over priced, well below what one would expect for this price. grounds were very nice, and it was quiet, but nothing else was worth the hefty price tag. 220 per night. NO cooked breakfast. and i dont eat weet bix and corn flakes. no nice muesli even.
I felt like we were using someone else's room and bathroom . the cupboards were half full of someone's belongings. the bathroom was not connected directly, and the vanity was full of old used toiletries etc. in the morning there was no hot water, it was not even lukewarm. we used a guest lounge at night, also the office, but could not get the tennis channel, so missed the open finals. one of the owners walked past us to his bedroom with a towel wrapped around him after his shower. in the morning he walked around the grounds in his pyjamas. no coffee or tea in the rooms. only instant coffee from the kitchen. hosts were friendly, but they would have to be.

We had booked one night in the main house (the Grevillea Room) which looked great but upon arrival Lyn mentioned that the Donga was available for a very small upgrade and when we saw it we jumped at the chance. It was a wood cabin in its own part of the grounds with open air shower and spa, kitchen facilities - excellent. Lovely house, hosts and in great location. The gardens, wildlife, scenery - just superb. Our only mistake was booking just one night there - it was very difficult to leave! This is first on our list for places to stay if (when?) we get back to Australia.

As soon as we were met by Lyn and Neil we knew it was going to be fantastic. The house is lovely, spotlessly clean, the bed really comfy and every comfort catered for. The house is home to lots of pets, which we loved, and there are peacocks and ducks outside which are all part of the family. It is a lovely rural retreat yet so close to Port Stephens. Lyn gives great advice on what to do and what to see, and she is an excellent guide, as we had some fabulous days out following her advice. You are made to feel really special. We stayed in the main house but there is also a lovely separate accomodation in the grounds, with a spa bath. We would recommend this to anyone who is looking for peace and quiet, a country setting, and a real home from home. A special bonus was seeing the koala in the tree just by the house. We loved it!

We stayed at The Batch bed and breakfast initially because it was so centrally located between surf, sand dunes and fishing in one direction and groovy Nelson bay with its whale watching in the other. The place is surrounded by trees and gardens, and we weren't expecting the full on hospitality of Lyn our host, who seems to love guests and was full of advice on where to go and what to see.

We stayed in their 'dongo' which is spacious, self contained and has its own large outdoor/indoor spa, but the the main house has about 5 rooms for families and couples, and is surrounded by a verandah on all four sides, providing various spaces to relax throughout the day. You could just chill out with a book by the pool, but beware if you don't like animals! The place is teeming with ducks, peacocks and birds, and we even glimpsed a koala in the treetops within the grounds.