The Sebel Twin Waters

Huge house! Back from the lagoon, very quiet position, lots of stairs to navigate as it’s on 4 levels. Layout perfect for 4 couples.house in need of a deep clean and make over, very tired. Outdoor area could benefit from some deck chairs . Lounge/ kitchen was lovely and huge but totally lacked any ambiance! Some throws would have been a nice touch for the lovely big couch. Kitchen had everything we needed and more.

When you pay almost $2k for six nights accommodation, your expectations are high. Our room was pretty good, except the fridge did not work. They could not fix it so we moved rooms after one night, which too a lot of effort seeing we had a family and had unpacked. Instead of getting a similar room, we were put into a seemingly older room that was a lot smaller. Albeit was still a two bedroom apartment, the amenities and size were considerably different. Normally when there is something obviously wrong with a room, hotels look to compensate you for the inconvenience with either an upgrade or something. We did not expect this, but did expect to get a similar room, so to get what seemed to be a downgrade was not a good experience. The rooms are not soundproofed in any way and you can hear the people beside and above you. There was also a small part in the unit next door on the Friday that we had to call management about. Security came and spoke with them, but of course they only turned their music up after that to make a point. There were two dead cockroaches in the second room and it was pretty dirty and old inside compared to the original room. We even had to vacuum and do a clean ourselves to be happy with it. The outdoor chairs were covered in mould and you sunk in the lounge chairs. We had to put the bed pillows on them as well just to sit comfortably. Upon checkin we had to have our credit card swiped for a $200 pre-authorisation (which is normal). We did not realise until the day after we checked out that they had actually charged our card! When we called to advise them, they acknowledged they new about it on the day of check in and could not refund the card as 'Head Office' does not allow this. We had to provide bank account details for the money to be refunded. Why if they new on the first day did they wait until we called for them to acknowledge this and get the process underway to get the refund? Our first room also came with secured under cover parking, with the second room only having a car port. Normally the saying of "you get what you pay for" applies for cheaper accommodation, however on this occasion we certainly did not get what we paid for. Very disappointed, especially with the dismissive attitude when it came to having to move rooms and their mistake of charging the $200.00.

Family of 6 travelling up from Sydney for the Easter Break stayed in 3 bed beach house. Booked directly with hotel. Pros : good location, generous room size, full size kitchen, BBQ, laundry facilities, full kitchen and deck, free wifi, use of Novotel facilities with a short walk and on site free parking. Cons: cleanliness and maintenance of the house for the price ( circa $900+ a night), all furniture and appliances need to be replaced/upgraded and consistent across the property. For the premium charged expected a much higher standard of furniture and amenities, for example, no Foxtel, mis-matched cutlery, appliances under 10 years old.

The Sebel Twin Waters has so much potential but after not visiting this property in several years, it’s obvious that cost cutting and complacency have set in. Reception staff, who were once so welcoming and always acknowledged returning guests, have been replaced by a process driven ‘host’ (Angela) who was quite abrupt when we arrived. Did we receive a ‘Welcome. How was your trip’? No. Just ‘Here’s your key and a map. We’re really busy with check ins todays, so grab some towels because you’re not allowed to use the ones at the Novotel.’ The property’s gardens are s beautifully looked after, but the same cannot be said for the beach on the Sebel side of the resort which was dirty, unkempt and lacked a single seat for holiday makers to relax on. External lighting in the resort also needs attention, as sections of the lagoon side walk are unlit and pose a hazard after dark. The Sebel charges premium prices for school holiday periods but its privately owned apartments rely heavily on the quality of the adjacent Novotel Coast for providing guests with value. It’s time some money was spent on ensuring that guests’ experiences are in keeping with the rates charged.

This place is amazing. Staff are very friendly, always smiling as we walk past. The pools are beautiful and well kept and the apartment is huge and lovely. Really wish we could stay longer but unfortunately budgetary and work/school kept us to only a weekend. The balcony is absolutely huge. Sofa is actually comfortable and good water pressure. Often I find the opposite when I’m hotels. We will be back!