cheap.

We really enjoyed the serenity of Q Station. While it was a little cool for us to go swimming, the private beach is a really nice perk. The staff are phenomenal, and oh so nice. The only issues we had were very minor and resolved quickly. The shuttle service is prompt, and the drivers very helpful (special shout out to Pedro). We will definitely stay again.

I’ve read so many bad reviews before I went but this wasn’t my experience. Checked in at reception. Friendly & lovely staff. Got a shuttle bus to my room. It was a heritage king room in the P 21 area. Lovely & clean, new bathroom with large shower & great water pressure. Wifi worked beautifully, as well as the TV. Once settled I rang reception from the room phone & the shuttle was there within 5mins. Shuttles run 24 hours. All drivers are lovely & friendly & some loved to have a chat. Had dinner at the Boiler room. Beautiful food & service with lovely views. The little beach area is amazing & a great spot for kids. In the morning I walked down hill to the views restaurant for brekkie. Good selection of hot food as well as various fruits, cereals, pastries, fruit juices to choose from. Loved brekkie, & the view was great. Just watch out for the bush turkeys though. They also agree the food is good. After that, I did the history tour. It was a hour but I got to see & hear the history of the hospital & showers. After some lunch at the wharf cafe, I asked the gentleman in the cafe if he could call a shuttle for me. It arrived within 5mins. Great service! Dinner was at Nurse Egan function room. Great views but the food was very average. Over all a lovely place to stay. The only thing that wasn’t the best is there is no air con in the rooms only fans, but they went fairly slow so it was a little uncomfortable to sleep, though is was very hot that wkend in Manly. If I ever go again, I’d go in winter. Thank you Q staff. Lovely experience