Daylesford and Hepburn Springs' most relaxing, romantic 4 Star Self Contained Villa Accommodation, Blue Cliffs Retreat, in the heart of Australia's Spa Country, is a true escape and retreat to the new luxuries of Serenity, Space, Seclusion& Silence. All self-contained villas have exquisite views, double spa baths, fireplaces and (except Hideaway) double saunas, set on 25 acres of native bush, only 5 minutes drive from the cafes, restaurants, natural mineral springs therapy centers, wineries, golf course, galleries and boutique shops in Hepburn Springs and Daylesford.
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
Modern
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English
Location
239 Hepburn-Newstead Rd, Elevated Plains, Victoria 3461 Australia
A great location with peaceful setting - nice design, outlook and some nice touches like a sauna and pretty views of the surroundings.
It was all spoiled by having to clean the place on arrival - not a great situation at the peak of the pandemic. Hardly inspires confidence. Be warned that this place is not subscribing to the Air Bnb deep clean policy .
Filthy floors, dusty surfaces everywhere, crumbs in the rug and sofa surface from previous guests, dead skink lizard under the sofa, stains and sticky marks from drinks all over the spa, side tables and bedside. Floor hadn’t been mopped in ages and the kitchen extraction above the hob had great and (gross!) flies sticking to it. Really not impressed at this price point; never stayed in such a filthy environment.
The owner sent the cleaners back, but the floor wasn’t washed and by then I couldn’t be bothered to complain yet again. They’d also tampered/opened my partner’s suitcase bag, which also added insult to injury. It was just after Christmas, our first holiday in two years and a poor impression.
Any reason why there’s no toliet door - tye toliet area is barely screened off from the spa and bathing area. A little odd. If I was the owner, I’d get better cleaners.
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Make sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned before you arrive - especially if you have dust allergies...
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.
Beautiful and quiet location. You really have a chance to switch off from city life. The bed is very comfortable with good quality linen. The spa was a nice way to relax at night and sauna was a bonus. The pool looked amazing too but we didn't get a chance to use it. That's our incentive to come back another time!
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Date of stay: February 2020
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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.
We stayed in dreaming villa, it was so relaxing and the views were divine, it was very secluded. The place nice and clean and comfortable. Paul and he’s team did all they could to make our holiday a memorable one. Will definitely be back and highly recommend.
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Date of stay: January 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.
Buyer beware: the negatives outweigh the positives. Read on ...
Positives: A secluded location, set amid a beautiful garden, bristling with wildlife; The best selection of quality novels and poetry we've ever encountered in holiday accommodation; Clear, concise and helpful directions on how to get to the property; Two televisions, both with good reception, and a good CD player in the bedroom; Provision of quality viewing material on DVD, including Mad Men and Monsters Inc.; There is a CD player in the sauna; Outdoor showers: ideal for rinsing off, if you take a dip in the saltwater pool; Saltwater pool does have minor levels of chlorine, but you don't end up with red eyes, or smelling of chlorine; I saw an echidna only metres from where I always sitting outside.
You may, however, end up with red eyes because of the drawbacks of the property ...
Negatives: Meagre provisions: for instance, a few tiny bottles of toiletries, only two towels (other accommodation in the area provides hampers of local goods, vouchers, etc.); Ad hoc patch-up job above the window in the bathroom, with what appeared to be paper of tissues jammed between the window and the wall; Large green patches on the sides of the pool ... algae? Not very inviting; We couldn't be bothered cleaning the BBQ, and therefore didn't get to enjoy a much-anticipated BBQ dinner. The equipment gave off an old, fatty odour. We would expect all facilities to be spick and span, and ready for use.
Worst of all, despite numerous comments dating back some considerable time, and an assertion made by one of the owners, that feedback helps the owners improve the facilities, we encountered - and were dismayed by - the same issues that previous guests had commented on: principally, the poor state of presentation (ie, appalling lack of cleanliness). Yet such feedback dates back a considerable time.
The "kitchenette" is dated, worn and consists of an old wooden sideboard, which would be very difficult to sanitise, and therefore unappealing to use. The kettle and toaster are in a cupboard, as are a washing machine and dryer, the use of the latter of which is prohibited, apparently, despite guests forking out over four hundred dollars a night (and there only being two bath towels supplied).
Guests are reminded to use water "mindfully", yet the guests are ostensibly paying a lot of money for a holiday at a place that boasts a massage shower, pool, spa and sauna! Either the owners have the resources, or they don't: guests are paying for (supposedly) luxurious accommodation and facilities, and should feel entitled to make liberal use of them.
The bedding was sub-standard. I'd expect crisp, thousand thread count sheets on the bed, and the covers looked as if they needed a freshen up: perhaps a soak and a wash.
There was dust on the rear half of the metal base of a lamp in the bedroom, indicating that the cleaner had only given the front half of the base a cursory wipe.
The light switches and air con remote were grotty, and there was scum around the spa fixtures (we left the spa much cleaner than when we arrived). Dust was caked on the ceiling fans, and the air con units looked as if they hadn't been cleaned in a long time, if at all.
The place mats on the café table in the living area were utterly filthy, as were the bedside tables in the bedroom.
There were dirty marks on the walls all over the place, which is revolting.
We cleaned some scum from around tap fixtures in the bathroom and on the spa (the lower jets of which were not working). There was mould and/or mildew on jets in the massage shower, and the shower unit itself is in need of a darn good clean.
Frankly, this is sloppy and inexcusable in any holiday accommodation, let alone at such a costly place.
If I sound upset, I am. My husband and I were in desperate need of a couple of days away, and were greatly looking forward to our getaway: only to be sorely disappointed.
We tried to make the best of it, but ultimately resented having paid so much money for so little, and wish we had read the reviews of the Gatsby Spa before booking. We hope our feedback will help prevent others from suffering the same disappointment we had, and will compel the owners to take a good look at what they are offering for the (shockingly inflated) price.
Don't fall for the pristine images and idyllic descriptions of the Gatsby Spa promotional material. There are many new, fresh, clean properties in the spa region: we would recommend you look at renting one of those instead.
In the meantime, the owners have the potential to offer the sanctuary touted in their promotional material: but much work needs to be done, and there needs to be much greater attention to detail and the provision of value for money.
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Date of stay: February 2012
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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.
Our relaxing weekend away was a far cry from what we had paid for and expected from the photo's on the Blue Cliffs website & their description of their property.
The only redeeming feature of this property is the location - off the beaten track away from the main area of Hepburn Springs, however, on saying that, the property itself could do with a 'tidy up' of its grounds & upkeep the property (inside & out) much better.
The inside of the property was dirty, dusty & unkempt. Everything seemed to be neglected from the cooking facilities, the surrounding outdoor area, the dirty crockery & cutlery. I don’t think a vacuum cleaner or duster has ever entered the villa we stayed in.
The website states provisions of eggs, plunger coffee, shampoo, conditioner & body wash, none of which were provided. None of these were a deal breaker but when it states it on the website, the expectation is set to expect these things, especially considering the overpriced amount you are paying for this accommodation.
Whilst I note the owners response to other negative reviews on here that they should have called the cleaner to have their issues rectified, in my opinion when you are paying a ridiculous amount per night, you don’t expect to have to do this after a long drive & check in is at 3pm. You expect everything to be there, and at the very least to be clean!!!! Provisions of half a toilet roll for 2 days for 2 people is stingy as well as old dish cloths - you would expect for every new guest sufficient amenities as a minimum and a brand new dishcloth for each guest.
The 'Feedback" book inside the villa I believe goes back at least a year, possibly two, with the same feedback with regards to the lack of cleanliness of the property & longstanding issues, however, the owner doesn’t seem to have taken on board the feedback since it seems to be the same feedback over and over again right up until recently which is a real disappointment. I guess they get enough people booking in from their clever photo's on their website but doubtful they have return clients.
All the lovely outdoor areas and outdoor furniture you see on their website are either extremely old pictures or they cleaned the place up, hired furniture and taken the photos because the outdoor furniture we saw was old, dirty & falling to bits & didn’t dare sit on for fear of falling through it.
In summary, we would never return to Blue Cliffs nor recommend it to anyone we know. I don’t know how they sleep at night charging so much money for this & really have to question the positive feedback left on here. We have come away feeling deceived & disappointed & angry we paid so much for something that was below substandard.
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Date of stay: January 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:There is an abundance of accommodation in the area that is much better & for less money, ...
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.
Extremely disappointed with the condition of the cottage, our room was filled with dead flies, moths, bugs an rotten food in the fridge. When we contacted the owner to advise him of the above he expressed how unacceptable that was. Although he acknowledged this his only resolution was to send a cleaner with a vacuum, expecting us to wait over an hour for her to arrive and clean the property. The bed sheets filled with dead bugs were not going to be replaced as she was only armed with a vacuum cleaner. Due to our horrible experience and unacceptable solution we felt it was only fair to ask for our money back even offering not to receive the full amount back. We tried contacting the owner a number of times via phone and text message whereby he decided to contact us via email late in the evening treating our request with contempt.
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Date of stay: October 2013
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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.
My husband I had a mid-week getaway for two nights to Blue Cliffs Retreat – Dusk cottage. It is a lovely setting and very peaceful. The cottage is nicely designed and has a good layout. Unfortunately – that’s where the positives end. For the price the owners demand they should realise that people expect value. The whole cottage was dusty and need of a good clean. Surely the amount of comments by people in their guest book and reviews on Trip Advisor stating that the cleaning needs to be dramatically improved would have been addressed by now. The BBQ was absolutely filthy and my husband spent an hour cleaning it just so we could have a bbq dinner. The kitchen supplies are sparse with not enough crockery, mismatched wine glasses, no paper towelling (although there’s a holder for it) and everything was grimy and dirty. The breakfast provisions were a joke – the owners state that they have found people ‘like to buy their own bread’ and so don’t supply any. This is really not good enough and I’m sure most guests would rather it supplied! To supply stale Coles brand muffins is really trashy. There wasn’t even any juice supplied. The ‘selection of DVDs’ equated to six dated DVDs, most being pirated from Vietnam. The books consisted of five crappy Mills and Boon novels. The instructions for working the DVD player were wrong and took a bit of trial and error to get it working. Other properties that charge such an exorbitant amount supply quality toiletry products. Luckily I had read previous reviews on Trip Advisor prior to going and packed some soap, just in case. The owners supplied one small shampoo, one small conditioner and one small body wash. NO SOAP!!! There wasn’t even any bubble bath or bath bombs for use in the spa. The spa itself was filthy and was missing three jet covers. There was only TWO towels supplied also. Basically I could go on and on about all the ‘little’ things that add up to one huge thing. It’s disappointing that all the previous guest comments haven’t been addressed as it could be a lovely accommodation. Maybe the owners should spend a night or two as guests of the cottage to understand what I, and so many other people, are finding unacceptable. If you have already booked to stay at one of the cottages I recommend you pack – pillows, towels, soap, shampoo/conditioner, bath bombs etc, cleaning products, breakfast supplies, DVDs, and everything else you would normally expect to be supplied in ‘luxury’ accommodation.
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Date of stay: April 2012
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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.
Response from BlueCliffsRetreat, Owner at Blue Cliffs Retreat
Responded 8 May 2012
Owners - Beware of Exaggerating Guests, subtitled, ‘Any Dissatisfaction – The Solution is Just a Phone Call Away’ Such reviews are a gross misrepresentation of what we say guests are going to get versus what guests ‘think’ they are going to get. Unfortunately, guests can pretty well say whatever they want on sites such as Trip Adviser and all we can do is respond with the facts of the matter versus what they may say on a posting. Comments such as these are an exception to what we consistently are told by guests who stay at Blue Cliffs Retreat, such as: “What a wonderful place! It was perfect from the moment we arrived – beautiful views, gardens, lake and the most spectacular bed…the sauna, spa and gorgeous shower. Everything has been so thoughtfully provided. Thanks for allowing us to share your paradise. We’ll be back in summer.” We accept that there is going to be an occasional guest who will find some dust somewhere and then get on a roll about all the ‘little things’, as this guest has. The so called ‘little things’ are misrepresentations: 1) the ‘whole villa’ was not dusty. This guest did not say what was dusty because probably it may have been a surface – not the ‘whole villa’; 2) there is enough crockery, cutlery and glasses for two people in each villa and if a glass is broken a temporary replacement is provided; 3) breakfast provisions are exactly as listed on our website, and, because of the wide variety of people’s tastes in breads, we do provide (as just a breakfast starter kit) muffins that are always within the expiry date, but recognize that these are for backup purposes only…in confirmation emails we recommend guests also bring their own personally chosen bread; 4) on the Blue Cliffs Retreat website we state that there is a selection of DVDs, CDs and magazines and there are about half dozen classic DVDs in each villa – not meant to be a library…; and the local DVD rental shop has all the latest DVDs; 5) we provide White Robes, 2 large White Fluffy Bath towels and 2 towels, Hand Towel, Washers, Bath Mat, BASIC EARTH (biodegradable contents and container) nourishing Shampoo, restoring Conditioner and reviving Body Wash, Liquid Hand Vanity Soap and Hairdryer. We do not provide bubble bath or bath bombs because we are on a treatment plant recycle septic system where we reuse the water for watering trees and plants. All products provided that end up in the treatment septic plant are biodegradable and phosphate free; 6) the BBQ – Cleaning a BBQ for an hour is totally inappropriate. A call to the Carer/Cleaner Service would have cleared this up promptly; 7) The regional cleaning service we use does cleans for many of the B&Bs in Hepburn Springs and Daylesford and we do check on the how the villas are maintained, often staying in them ourselves and making adjustments from both our experience and the accurate, constructive recommendations of guests. The post from this guest does not qualify as accurate or constructive comments from guests! Lastly, we again have to emphasize that in the confirmation email we send to guests we state that: “If you have any cleaning or supply concerns on arrival, please contact our Villa Carer/Cleaner, (name and mobile number) who will attend to you promptly.” We still find it quite unbelievable that guests would read that, arrive, be unhappy for two or three days, leave, AND THEN, with no opportunity to correct a possible oversight, write such a review. Our Villa Carer/Cleaner is only 10 minutes away and very obliging when called. This guest chose not to make a simple call!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I'm sorry to say that my partner and I never even had the chance to stay at the villas, as we were double booked, and worse still it was our planned honeymoon. In short, we arrived at Blue Cliffs Retreat at 11pm at night after our wedding to find our access code didn't work, and not long after realised another couple was staying in our villa. After repeatedly trying to contact the owners our only option was to drive back to Melbourne and spend our honeymoon at home. Eeek. Devastating to say the least.
I'm not usually one to post negative reviews, but I am so furious at the lack of care that was taken with the bookings that I feel that people should be made aware. I'm sure Paul and Joy are lovely people, but as far as I'm concerned, this really ruined a carefully planned honeymoon and it would have been nice (at the minimum) to feel that the same care and attention was given to our experience staying at BCR.
I'm afraid there's just too many good accomodation services out there who do provide the level of attention and care that I would expect from a luxury priced villa service such as this, that I just don't think that people should be recommended. Sorry, a very sad experience indeed.
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Date of stay: September 2011
Value
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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.
Spectacular location, let down by lack of basic maintenance and poor cleanliness.
At $130-170 per night I might not have taken issue, however when you pay premium rates for accommodation you expect a premium experience. And while the location, view and ambience were incredible, the accommodation itself - and thus the experience itself - were a major let down.
What's most frustrating is that, by my own admission, these were tiny things that marred the experience. Tiny things that with a little bit of attention to detail, or indeed care from the owners, should never have been an issue. None of what we saw would be expensive or time consuming to correct. Yet in the reviews here we see a real trend of the same sort of thing over many years, with the owner hitting back with accusations and quotes from previous occupants by way of justification. I expect this review will be no different in that regard.
Here's a laundry list of issues with the Hideaway cottage: * cigarette butts on deck and in front of cottage * half empty coke can left on deck * broken deck chair * filthy spa bath (green with algae in the jets) * broken screen door * mosquito net frame duct taped together * lampshade broken and on floor/wardrobe
We rang the cleaner on arrival with concerns - I highlighted 'a number of issues, however the most important was the bath'. She offered to come and clean it, but was not interested in exploring these other issues, highlighting a complete lack of care factor.
Bottom line - I'm sure this was a simply spectacular experience once upon a time. And I'm sure it could be again. But here, now, it's grossly overpriced for the quality of accommodation provided, and the lack of care shown is simply inexcusable in this segment.
Pics attached.
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Date of stay: November 2016Trip 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.
First impressions certainly last a lifetime. Vintage is one way to describe the residence. Had to call the cleaner, I use the term cleaner loosely, on arrival. We called the cleaning company as there was a card saying to do so if the property needed attention in any way. Where do I begin. Dusty surfaces throughout, the toilet was not cleaned, urine stains all over the underside of the seat, approximately 10 Mosquitos had set up residence in the bedroom. The remains of their comrades visible on the wall with streaks of blood spatter above the window. Tired furniture, cobweb riddled crevices and windows. The back door does not lock, we tried for approximately 45 minutes to lock it. No problem though as the owner states, if you can't lock it leave it unlocked, as the "cleaners" no how to lock it. Of course there is a friendly lizard outside that I'm sure stands guard. Upon calling the cleaners to return to the cottage, I informed her of the state of the toilet, the response I received was that if its the stain in the toilet, that it is always there. Bemused at the owners lack if pride in what could be a sold out retreat. As previous reviews dating back 3 or 4 years highlight the cleanliness issue, I assure you it has not been noted. As the same "cleaners" are still operating their slap dash version of cleaning without consequence. First time using the spa bath, on turning on the jets, I had to be amused at the wad of black hair that floated to the top of the water, the unhygienic cherry on top. To give a fair and balanced review, the spa room is quite nice, my company was exceptional, the pool, once we gave it a good clean was lovely, the bed was comfortable and the couch was comfortable also. Location amazing, for wilderness and bug,spiders,bull ants and bird fans. So would recommend for such people. I must admit the drive in to the back to basics retreat was stunning. However so overpriced you may need to remortgage for an average experience. To the owner who of course may not be open to the suggestion of seeing the wood for the trees, perhaps a good spring clean is in order.
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Date of stay: January 2013
Value
Rooms
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.
There are more places to choose from in the Elevated Plains area.
PRICE RANGE
HK$1,586 - HK$1,990 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
AustraliaVictoriaElevated Plains
NUMBER OF ROOMS
3
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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