Reviews of The Fernglen Forest Retreat

Location.

I’ll start off with the best thing about the property, its location. Covered with forestry, birds, flowers& the local parks, hiking trails a few little paths to reach the flowing river straight from the property itself, the location was beautiful for many endeavours. Come to entering the property, I noticed the entire place was filthy… the benches, the rubbish, and even a cupcake in the third room. This was a serious risk for my mini dachshund, who is very lucky his recall is great, otherwise could have eaten this. The couches smelled, there were no coffee/tea cups only wine glasses & the beds were my least favourite, we were all rolling around on springs all night. The water lasts for about 15 mins before it turns cold, and theres only a bon outside, so you have to walk out each time allowing the heat to leave the home. We were in the windmill lodge, and no where did it say that I had to share the space with other families ie: see door Photo, where the lodge is actually cut into two. Therefore, feeling very close, and hearing even a cough. Due to the lack of care and cleanliness of the property, I wouldnt advise taking your pup or children thete anytime soon. The retreat has great potential, but at this time it is seriously lacking safety, cleanliness and professionalism. Hopefully we can return at a much later date, when things are much more comfortable.

It was ok, when l arrived the cleaners had left the floor very very wet , and nearly slipped over If we wanted to use the spa it was an extra $60 for the first hour then $50 after that I thought that was a bit rude and expensive. The bedroom doors the one I the room I was in couldn’t even shut the door because there’s no lock in it my Friend’s room couldn’t access the door properly to go to the bathroom. I would’ve expected firewood in all that stacked up near the fire ready to go but that wasn’t there. The driveway at night time was very dangerous. I actually hit the undercarriage of my car because of the central of the pathway, the lighting in the entrance and along the driveway there is none it was pitch dark overall view of the place. It would be good if they would maintain the premises a little bit better than what they did And rethink about the cost they want to charge people for using this far.

Location

Very poor accommodation front deck missing floor board rotting floor very very dangerous lighting some area's not working spider web all over the tunnel. Looks like it was a very basic clean. Back entertainment area outside absolutely terrible dirty furniture very dirty. not worth the money i give it a 1 star location was very nice its a shame the cottage was in such poor shape and needing urgent repairs before someone falls through the deck OHS issue. Was very concerned for our safety and especially for our puppy. No heating in the bedrooms. Front door has a large gap and cold draft coming inside. NOT WORTH WHAT I PAID FOR...

It was relaxing, beautiful surroundings, it was great to be able to bring our pets along.

There was no spa as advertised, at least not in our (Brook) cottage, it must have been for the other cottages but that was one of the main reasons I booked, but other than that it was a lovely stay,

The property is beautiful, the house is stylish, the hot tub is good and birds beautiful

Hot tub could have been warmer being winter and some kitchen amenities would have been nice too.

The cottage was cosy and clean. We didn't meet the owners but they were incredibly helpful in the lead up to our stay. The instructions provided were incredibly helpful. The location was lovely, isolated enough to feel relaxed but close enough to town to get what we needed.

The fire pit outside was burnt through and unusable, cigarettes littered the ground in and around it. I understand that this wasn't the owners fault, but a clean up prior our arrival would have been nice. The bird seed jar was basically empty when we arrived, leaving none left for us to feed the birds - which was a selling point for us. A scratching noise in the ceiling kept us awake a lot (possibly a possum), but we informed the owners and they said they would look into it, which was good. There were also 2 empty containers of laundry liquid/powder which was a bit disappointing - either remove them or refill them. The larger wardrobe in the bedroom was padlocked, and the smaller one was filled with bedding, leaving us minimal storage for our clothes.

Location is amazing, the jacuzzi was hot and ready to jump in. The wildlife was so good…thanks for providing bird seed. That definitely was a highlight.

The mattresses didn’t have protectors on them. All the beds were uncomfortable. Not enough cutlery we had 1 spoon and 4 guests trying to eat soup.

Located perfectly

Couldn’t get the tv working despite multiple attempts and no internet,fireplace door was broken and bed very uncomfortable

Honestly, I loved everything about it! The moment you walk in, all the decorations and furniture was amazing to look at. Really clean as well. We especially loved the fireplace and jacuzzi. Everything was worth the dollar. Didn’t get to use the campfire because I only stayed one night but I’ll definitely return and stay longer. Highly recommended!!

Nothing! There’s nothing to not like.

Property is in a lovely quiet part of the Dandenongs.

We were aware that the access to the property was difficult but it was worse than expected. The lodge was cold and therefore uncomfortable. The wall heater didn't work and an open fire is not enough for that space. On top of that, the wood was damp so it didn't burn well. Also the whole place smells of smoke which isn't pleasant. The floor heating in the bathroom was either not turned on or not good enough. Also the shower tap might look nice but is quite difficult to set to a pleasant temperature.

It felt like we were in the middle of a rainforest and it was so quiet

Front deck needs a little attention

Location, amenities .

The location was amazing beautiful bird life and the jacuzzi was awesome

Location is beautiful.

I would not call it 5 star. Dirty walls (cobweb and just dirt covered ). heating was an issue. There is a heater and fireplace in the dining area, but then you have to keep bedroom doors open, as bedrooms don’t have heating. We had a child with us, she went to sleep at 7pm and we had to leave the door open and sit quietly not to wake her up and light was getting into her bedroom. Bathtub is very tiny, and it’s very cold in the bathroom (no heater lamp) and dark in there. The area is absolutely beautiful, but the road up to the cottage is definitely not for everyone. I had to park around 100 meters away and we had to carry the suitcases up to the house, which wasn’t great. The road is very uphill and downhill with sharp turns. Not every car can drive this road, not every driver can do it. In general the place was clean, but it does need a spring clean or even a fresh paint. Didn’t take any pictures of the place though.

Serenity

Guests from next door came through the gate, which in my opinion should be locked so privacy is not intruded and this won't happen