Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Great Ocean Ecolodge
635 Lighthouse Rd, Cape Otway, Great Otway National Park, Victoria 3233 Australia
Full view
View all photos(134)134
Dining (10)
Pool & Beach (3)
View prices for your travel dates
Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View allDid you already book this hotel?
Tell us so we can help you plan.
About
5.0
#1 of 2 lodges in Cape OtwayLocation
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Stay in our award winning eco retreat, venture out into the bush with researchers to help save koalas and endangered wildlife, explore the Great Ocean Walk, indulge in the region's finest local produce or just relax in the dappled shade of the eucalypts – whatever the escape you have planned, we'll help you make it one to remember.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Internet
Free breakfast
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Non-smoking hotel
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Mid-range
Location
635 Lighthouse Rd, Cape Otway, Great Otway National Park, Victoria 3233 Australia
Getting there
Melbourne Airport
172.4 km•
See all flights
Rental Cars
1 Restaurant
within 10 kilometers
148Reviews1Q+A23Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
Traveller rating
- 121
- 25
- 2
- 0
- 0
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
Room was clean and tidy, basic but should be expected in that environment. The staff are all friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating and passionate of the animals, their habitat and well being and the environment. We had interesting and informative tours, both day and evening and saw loads of kangaroos that came right up to the lodge, some koalas, a quoll, honey gliders and potaroos to name but a few. Emma an ecologist was very knowledgeable in her subject and her dog was an expert 'koala sniffer' sitting under trees where she knew them to be! The food there was plentiful and delicious with a choice of evening meal. There are no TV's or air conditioning and wifi can only be accessed in the lounge but that adds to the appeal. A special thank you to Rose who looked after us well and always had time for a chat! We really enjoyed our couple of days there and would thoroughly recommend it.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karlijn Sas, General Manager at Great Ocean Ecolodge
Responded 14 Nov 2020
Dear Pajan, Thank you for your lovely review, we truly appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your experience at the Great Ocean Ecolodge. Providing our guests with the best possible hospitality and service has always been our mission. We want you to know that we truly enjoy sharing our passion for wildlife and wild places with visitors and want you to walk out the door feeling refreshed. We love that you enjoyed Emma and Peppers' tour, and love hearing you had wonderful service from Rose. Thank you for recommending us to other guests, we hope to see you again soon, Kind regards, Karlijn Sas
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
With a group of friends, I had the fabulous pleasure of staying at the Great Ocean Ecolodge for a truly memorable getaway. We walked three segments of the Great Ocean Walk and it was all organised for us. Food, transfers, maps and highlights to look out for. The walks were spectacular and returning to the afternoon tea and fire and friendly faces at the Lodge was even better! Everything was perfect and we felt totally looked after. Shane and Lizzies passion for their conservation work was a bonus - to see a young couple doing what they love and doing it so well was uplifting. Alan made sure it all ticked over beautifully for us and that we didn't want for anything - and the food....we were all spectacularly impressed - even our friend the foodie! So for us the hard work of the walk and the comfort of the lodge were a magnificent combination. Seeing so many koalas was the icing on a very perfect cake. Thanks everyone.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2011Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very comfortable and very scenic views! You would love your walks around the property. Would be happy to recommend and come back another time for sure. Its a beautiful drive from here on if you are traveling towards the Ocean road. Enjoy every min of it!
Read more
Date of stay: May 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from KarlijnSas, Manager at Great Ocean Ecolodge
Responded 16 May 2016
Thank you for your lovely review. You are right, the drive here is beautiful this time of year and the sunsets are stunning! We would be happy to welcome you back any time and hope to see you again. Best regards, Karlijn Sas
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We arrived to a very warm welcome of afternoon tea served with delicious cake ....surrounded by grasslands and the kangaroos comfortable grazing just a few feet away from the main building. Shayne, Lizzie, Kylie and even the resident dogs made us feel right at home. With just 5 rooms for guests, you can be assured of the best personal attention possible. The rooms are priced high, but one must remember that the funds go towards very valuable conservation work. We spent three nights here, and had the two rooms, Hollow and Burrow, on the ground floor with a shared deck, overlooking the gardens. The rooms are beautifully and simply decorated with local art and are also very comfortable. Tea/coffee making facilities with fresh cookies in the room are just some of the special touches added to make the stay hospitable. Watching the kangaroos come almost right up to the deck of our room and the beautiful sunsets from here made these rooms the best of the five in my opinion. A warm fire was kept going in the lounge with plenty to read, a telescope for star gazers and plenty of good Australian wine. The guided dusk walk through the bush, the visit to the Tiger Quoll enclosure at their feeding time, the nocturnal feeding of honey to the sugar gliders were all very special experiences. The lodge run by conservationists, always has some rescued joeys, koalas etc. Kids and adults both were thrilled to be so close to them, watch them being bottle fed and even give them a pat.
While the property is secluded, it also has the advantage from being just 20 mins away from the hustle bustle of Apollo Bay. There are many activities to keep one busy in this area … horse riding at Bimbi Park, boat trip to visit the colony of seals near Apollo Bay etc. A visit to the Otway lighthouse is a must. There are beautiful waterfalls and redwood forests under an hour drive away. Koalas are found aplenty just on the road outside the lodge and some come right up close.
For food, there are many fine restaurants in Apollo Bay which Kylie (the chef at the lodge) was happy to recommend. Breakfast and dinner were at the lodge. We had the best ever croissants here freshly baked for breakfast. Kylie was so helpful, making pizza, gnocchi and pasta for the kids and accommodating my mother’s allergy to seafood. Dinners around the table were accompanied by long conversations with other visiting guests and food and dessert that was nothing short of gourmet.
The kids found play companions in Shayne’s daughter and Kylie’s daughter. They had to be coaxed to bed every night. All of us were very sad to leave. We would highly recommend a trip to the Ecolodge.
While the property is secluded, it also has the advantage from being just 20 mins away from the hustle bustle of Apollo Bay. There are many activities to keep one busy in this area … horse riding at Bimbi Park, boat trip to visit the colony of seals near Apollo Bay etc. A visit to the Otway lighthouse is a must. There are beautiful waterfalls and redwood forests under an hour drive away. Koalas are found aplenty just on the road outside the lodge and some come right up close.
For food, there are many fine restaurants in Apollo Bay which Kylie (the chef at the lodge) was happy to recommend. Breakfast and dinner were at the lodge. We had the best ever croissants here freshly baked for breakfast. Kylie was so helpful, making pizza, gnocchi and pasta for the kids and accommodating my mother’s allergy to seafood. Dinners around the table were accompanied by long conversations with other visiting guests and food and dessert that was nothing short of gourmet.
The kids found play companions in Shayne’s daughter and Kylie’s daughter. They had to be coaxed to bed every night. All of us were very sad to leave. We would highly recommend a trip to the Ecolodge.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2012Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Rooms on the ground floor, Hollow and Burrow, have a deck that overlooks the grasslands and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Was a bit unsure of the place before getting there as all the reviews only raved about this and there was nothing negative about the place. Was wondering if that could be possible.
Well, The stay at the Ecolodge turned out to be one of the highlight of our drive around the great ocean road experience. I felt more like a personal guest of an estate owner rather than a hotel guest. Everyone working there always semed happy to serve. Kids loved the animals on the farm. certainly a place I would want to go back again
Well, The stay at the Ecolodge turned out to be one of the highlight of our drive around the great ocean road experience. I felt more like a personal guest of an estate owner rather than a hotel guest. Everyone working there always semed happy to serve. Kids loved the animals on the farm. certainly a place I would want to go back again
Read more
Date of stay: April 2012Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Try to go for a room on the ground floor
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LizzieCorke, Manager at Great Ocean Ecolodge
Responded 29 May 2012
Thank you so much to all our wonderful guests who have posted such great reviews. We are so pleased you have enjoyed your time at the Great Ocean Ecolodge as much as we have enjoyed sharing it with you! As you know, the Great Ocean Ecolodge is the social enterprise of the Conservation Ecology Centre, raising funds for wildlife conservation. Our Conservation Team has recently confirmed the presence of endangered Tiger Quolls in two different locations in the Otways - this is the first evidence for nearly a decade which makes our work now even more important. The next year will be vital for the organisation, supporting the revival of mainland Australia's largest marsupial carnivore - we welcome you to join us.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The highlight of our trip to Australia! Secluded and very welcoming, from the moment you arrive you feel right at home. Lots of special touches along the way: fresh cake and tea in the afternoon, guided hike with the owner on the grounds to see the animals in the wild, guided night hike with the owner to see glow worms, excellent home-made dinner and breakfast, waking up early to see kangaroos right outside our patio. It is a bit pricy but you know the funds are going towards great research causes so very much worth it.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2012Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Great Ocean Ecolodge is a truly unique place to stay and perfect for wildlife lovers. We stayed there as our one treat while backpacking round Australia - and we loved it! We arrived just in time for afternoon tea, then we were took out for a private guided walk of the grounds - I've never seen so many kangaroos and koalas in my life! It was fascinating to learn so much - we even went out after dinner to see the glow worms at the nearby rainforest. Dinner and breakfast was very yummy - all served around the communal table, so you can get to know your fellow guests. This place isn't cheap, but all their profits go into their own charity helping the natural environment - and it's definitely worth the money.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2011Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is not 5 star luxury so I don’t want to mislead anyone but it’s a genuine 5🌟 experience.
Firstly let’s talk wildlife. 6 koalas within 30m of the lodge, a baby a belligerent male who was going for a walk when we found him, and really close up!!
So many kangaroos it was hilarious, tons of young joeys in and out of pouches, a bit of a box on and a bit of x rated kangaroo sex. The mob is about 60 strong and often sit right outside the lounge window.
Lots of birds probably 40 species in total seen including a wedgetail eagle.
There are lots of research projects going on and you will all love the sugar gliders the potoroos and for us the quolls, both eastern and tiger!
So let’s talk about the accommodation. It’s rustic, it’s antique, we really loved it but it’s not the Intercontinental. The beds are comfortable the bathrooms large the lounge and dining nice.
Staff. They are on a winner here. Steve and Caroline look after the lodge. They are fantastic! Caroline looks after the cooking and she is an amazing cook!!! Steve was so helpful with all our questions. Caroline also rears orphaned animals in her spare time!
Emma was our guide, she is a fountain of knowledge, has an amazing rapport with animals and owner of Pepper the koala finding wonder dog!! She can charm quolls, potoroos and red neck wallabies. (She is not as keen on tiger snakes which I think are beautiful).
Lastly Jack the uni intern who is a fount of knowledge on all the animals ( ask him about sugar gliders!) was generous with his time, great company and Karen and I wish him well on his career!
It’s a not for profit so spend big!! The wines are good value as are the dinners!!
Btw nearby is the Otway lighthouse the amazing Great Ocean Walk and beautiful scenery.
Firstly let’s talk wildlife. 6 koalas within 30m of the lodge, a baby a belligerent male who was going for a walk when we found him, and really close up!!
So many kangaroos it was hilarious, tons of young joeys in and out of pouches, a bit of a box on and a bit of x rated kangaroo sex. The mob is about 60 strong and often sit right outside the lounge window.
Lots of birds probably 40 species in total seen including a wedgetail eagle.
There are lots of research projects going on and you will all love the sugar gliders the potoroos and for us the quolls, both eastern and tiger!
So let’s talk about the accommodation. It’s rustic, it’s antique, we really loved it but it’s not the Intercontinental. The beds are comfortable the bathrooms large the lounge and dining nice.
Staff. They are on a winner here. Steve and Caroline look after the lodge. They are fantastic! Caroline looks after the cooking and she is an amazing cook!!! Steve was so helpful with all our questions. Caroline also rears orphaned animals in her spare time!
Emma was our guide, she is a fountain of knowledge, has an amazing rapport with animals and owner of Pepper the koala finding wonder dog!! She can charm quolls, potoroos and red neck wallabies. (She is not as keen on tiger snakes which I think are beautiful).
Lastly Jack the uni intern who is a fount of knowledge on all the animals ( ask him about sugar gliders!) was generous with his time, great company and Karen and I wish him well on his career!
It’s a not for profit so spend big!! The wines are good value as are the dinners!!
Btw nearby is the Otway lighthouse the amazing Great Ocean Walk and beautiful scenery.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spent two nights at the Ecolodge and did not want to leave. Rooms were comfortable with fascinating magazines going back to the 40s. Steve and Caroline looked after the domestic side, with Steve providing excellent dinners. The real highlights were the tours of the reserve with Shayne, and an after dark visit to feed sugar gliders and Pip the potoroo. The reserve had large numbers of kangaroos and koalas, and was home to quolls, which were under serious threat from introduced predators. The local brewery made a special beer, with all the profits going to quoll research. The more you drink, the more money flows into the project - excellent excuse! Only 5 rooms so you need to book early, but a great visit. Paying guests funding the conservation project.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2016Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from KarlijnSas, Manager at Great Ocean Ecolodge
Responded 2 Mar 2016
Thank you so much for your kind words. I am so happy to hear that you did not want to leave and will certainly pass on your beautiful compliments to Shayne, Steve and the rest of our wonderful team. It is great to hear that you enjoyed the after dark visit! We are currently working on an enclosure to accommodate girlfriends for Pip the potoroo, very exiting! Best regards, Caroline
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We extended our stay an additional night because this is such an incredible, relaxing and beautiful place. Plenty to do during the day with miles of beach and rainforest trails nearby. Liz and Shayne are great hosts and educators; and their team that keeps the lodge and research going is lovely. The ecolodge is almost all off the grid with the exception of the telephone line so it's even more impressive - you can learn about gardening, passive design and solar energy too.
The grounds are well-designed and well-kept and you can wonder off or take guided walks led by Shayne, the vegetable garden is full of amazing produce, the rehabilitation center gives you access to healing koalas and other animals...the lists go on. Don't miss out on staying here.
The grounds are well-designed and well-kept and you can wonder off or take guided walks led by Shayne, the vegetable garden is full of amazing produce, the rehabilitation center gives you access to healing koalas and other animals...the lists go on. Don't miss out on staying here.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2011Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Choose one of the ground floor rooms if you can splurge but all rooms are great.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
"This is a very small bed and breakfast - only 5 rooms and all are quaint and comfortable!"Read full review
ALSO KNOWN AS
great ocean ecolodge hotel cape otway
LOCATION
AustraliaVictoriaGreat Otway National ParkCape Otway
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingGREAT OCEAN ECOLODGE - Reviews (Cape Otway) - Photos of Lodge - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Great Ocean Ecolodge
Which popular attractions are close to Great Ocean Ecolodge?
Nearby attractions include Cape Otway Lightstation (0.4 km), Great Otway National Park (7.5 km), and Aire River East And West Campgrounds (4.9 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Great Ocean Ecolodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Great Ocean Ecolodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.