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Relax, refresh, rejuvenate in unique and beautiful surroundings close to a range of activities and beauty spots. Enjoy peace, privacy, spectacular views from Mount Warning to the Springbrook rainforests, salt-water swimming pool, luxury double spa baths, split system r/c air-conditioning, fireplaces, massage and gourmet food ~ including poolside candle-lit dinners and home-grown free-range eggs with your breakfast menu. Catering for a maximum of only three couples, multi Tourism Award winning Hillcrest offers a choice of one fully self-contained Honeymoon Spa Cottage in its own fenced rainforest garden or 2 B&B Suites in a private guest wing of the main house.Hillcrest is located in beautiful Crystal Creek, just outside historic Murwillumbah in the Tweed Valley, Tropical Northern NSW. Just 35 minutes drive from Gold Coast airport, 80 minutes from Brisbane, 45 mins from Byron Bay and 12 mins from Murwillumbah. Your hosts have extensive local knowledge and will gladly help you plan the best things to see and do during your stay in the beautiful Tweed Valley. PLEASE NOTE: HILLCREST DOES NOT CATER FOR CHILDREN OF ANY AGE INCLUDING BABIES.
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
Languages Spoken
English
Location
167 Upper Crystal Creek Rd, Upper Crystal Creek, New South Wales 2484 Australia
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We had the best stay. Paul & Craig are great hosts and made us feel very welcome. Paul is a great Chef and we recommend paying extra for Dinner it was amazing. Breakfast were superb. The location of the property is special so quiet and relaxed. Nothing was too much trouble. Next stay will be for 2 or more nights and can highly recommend a stay here
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Plan ahead as Hillcrest is very popular and you may need to book well in advance of your stay.
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 Craig Holland, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 9 Mar 2024
Hey Maurice, Thank you so very much for thi review! We certainly enjoyed getting to meet you both and cannot wait until the next time you stay : ). You 2 are awesome!! Craig & Paul
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Our friends invited us here on a return trip for them. I can see why - and we are already thinking of a return trip for us! Set amongst rolling green hills, Mt Warning poking its head out from the clouds intermittently, running creeks, and contented cows, Hillcrest is a place of extreme beauty and tranquility. Our hosts Craig and Paul were so friendly and helpful. Our rooms were in the main house, with our own ensuite. One room has a spa and the other a nice deep bath. Towels, robes, pool towels, sheets and some toiletries are supplied. There’s cold water ( so pure!) to drink, tea and coffee making in the shared lounge area or take outside to the deck overlooking the view. The pool looked inviting but was a bit cool for me. A highlight was our meal cooked by expert chef Paul for just the four of us. All our meals were delicious and excellent quality fresh food. Wine clay be purchased on site - a reasonable list of Australian wines at reasonable prices. Our breakfast was also top quality. Water, freshly prepared coffees, freshly squeezed juices, fruit salad, cereals with yogurt, a hot choice ( loved the salmon scrambled eggs) and sour dough toast. Next time we may come back to the self catering cottage for two people. Perhaps cook something on the BBQ one night and indulge in the restaurant on a second night. Looking forward to returning for another relaxing indulgence.
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
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 Craig Holland, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 26 Nov 2020
Hey there! Thank you VERY much indeed! It was wonderful to get to meet you both and have you stay here with us : ) We are so happy you enjoyed yourselves here; and that your friends reputation remained intact! They have been back again too... so it is your turn! Hope all is well for you both and everything is awesome. Take care and see you soon! Craig & Paul
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How lucky we were to find a vacancy in the Cottage at Hillcrest. Nestled in the foothills of magical Wollumbin, the great Mt Warning, this cosy retreat gave us wonderful opportunity to welcome in the cooling weather of Autumn with a fireplace blazing and a perfect view of the mountain — and the rolling rain, cloud and fog — from the comfort of our double spa. If we were any more relaxed, we'd be treacle!
Our hosts, Craig and Paul, were beyond welcoming. They entertained us and fed us delicious meals, then allowed us to plunder their stocks of farm eggs and home-made jam and marmalade — lime and vanilla... yum!
Some friendly Labradors gave the place a very homey feel. We can't wait to come back.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Location
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Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
Sorry Craig and Paul but miscommunication between Mark and I meant that both of us thought that the other one had done a review when in fact neither of us had! Anyway, your wonderful place deserves a review no matter how late it is! We stayed in one of the rooms in the house, whilst our adult son stayed in the other. We found the beds luxuriously comfortable and the bathrooms large and very adequately supplied (even with candles if you wished). The breakfasts were scrumptious which included homemade muslei or other cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurt, eggs and other tasty treats, such as homemade jam, as well as the usual tea and coffee. This was served on the verandah looking out to Mount Warning which was a perfect start to the day. The evening meals were always delicious and depended on the locally sourced produce on offer. However the freshly baked bread rolls with each dinner were irresistible. There are many things within driving distance of Hillcrest to occupy you in the day. Needless to stay after our nights of rest and relaxation at this great place we have booked again for 2021. Can’t wait! ❤️Marilyn
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Date of stay: October 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.
Response from Craig Holland, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 31 Mar 2021
Hey there Marilyn, Oh dear, apologies from us as we totally did not respond when we thought each other had!! It was so brilliant to have you all here. We really had a most enjoyable time getting to know you all : ) We are SO looking forward to when you are back here. And we hope to make it even better!!!! Wishing you all the very, very best. Craig & Paul
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Our stay was beyond expectations - the cottage (spacious, comfortable, private, comfy bed), the food (both dinner and breakfast high quality in a beautiful ambiance outside), the pool, views, etc etc. Paul and Craig are lovely and fun. We just had a great time. Oh.....book a complementary massage - highly recommendable by a special and intuitive lady. Never before have we experienced such a good and effective massage. Just go to Hillcrest 😁.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip 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.
I have to say, first up, that I am an old friend of Craig’s but I am also an honest reviewer and we paid for our accommodation and meals. Apart from the joy of spending time with Craig and Paul, Tim and I really appreciated the atmosphere and facilities at Hillcrest. The location is perfect for exploring the area and the views are spectacular. The food, expertly cooked by Paul and perfectly seasoned by peppermeister Craig, was absolutely delicious and worthy of a visit just for dinner! The cottage was private, cosy and quiet, just what we needed, and the spa was perfect after an energetic walk up to Brummie’s lookout, a short drive away. I could not recommend this accommodation (and did I mention the food?) more highly for wonderful hospitality and relaxation. Thank you boys, for a perfect stay.
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Date of stay: August 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.
Response from Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 16 Aug 2020
Oh Yael & Tim, WE LOVE YOU. Come back. For longer. PLEASE. Speak soon, Craig & Paul XXXX
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Loved our stay at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat. Everything from the warm greeting when we arrived, to the lovely linen, amazing views, delicious breakfast (and lots of choices) and the hospitality of Craig and Paul was faultless. Every detail was covered including taking the time to talk to us about how to spend our day in the area, bubble bath for the spa bath, and then provided space for us to relax and unwind. One of the highlights was the incredible dinner cooked at the retreat. We planned to have dinner only one night but the food was so good we ate there again. Many choices and such tasty, delicious food. Our stay was fantastic and we will return again for sure.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
Response from Craig Holland, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 6 Aug 2023
Awwww Leanne, we loved you both staying here with us! Thank you so very, very much for your review! We cannot wait to see you back here more laughs and excellent conversations. See you in the future! Best Wishes, Craig & Paul
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This has become our annual retreat to visit Hillcrest. The attractions are the company of Paul and Craig as hosts ( with the most) plus Helen ; the absolute peace and tranquility of the space to stay; the delicious food that Paul serves as a first class chef for dinner ( treat yourself and order dinner each night) as a well as a yummy breakfast and finally sleep “without a worry in the world”. Thanks guys for once again looking after us so well, we are missing you. M and M
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip 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.
Response from Craig Holland, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 22 May 2022
Absolutely our pleasure! It is so awesome having you stay, and we just can't get enough!! Hope all is well, and hope to see you soon : ) Big hugs, C & P (!)
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The bedrooms, food and welcome are all top notch - nothing is too much trouble for the hosts to make sure you are happy. Dinner is optional and highly recommended - would be hard to get a finer meal anywhere. Honestly cannot say enough good things about Hiilcrest, just terrific.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:All fab with everything you could possibly want.
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 HillcrestRetreat, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 12 Jan 2020
Dearest Sandy, We are truly so very thankful for your review; but more so, to have the opportunity to catch up with you both. Not once, not twice, but thrice!! We really enjoy having you stay here... and look forward to seeing you both in the future. Hope the remainder of your time in Australia is beyond amazing... and hopefully the concert was also! Very best wishes, Craig & Paul
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We have stayed 3 times both in the cottage and the B&B & have always thoroughly enjoyed it. We can't think of anything which would make it even better. The hosts, Paul & Craig, are so thoughtful and hospitable. They manage that perfect balance of friendly open interaction while maintaining total professionalism. The rooms are very comfortable and there are lots of spots to relax both inside and outside. The breakfasts and dinners are great, very generous and include many tasty local as well as home made items. The area is lovely and we always find plenty to do. Looking forward to our next visit.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Rooms
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 Craig Holland, Owner at Hillcrest Mountain View Retreat
Responded 26 Nov 2020
We know what would make this place so much better; having you back here! Cheesy... but true : ) Always a treat and pleasure having you both here. Looking forward to the next time! Hope all is well, Paul & Craig
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There are more places to choose from in the Upper Crystal Creek area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$210 - AU$236 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hillcrest Retreat
LOCATION
AustraliaNew South WalesUpper Crystal Creek
NUMBER OF ROOMS
3
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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