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4.0
#1 of 1 motel in White Cliffs
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Everyone needs a place to lay their weary head. For travelers visiting White Cliffs, White Cliffs Underground Motel is an excellent choice for rest and rejuvenation. Well-known for its quirky environment and proximity to great restaurants and attractions, White Cliffs Underground Motel makes it easy to enjoy the best of White Cliffs. You can take advantage of some of the amenities offered by the Underground Motel, including an onsite restaurant serving up delicious meals for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Also a gift shop and a coffee shop available for those dropping by to say hi. In addition, guests can enjoy a continental breakfast during their visit. As an added convenience, there is free parking available to guests. While in White Cliffs be sure to experience nearby cafes such as Red Earth Opal Cafe. During your visit, be sure to check out Paroo-Darling National Park (0.8 mi), which is a popular attraction within walking distance of the motel. The Underground Motel is sure to make your visit to White Cliffs one worth remembering.
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This is probably the best place to stay in White Cliffs, considering the underground experience. There is a regular motel in town as an alternate option; however, if I were to visit White Cliffs again, I would again stay in the Underground Motel. The motel itself is in a wonderful location, with an unobstructed view of the bushlands in all directions. The rooftop, or the top of the hill, provides an excellent view of the sunset and is also an ideal place for star gazers. The rooms have been dug out of the cliff face and as such, are locally referred to as dugouts. These dugouts are laid out in a labyrinthian maze and finding your way around these adds to the charm. When you check in, the staff warns you about mice and even offers to keep any edibles, that you may be carrying, in their pantry. We were not carrying any and we also did not face any mice problem in our rooms, so I guess it happens with people who ignore the advice. Our rooms were clean and even the shared toilets were clean. The hotel had a full occupancy during our visit, and this did have an impact on the toilet availability and cleanliness; however, it was not too bad. Breakfast is basic, with only toast, cereals, apples, and fruit juices/tea/coffee but for such a remote location, it was adequate. They could have possibly added some eggs to the mix, but I am not complaining. For dinner, there is a limited menu available and during our stay, we only had pasta, roast beef, chicken nuggets & fries available as options. The food was tasty, but the quantity could have been better. I would suggest the regular motel in town as an alternate dinner option; both their menu and portion sizes were better. There is a pool in the motel and the water was clean; it was not large enough for swimming but provided some cool comfort after a day’s trip into the national park nearby. Overall, it was a good experience, considering that the place is really in the middle of nowhere.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Location
Service
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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 Janine G , Marketing at White Cliffs Underground Motel
Responded 18 Feb 2021
Dear ThakelaDil Thank you for writing about your first impression of your visit with us. We work hard to look after our guests and provide them with a unique experience. We look forward to you visiting us again one day. Safe travels The Team at the Underground Motel.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
While it was a unique experience to sleep underground beware of the shared amenities area, you will share toilets and showers with all the other guests. While I'm sure the staff were trying to do there best at keeping the amenities clean unfortunately they were not up to the standard they should be particularly during this time and to be honest I'm not really sure how they are allowed to keep trading with shared amenities at the motel. The restaurant was only offering a very limited menu, two over priced choices for dinner with pumpkin soup (very nice) and drinks from the bar which was a little pricey as well. Great views of the sunset and sunrise and of the overall scenery of the area. The rooms were nice but the room we stayed in was nothing like the photos on the website, boxed mineral water and very basic furnishings in rooms with the only power point in the room behind the bed with a power board to supply power for the lamp and if your lucky to charge your mobile phone. One night is enough for a unique experience but not any longer.
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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.
the rooms were clean, quiet and spacious. no wifi, kettle, fridge etc...in rooms.
the sky terrace was a perfect spot to enjoy a glass of vino (or two) and watch the sunset. also great views of the stars at night.
dinner was tasty. breakfast was limited & could be improved.
the shared bathrooms were a bit of an experience but we were prepared for this. bring a bathrobe, much easier than juggling your pjs in a wet steamy room. whilst the bathrooms were clean, it would have been super nice to have a bathroom attendant freshening up each space during peak times (some guests were not as thoughtful as others.)
the manager at the front desk was super lovely and very helpful 10/10!
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Date of stay: July 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
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Room Tip:if you're a couple, get a queen + single for a bit of extra room
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 Janine G , Marketing at White Cliffs Underground Motel
Responded 6 Sept 2020
Dear rm_travelsalot Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We look forward to your return on day, and until then Safe travels Team at the Underground Motel
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One night was enough for us. I expected much more for the price paid. The room was extremely basic & had no TV, fridge, kettle, WIFI, iron, or any of those basics you get even in a cheap motel room. The owners need to understand that the novelty of sleeping underground does not justify the price. The shared bathrooms/toilets were dirty, exhaust fans not working, no mirrors, toilets not fixed to the floor properly & if you didn’t take your bath towel from your room you had no options but to dry your hands with toilet paper. The night we stayed the only dinner option was an expensive buffet that had to be served to you by staff due to COVID-19 restrictions (understandable but why serve a buffet at this time). No other options available so we went elsewhere. I booked online through their own website & received no confirmation email of the booking & was only given two options of rooms both at the same price with little detail. Whilst walking through the motel I noticed that every room that wasn’t occupied had the doors wide open & lights on so I could see that there actually were better rooms available. We stayed in room 33 & it was the furthest from everything & adjoining the staff quarters. We left in the morning not bothering to shower as we just wanted to get home. We had planned to stay that whole next day in White Cliffs but this accommodation unfortunately just set the mood for the day. White Cliffs is fascinating & is well worth the visit but I would not stay here again & I now understand why the Caravan Park was full.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
Unfortunately the mice partying in our room from 2am in conjunction with the poor upkeep of facilities completely clouded my judgement of our stay. I understand that it must be difficult to get good staff in such a remote location but basic cleanliness and pest control is an absolute must ... especially when paying over $200/night. The beds seemed clean and the dinner was delicious however the bathrooms were so dirty and dilapidated I chose to only clean my teeth and go without a shower. After being woken to mice running around our room at 2am there was no more sleep to be had. A very restless night that needed coffee ++ at 7am before hitting the road for our 8 hour trip to Lightning Ridge ... they couldn’t even get this right! The tables were filthy and covered in residue from the previous day/night and the there was no one to be seen in the kitchen until 7.10am, filling an urn that takes a good 20 minutes to boil. We left without sleep and coffee. Very disappointing especially as it was to be a highlight of our road trip. I would not recommend this place to anyone until basic hygiene and pest control is made a priority.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Value
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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.
We had booked the Triple room for about 220 AUD. It was my fault in fact for assuming it would have an Ensuite. Having paid that amount for a room you very rarely go to check if it has an attached shower and toilet. Unfortunately there are a few showers and toilets shared between a fair number of rooms at the motel.
Secondly, there was a mouse in our room. This mouse had not entered recently, there were several rat droppings along the wall, and it was under the bed. When we mentioned to the manager, there was barely an apology and we were offered to change rooms. This was a smaller Double room, but there was no mention of the change in price or anything for having downgraded our room.
Thirdly, the breakfast include in the price was dismal. Yes they mentioned continental breakfast but this was worse. Hotels should not be able to keep bread and a few packets of butter and marmalade and call it ''breakfast included''. The experience is unique but not worth the price tag.
A few positives; Of course staying in an Underground Motel is an experience and absolutely loved the layout of the hotel and rooms. Including the informative section within the hotel about the history of mining in the town. In case you aren't having dinner from the hotel restaurant, like us, there is a microwave, dishes, cutlery , hot water etc in the dining area. The girl at the reception the following morning was very helpful and gave us a map of the area around the Opal mines which helped us get around a fair bit. The other staff didn't seem to care much.
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Date of stay: June 2021
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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 Janine G , Marketing at White Cliffs Underground Motel
Responded 27 July 2021
Thank you for your feedback greg_wanders We appreciate your feedback, and I have brought your concerns to the attention of management. We will investigate the points raised above, as we understand there has been a mouse plague throughout NSW, but not in White Cliffs. Breakfast is $15 per person, and we include a continental breakfast in the price of your stay. The motel will provide a one-of-a-kind experience for anyone visiting the outback. We work hard to make each of our guests' stays at The Underground Motel White Cliffs memorable, Thank you for staying with us. The underground motel team
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We don’t even want to give this dump a score of one but it’s the minimum to get the review started. This is monastic style accomodation at 5 star prices. The staff are friendly, that is it. The toilets and bathrooms are shared; around 30 rooms with around 8 toilets and showers between them. So get in early before someone messes them up. They are not nearby either, depending on which room you get, it could be a 75 metre walk navigating a maze of corridors. One toilet pan was rocking off its foundation. There are no shower hobs or stalls and the floor gets very wet. The rooms only have a bed, and dim lights. We sat in bed and read with head torches on. The place may be cool in summer but in winter it’s not cosy warm, just not so chilly. Further to the sense of deprivation and loss of cash, was the irritation that we could hear everything our fellow victims were doing in the room next door, everything! The motel was about 20% occupancy at a guess. So you could imagine the frustration when the manager placed some late comers into the room beside us which had a very thin adjoining door. By comparison my swag wins hands down, same comfort but you’ll be $179.00 better off. My advice is keep moving past White Cliffs and camp out of town. Some may like this experience. But it’s not for me at these prices. It’s a rip-off that doesn’t serve White Cliffs very well.
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Date of stay: July 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.
For the price I certainly felt that it was not worth it. Rooms are not up to code (ceilings may collapse at any given time) , shared bathrooms and a rip off 'buffet' ($35). If it were priced like a backpackers hostel then I would have found it reasonable. Better off to stay at the local pub for $120 per night with your own bathroom and better food options and take a tour of one of the many dugouts in the area. I can deal with no tv wifi or basic amenities but if I am going to pay $180 per night then I definitely expect something else. Don't bother unless you are he'll bent on paying too much for a filthy novelty.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
Yes a night at the White Cliffs Underground Hotel was to be a unique stay. We looked forward to the stay and whilst a little pricey we accepted its price tag given the night's lodgings location and its uniqueness. The room needed to be vacuumed under the beds as there was rubbish laying underneath it. The swimming pool was a refreshing part of the motel to enjoy as was the viewing of the sunset on the top of the motel. The unexpected additional uniqueness was provided by one of the employees, who thought it was a great idea to smoke next to our room whilst it being 1030pm and talk disparagingly about her employment at the motel. This bonus for us to listen to went on for about 20 mins before we indicated to her that we could hear EVERYTHING she was saying or to quote "whinging about" . Not very professional performance there and sounds like someone needs to find alternative work, BUT the other staff were helpful and friendly. Good stay but detracted by some poor employee performance by one person.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Ask for a room away from the staff smoking area
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 was so excited to be staying at the Underground Motel, that was until I actually stayed there.
The price is ridiculous for what this place has to offer. The experience, I can tick and say I did it. Would never stay there again.
While the rooms were and experience, it is noisy, a carton of water is supplied in your room. You are provided a map to get from reception to room, from room to shared bathrooms and toilets. The bathrooms were not cleaned during our stay.
The evening meal was a choice of three dishes. Our sitting was for 6pm, please note there was no covid distancing put in place. When we went to order we had to wait to see if the kitchen could actually cook the 3 choices available. No tables and chairs where cleaned / disinfected.
Breakfast was continental, again, no social distancing in place. Cutlery was in a large plastic container for all to touch and grab. Too many people in a small area sharing and touching. No cleaning / disinfecting occurred.
When checking out I requested to see their COVID-19 plan. I was advised that it was in the door. I explained that that was actually just a sign to sanitise hands. The response was “ if we had a plan we could not open” I expressed my concern for the shared bathrooms that were not cleaned, again “we would have to close as you are not allowed to have shared bathrooms”. I said exactly!!
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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.
There are more places to choose from in the White Cliffs area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$191 - AU$209 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
underground hotel white cliffs
LOCATION
AustraliaNew South WalesWhite Cliffs
NUMBER OF ROOMS
40
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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