Beach Spa House | Balcony view
Check availability

Reviews of Wanderers Retreat Port Stephens

3.5 out of 5
Wanderers Retreat Port Stephens
7 Koala Place, Boat Harbour, NSW

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 65 out of 100 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 25 out of 100 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 100 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 100 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 100 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Patrica

sereness lush trees nice cottage
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

peter

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from Antony on 29 Feb 2024
Thanks Peter for the 5 out of 5! We really appreciate it.

10/10 Excellent

JOHN

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from Antony on 29 Feb 2024
Thanks John for the 5 out of 5!Hope you can stay again.

10/10 Excellent

Leon

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Response from Antony on 29 Dec 2023
Thank you Leon for the 5 out of 5 review. We really appreciate it.

6/10 Okay

Diane

Disliked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Aws

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023
Response from Antony on 29 Feb 2024
Thanks for the 5 out of 5.We really appreciate it.

6/10 Okay

Christos

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
3/5 because we had to kill 3 cockroaches in our first hour there. They were coming out of the dishwasher and we had to stuff a towel to keep them from coming. Definitely something the owner should address. I understand it's a nature reserve and you will get some bugs but to have the cockroaches coming like that is not normal. Also, it would be good if there was a fan in the bedrooms.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023
Response from Wanderers Retreat on 11 Dec 2023
Thanks for letting us know. We have since renewed the pest control and deep cleaned the dishwasher which we found had been blocked and not reported to us.We plan to upgrade the cottages in the near future and think fans are a great idea.

6/10 Okay

Amanda

Travelled with partner
The environment was beautiful and quiet with no road noise which allowed you to hear the lovely sound of local bird life. We feel this property was once upon a time a little slice of luxury. While it seems to be still priced for luxury, it’s a little tired and very dated. Blinds and bathroom grout were mouldy, the furniture lacquer was sticky, the kitchen cupboards had a funky smell, the mattress was not the most comfortable and the kitchen utilities are in need of an update. The owner advised on arrival that the previous owners had removed a main window blind which meant the morning sun shined directly onto your face in bed when it rose. We wouldn’t have booked had we known this. We simply think it was overpriced for what it offers.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joshua

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Spa was amazing at night time, looking up at the stars. Possums were very friendly followed us around everywhere & eat out of your hands.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Owners on 13 Oct 2023
Thank you for your kind review. Pleased you enjoyed your stay.

8/10 Good

Greg

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very peaceful location.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023

4/10 Poor

Karen

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with partner
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
We stayed with our three children for four nights. We were surprised by what we found - a very basic cabin with a drop toilet (not the luxury accommodation and composting toilet that was advertised). Initially, the owners were very nice but things started to go downhill. Beds are very uncomfortable. Since the units aren't cleaned regularly, the toilet started to have bugs, and the smell became much more noticeable. I did two loads of washing...despite the fact that they advertise a communal laundry, the female owner was extremely passive aggressive and locked the laundry door behind me when I left. It remained locked for the entirety of the next day and the next morning. There were a number of families staying at the property and some of the children had broken a fabric thing hanging over the pool and the male owner marched up to my husband and said "I'm pretty sure your children are the ones who destroyed this". It was definitely a group effort among all the children, and the blame doesn't rest solely on us. But, if you have accommodation that children are staying at, you can't blame them for making a game out of something flashy you have hanging over the pool. We felt so uncomfortable that we actually discussed leaving a night early. The beach nearby was wonderful and the setting was lovely. Shame about the owners and the false advertisement of the accommodation.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023
Response from Wanderers on 30 Jan 2023
Sorry you did not enjoy your stay. Some corrections to your story. Your husband reported the damage to the pool equipment. The issue in this instance was not children being children but the parents not supervising them in the pool area on multiple occasions. In one instance an 8 year old was let in and left on his own. Your children also had to be told to only return under parental supervision.The laundry is opened upon request for guest use during business hours subject to availabilty. Work use has priority. Yes we were not at all happy with you leaving soiled nappies in the internal laundry bin. The cottages are fully cleaned immediately before every stay. All the mattreses are less than 2 years old and all are Sealy Australia's Commercial Comfort Plus. These are specially designed for the accommodation sector. It was not appropriate for you to leave more soiled nappies inside the cottage after check out. Outside bins are provided. It was gross of you to leave feaces mashed into the shower floor grate for our Cleaners to clean. We are clearly advertised as a Guests Only Accommodation. No Visitors. Unfortunately you chose to delibertly ignore this. Our change in attitude to you and your stay was very much reflective and appropriate to the conduct we were experiencing. No apologies

10/10 Excellent

Laura

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect, quiet bush land setting with an easy walk to the beach plus access to on site pool and private spa. Would absolutely stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
Response from Wanderers Team on 25 Jan 2023
Thank you Laura for your kind review. We are pleased you enjoyed your stay with us. Hope to see you again soon

10/10 Excellent

Graham

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Rainforest setting close to surf beach
A set of well spaced private feeling accommodations in original rainforest. Wildlife including possums and a large sizers on our path came free. Very comfortable beds. Good Weber bbq. We made good use of the hot tub. The owners were very friendly and gave lots of helpful travel advice.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
Response from Barry on 4 Dec 2022
Graham. Thank you for your very kind review and for choosing to stay with us at Wanderers REtreat

10/10 Excellent

Corey

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location, great amenities
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022
Response from Barry on 7 June 2022
Thank you for your review. Pleased you enjoyed your stay

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location - lovely unique accomodation. Reasonably priced too.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021
Response from Barry on 13 July 2021
Thank you for your kind review. Wanderers Retreat's cottages, hot-tubs, fireplaces, whales and winter make for an awesome holiday combination.

10/10 Excellent

MIKE, SYDNEY

Travelled with group
Same as the photos, good bush setting. Very nice manager. Towels, sheets and everything very good condition.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020
Response from Regards Barry and Vivienne on 26 July 2020
Mike. Thank you for your kind review. We are so pleased you enjoyed your Wanderers Retreat holiday experience. We hope you choose to come and stay with us again soon

8/10 Good

Suzanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hideaway
Great bush cabin, self contained, secluded enough and private, nice pool, lovely hosts, good water pressure and easy walk to One Mile Beach or quick drive if you have a tent or chairs. So close to shopping, eateries, attractions and other beaches. We were pleasantly surprised to discover camel rides on nearby Birubi Beach and it was amazing costing AUD $30 adults and 25 for children for around 20 minutes, no booking, just show up starts from 10am. Birdsong and welcome visits by the friendly magpies and night visits by the possums, only thing is the bed was quite hard and only a 2 seater couch which we found uncomfortable. Of course there's those pesky mosquitoes, but you are in a bush setting so that's expected but nothing that a spray of Mortein can't fix.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Barry on 26 Jan 2020
Suzanne. Thank you. We are delighted that you have so enjoyed the peace and amenity of Wanderers a Retreat.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Private cabin surrounded by trees and soothing garden spaces. Short walk to One Mile Beach and regular visits from friendly magpies
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Barry and Vivienne on 8 Jan 2020
Thank you for staying with us and your kind review.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Response from Barry on 18 Dec 2019
Thank you for your kind review and staying with us

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The most relaxing down to earth properties I have the experience of visiting. Staff extremely friendly & would go over & above to help any issue. I certainly will be visiting again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Barry and Vivienne on 3 Sept 2019
Thank you for your very kind review. We are pleased you enjoyed your stay with us. See you again soon

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Wanderers Team on 7 Aug 2019
Thank you for your review. We are pleased you enjoyed your stay

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very peaceful place and very relaxing stay,The tree house was perfect for couples it had everything we needed with added wildlife making a visit at night.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from Barry on 13 June 2019
Thank you. A lovely review. Appreciated. So pleased you enjoyed your stay. We hope you come and stay with us again soon

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2019
Response from Barry on 3 Apr 2019
Thank you for your kind review

10/10 Excellent

Kevin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018
Response from Barry on 4 Aug 2018
Thank you Kevin for your kind review. Appreciated. So glad you enjoyed your stay.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful Retreat - home away from home
Absolutely amazing trip away - Wanderers Retreat was the most delightful surprise. Our cabin was snuggled into bushy surrounds - close enough to other cabins to not feel isolated, but far enough away that we barely saw or heard another person whilst there. The surrounding nature has grown up and been cleared just enough to make way for safe walking tracks, wide manicured lawns perfect for kids to play, all while enjoying a wall of flowers, bushes and trees. My kids enjoyed the treasure hunt of finding bird baths, possum boxes, and assorted flowers in the little world around them, & we were all thrilled to find a sparkling in ground pool in the middle of all that. Our cabin was the perfect setup for a family of 5 - clean with just what you need to enjoy a trip away (although having only 4 plates left us perplexed for a few minutes!). I was able to cook meals every night for my family, but still feel on holiday with a dishwasher, spa bath, and nightly possum visitors who excited everyone by being content to nibble at grapes while the kids had a pat. The owners were friendly and made us feel right at home with detailed and personal directions to local items of interest, an Easter visit, and personally hand walking us to our cabin in the dark upon arrival. There was NO Optus mobile reception where we were (yay?!) and very little Telstra. Wanderers Retreat gave ungrudging and unlimited WIFI coverage - no phone calls but plenty of recreation time
Response from Vivienne on 3 Apr 2018
Thank you for your very kind review. We are so pleased you and your family enjoyed your stay at Wanderers Retreat. We have addressed the issue of missing plates. We were unaware of this. We hope to see you for a return visit.

8/10 Good

k, winchelsea

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely place
Had a lovely stay here. 6 nights in s spa cottage. Our family thoroughly out time there. The owners were great, so nice to chat to. Loved thebush setting and the gorgeous possums that visited our deck and back door each night. Our daughter squealed with delight each time she saw them.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2018
Response from Viv on 29 Mar 2018
Thank you for the review. We are very pleased you enjoyed your stay with us and loved our environment including the nightly visits from the possums. We hope to see you back again.

10/10 Excellent

Sebbie, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful break
We stayed for the weekend in a tree house, a truly unique experience. Clean and comfortable. The extra personal touches (champagne, chocolates, port and bath robes) was really nice. Best of both worlds, The bush and the beach just across the road. Perfect weekend !!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Response from Vivienne on 13 Mar 2018
Thank you Sebbie for your kind review. We are very pleased you thoroughly enjoyed the weekend staying in the treehouse. We are in a pretty unique place to enjoy both the bush and beach. We hope to see you back again soon.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
New owners very attentive & accommodating, they are very enthusiastic to add their own special touch & improve on an already lovely place to stay. We had a relaxing few days. Nice & quiet, close to beach.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Viv and Barry on 6 Mar 2018
Thank you for your kind feedback. We hope you come again and stay with us

8/10 Good

Caitlin, Camden

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved it!
We just spent the weekend here and loved it. The cabin was gorgeous- spacious and comfortable (with a spa bath!) and in such a relaxing environment. It was really nice to sit on the deck with some wine and cheese, listening to the sounds of the bush. Close to the beach and the town. The owners are lovely and very helpful; Vivian spent some time telling us the best places to go around the area. Overall we had a fantastic, relaxing weekend here and can't wait to come back!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Viv on 23 Feb 2018
Thank you Caitlin for your kind review. We agree, Wanderers is a relaxing place to stop and enjoy the surroundings, whilst still in close proximity of Nelson Bay. It is always a pleasure to have great guests stay. We look forward to your return visit.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We stayed in the Treehouse. Fantastic, quiet, close to nearby shops and beaches. Had a compost toilet which was actually quite clean, no troubles. Room was a bit dusty and had some cobwebs but was still great. Only downside was the downstairs smelled a bit and had lots of dead leaves contributing to that. But honestly wasn’t bad! Would stay again :)
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Barry on 14 Feb 2018
We are so glad you enjoyed your stay. Thank you we have addressed the cleaning issues you raised. The natural rainforest setting does provide a uniqueness to your holiday experience. The sights, sounds and smells of our flora and fauna are ever changing with the time of day and seasons. This makes Wanderers so special.

10/10 Excellent

Michelle, Orange, NSW

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great accommodation- close to beach and facilities
Enjoyed a great stay at Wanderers Retreat - being so close to beach was a bonus with two young children and cabin was extremely comfortable with the added bonus of a spa bath that was enjoyed by all - nice quiet location and not a far drive to other beaches and attractions in the Nelson Bay area - would highly recommend this accommodation and will definitely be staying there in the future when we visit the area
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Response from Barry and Viv on 30 Nov 2017
Thank you Michelle for your review and we are happy you enjoyed your stay. We agree, it is a great location. Look forward to welcoming you at your next stay.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
love the animals!
Really nice location, close to everything - the lovely animals and peace and quiet was amazing!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2017
Response from Viv & Barry on 12 Nov 2017
Great to hear that you had such a positive stay. The bush and beach setting is unique. We hope you return again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Swiss Family, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice place in the nature
A warm welcome, nice chat with owners giving good tips and showing us the wild life around us. So cooooool Room was good and comfortable. We were sad to leave this place but we will be back soon for sure.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2017
Response from Barry and Viv on 28 Nov 2017
Thank you for your review and we are happy you enjoyed your stay. Look forward to seeing you again

10/10 Excellent

Meena, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful Cozy Getaway
Steph welcomed us and helped us in check in, the room was clean, neat and tidy. The owners are very helpful. Very near to the beach and you are with nature, fresh air and hear the birds. I would definitely go back and I have already recommended to my Friend.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely escape getaway!
A wonderful place to go for a couples getaway. The owners are beautiful and the treehouse room was adorable. Would go back in a heartbeat. Wonderful tip from the owners is the local recommendations, especially boat harbour headland just round the corner, where you can watch the humpback whales migrate past (very close to the shore!).
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

2/10 Terrible

Jaimi, A

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not worth the price
I paid $430 for the Eco Cottage (with hot tub) for 2 nights. The cottage is very small, with my partner and 2 kids it felt very squishy. The linen was extremely outdated, it was clean (but very old fashioned). The Pit toilets weren't what I expected with the price I paid. They should advertise that they use these as not everyone would be comfortable with them, as a matter of fact my 2 young children were scared to use it. Not a place for kids. I have a 3 & 5 year old, and expected to be able to take them for a bike ride, park etc. none of that. Its beautiful location surrounded by trees, but I wouldn't suggest it for young children. The parking was a pain. We thought you could park at your cabin, but it was across in a bay, with 2 other cars. So we had to carry our push bikes in from the car every night, and it was very tight space to get in/out. It felt very dirty and the TV signal kept dropping in and out. We had no mobile reception. They do offer free wifi, however this drops in & out also. The staff were extremely helpful & nice, can't fault them. Overall, for the price I am disappointed and wouldn't go back. It made me feel dirty & like I said, it's very old/outdated, overpriced and very small... I was looking forward to leaving to go home have a hot shower.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

amy, Canberra

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic location, service and an amazing beach house. Highly recommend!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel
The property exceeded our expectations. The staff where so helpful and welcoming. It's close to everything and so peaceful. Would highly recommend this place to anyone who was looking for a getaway that's close to home.

8/10 Good

claire, Sydney

Liked: Staff & service
A nice little getaway from the city
Wanderer's retreat was a nice little place where you could wind down from your busy city life. It was within walking distance of some restaurants, and the staff were plesant to deal with.

10/10 Excellent

Leila, Merewether

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Eco luxury
Wonderful comfortable hotel, perfect to for a romantic getaway to escape the city and get back to nature. All the luxury trimmings surrounded by beautiful bush and close to the beach. 10minutes away from the bay and all it's tourist offerings. Definitely will stay again.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location, close to beach. Nice and quiet. Good, comfortable room

8/10 Good

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wanderers Retreat
Great for relaxation. Secluded location which is a good to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy towns.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Ann, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very peaceful.
I really enjoyed the wanderers Retreat. The place is very quiet of human sounds which is exactly what I like as I cannot bear loud noisy people and music and radios, TVs etc or banging, cars revving etc. It is noisy at night here but it is the sounds of the bush.. nature at its best. The only drawback with wanderers retreat is that it too far to walk to anywhere but one mile beach. You definitely need a car if you stay here.
Local beach
Outside the cabin
The 2 bedroomed cain we stayed in

8/10 Good

Hanspreet

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to explore nature
Great place, and location, has some issues with the AC, but it was a combination of lights not working on the AC and my understanding of it .

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very relaxing get away from normality and just chill

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
-
Our stay was great until we received an email after we had checked out. One of the members of our group was not feeling well the night before, and we had asked for a later check-out so that we could spend a bit more time cleaning up the place after a long night taking care of the. We were advised that this was not possible, and of course we understood. We were rushing to clean up the room and return it to its original state, but as we had just washed the dishes we couldn't put them away since there were not dry, and we didn't get around to cleaning a drainer and a pair of tongs. We were charged a cleaning fee without any sort of warning and even after explaining our situation no leniency was afforded despite the rest of the room being returned to its original state. We were treated with insensitivity, inflexibility and this incident ruined what had otherwise been an enjoyable trip.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
lovely spot in one mile
Really lovely spot to stay away from hustle and bustle of busy holiday people. Staff v friendly and helpful. The cabin was clean, had everything we needed and the closeness of pool and beach was excellent.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic retreat, amazing hosts, highly recommend
Booked on short notice for a getaway, and that's exactly what we got - an amazing relaxing getaway. Port Stephens is a beautiful area and the Wanderers Retreat was a great escape. So much better than the generic hotels & motels. This place has great canbins, very comfortable and the hosts go out of their way to help you maximise your experience.

10/10 Excellent

Jane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Romantic Little Getaway
I stayed at Wanderers Retreat for a quick 2 night get away with my boyfriend. We chose this place because of the unique cabins and close proximity to One Mile Beach in Port Stephens. Our host Jane was lovely and respected our privacy. She was also kind enough to introduce us to a local koala who had taken up residency in the property. We stayed in a Spa Cottage which was cosy and had everything we needed. The beach is approximately 7 minutes walk and Anna Bay shops are a quick drive down the road. I would absolutely recommend booking this property if you visit Port Stephens and want to get away from all the tourist hot spots.