In February I took a little trip along the Great Ocean Road with my mum as a late birthday present. When booking accommodation, I stumbled upon this beautiful bed & breakfast and whilst most hotels impress you with the photos and leave you disappointed on arrival, this place was quite the opposite. The photo’s did not do it justice.
We arrived to less than desirable weather. Cold, raining, windy and completely contrast to the sweltering heat we usually experience in February. But that frown due to the weather was turned upside down when we arrived to lovely Angelika and Gary who were wonderful hosts.
The room
The room was elegant, covered in wooden panelled walls with large windows covering one whole side of the room for ultimate viewing potential looking out to sea. A large bedroom welcomed you with a large floor to ceiling wardrobe on the wall to the left and double sliding doors in front leading out to a generous balcony. The bed was like sleeping on a cloud, and after much deliberation I can honestly say it was the most comfortable I’ve ever slept on. A small lounge area was to the right, with a double seated sofa, single sofa and television and music player. There were books and CD’s for guests to use, and television stations via satellite. The lounge area led to the grand bathroom, complete with an enormous spa bath, for all your relaxation needs. The view was the best part, though, as the name suggests. High up on a mountain, you can see parts of the Great Ocean Road below and the ocean that seems to be endless. Breathtaking.
The location
It was a little in the middle of nowhere, but that’s why it was so great. It’s in Wongarra, a town about 10 minutes from popular Apollo Bay. You would need a car to get here, unless you get a taxi from Apollo Bay as the road isn’t a main road or even near one, but worth the effort indeed. The property was set on a few acres with beautiful parrots flying around, a horse and even koalas residing on the property. In my mother’s 49 years, these were the first koalas she’d ever seen in person.
The food
Included in the cost of the room was a basic breakfast of cereal and tea and coffee amenities, but every day you were given a menu to order cooked meals and juices, hot chocolates, coffee etc. These were very cheap when compared to meals you would order from your local cafe. The salmon and scrambled eggs on muffins were our order for the first morning, with Lindt mint mocha’s. It was cooked perfectly and the mocha was a welcome change to my usual morning plain old latte. On our second morning we opted for the famous chocolate croissants. In the visitors handbook in the room, there were a lot of recommendations for them and they did not let us down.
The hosts
Angelika and Gary were exceptional hosts, helping with our every query, welcoming us with a smile and keeping that smile until the very end as they waved us goodbye. They were great with local knowledge of the area, helping us with finding the koalas hiding in their favourite spots and keeping us relaxed and happy the whole time.
Value for money
Of all the bed and breakfasts in the area, surprisingly this luxurious, breathtaking suite was one of the cheapest, and the others had no 5 star view to go with it.
I couldn’t recommend this beautiful boutique bed and breakfast highly enough. I don’t usually spend time writing reviews, but this was particularly special. You couldn’t find a more perfect location, being just off the Great Ocean Road about halfway along it if you’re making the trip and I doubt you will find better hospitality or serenity anywhere else.
