Maximilian Road, Noosa North Shore (via Tewantin) Ferry car ferry from Tewantin Tel (07) 5447 1225 Websitewww.noosabackpackers.com.au
BUG Review
Noosa North Shore Retreat is a wonderful place to stay for some rest and relaxation. It sits on 90 hectares of secluded bush land where kangaroos hop freely around the dorm buildings. Facilities are excellent and include a swimming pool, spa pool, barbecue area and an on-site equestrian centre. Guests have free use of bikes and kayaks. Accommodation is in self-contained units that are exceptionally clean and well maintained. The hostel is 1km from the beach and the onsite bar and restaurant offers discount backpacker meals.
Maximillian Road, Noosa North Shore
Price Dorm bed $20 Double room $50 Prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all taxes.
Credit Cards American Express,Diners Club,MasterCard,Visa
Pros:
It is isolated and away from the crowds (and everything else)
Cons:
It is too isolated, has insufficient facilities, not good value and the marketing was misleading
croyal
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Maintenance
(3)
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(3)
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(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
From previous reviews and brochures, we expected this hostel/resort to be really excellent, but we were disappointed on almost all counts.The resort itself is ok enough...it offers a reasonably quiet location, near to a lake and only a couple of kilometres to the beach. The resort offers horse riding, kayaking and has a couple of basic swimming pools on site, along with a pub and a small shop. The brochure looked very swish and the staff were generally polite when booking and when we arrived. However, my main complaints are not necessarily about the facilities (which are clean, if pricey and basic), but rather about mismarketing (including the brochure itself), misleading information about the resort and the lack of value.The brochure itself shows a luxury, well appointed resort with a beautiful swimming pool and lots of facilities. It does not mention that this is only available for the customers who are staying in the premium quality accommodation, at quite great expense. As a result, all other customers are to use old and outdated swimming pools and facilities, with cabins and accommodation that has obviously passed it's best by date. The 'other' facilities such as very outdated games room etc. are actually located in the campsite down the road.Having arrived in our accommodation, we found that the only shop only sells very basic fast food and does not sell food for BBQs, fruit or vegs as you would expect isolated places to have. As a result, you are obliged to eat tinned food or use the resort pub, which offers a very standard, unimpressive and pricey menu.On our trip up the east coast we stayed in some lovely hostels and motels, but this was definately the most expensive and disappointing. I was looking forward to this place immensely, but will not return.Pros: Quiet, kangaroos hopping around, ok staff.
Cons: Bad value, no shops or places to buy food for BBQs and hence 2 x ferry journeys (6 dollars per single trip are required every time), very isolated, outdated, beach is not really somewhere to relax as there are 4x4s racing up and down all the time, misleading marketing material.If you want somewhere extremely quiet, I would suggest that there are plenty of other better value places on the coast, with less people, nicer beaches and better accommodation.If you want somewhere clean, good value and next to Noosa, try somewhere else in Noosa or Noosaville first.
1 of
4 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 645)
the best hostel on our east-cost trip, August 2, 2006
Pros:
wild kangaroos hopping around
Cons:
out of town
Johanna
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Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
That place is not really a hostel, it's a holiday park in the forest, very large and natural. There is free canoing on the lake, a beach near by, and horse and camel riding around.
In a double room you have your own ensuite and the kitchen is shared with just one more room.
We had a very relaxing time there, it's not a party place
5 of
8 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 461)
Lovely, relaxing and just... perfect!, May 27, 2006
Pros:
The nature surrounding the resort and relaxing atmosthere
Cons:
Far from the city
andreasvind
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
The hostel/resort is one of the best hostel we ever stayed on in Australia. It's quite far from Noosa Heads (the city), but the resort runs a shuttlebus many times a day for only $1.
The rooms are all ensuite and they are very clean. The kitchen and livingarea is nice too, so I'll really recommend this place. You can use all the good facilities, incl. 2 big swimmingpools.
3 of
5 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 358)
If you love nature and space, this is the place to be!!!!!!, April 26, 2006
Pros:
Natural, clean, spacious, quiet, relaxing
Cons:
there have been none for us.
fleuros
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Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
If you are a nature lover, this is the place to be!!!!!! We booked for one night but ended up staying for a whole week! That’s a lot, considering we had only 5 weeks in Australia.
This place is amazing and the staff was incredibly friendly, helpful and enjoyable to talk to. The place is on an island so it's about 20 minutes and a 1 minute ferry ride (1 dollar return trip) from Noosa centre, but free courtesy busses run 6 times daily, so it wasn’t a problem for us. It’s a big, spacious, beautiful natural resort with more than enough to do.
There are kangaroos, tropical birds and horse- and camelriding, right at your doorstep. We even saw a 10 foot python hanging in a tree! There is a store there and a nice outdoor restaurant and bar as well, so it's pretty self sufficient A huge gorgeous lake, on which we kayaked. 3 beautiful pools, tenniscourt, pooltables, great BBQ's and lots and lots of space. Our room was extremely clean, well kept and had the most comfortable bed we had ever slept in! We stayed in dorms and doubles (backpackers), which were both of very high standard. They have many different types of accommodation there. The units have a great shared kitchen which is fully self sufficient. The surroundings are really nice to go for a walk as well. The island has a beautiful beach close to the units where we enjoyed a romantic full moon scenery. Although this resort is huge, we never really seemed to see any other guests. It’s like having a private island.
We had a great time for a really good price (only $50 for an extremely well kept double!!) and we found the peace of mind and relaxation here that we were looking for in Australia.
7 of
11 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 10845)
Great place to chill out!!, January 12, 2006
Reviewer:
Christina
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Imported Review
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
This is definitely not an usual backpackers place that you might expect. Situated in the middle of a national park, it had a very relaxing & tranquil atmosphere. If you want to take a break from the whole party scene, this is just the place to be! The apartment was very clean, spacious and tidy (NB towel & soap are provided!!). Only a max 8 people sharing a huge living room (with TV), a well equipped kitchen & 2 ensuite bathrooms. In fact, when we spent NYE and NY there, my friend and I were the only 2 people in the unit so we basically had the whole place all to ourselves - such a bargain for just $20 a night!We actually didn't get the chance to meet Mickey D during our 2-day stay but we've got to say that Bob the bus driver was just absolutely sensational! He always went out of his way to help us & made sure we were alright. You were the best Bob! Thank you so much for making our stay so memorable!! :)
3 of
4 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 10846)
a real find!!, October 25, 2005
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Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
This place is a real find, Mickey D was really nice and went out of his way to show us round the hotspots of Noosa. The kangaroos were lovely and the sunset was spectacular. This place is a real bargain.
4 of
5 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 10847)
The Best Hostel In Oz!, October 14, 2005
Reviewer:
Jaz
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Imported Review
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
This really is the best accomodation I have stayed in, during my tripThis is apartment style rooms with own bathroom and very large kitchen and sitting room. You share these facilities just between the other few people in the dorm. The staff cannot do enough for you especially Mickey D. The free bus runs all day into the town if you want to go to the shops, on the walks or to the beach...the atmosphere at the backpackers is so good that sometimes you are content on just staying there! Expect Kangaroos on your terrace, and lots of other wildlife. I would be very surprised if anyone did not enjoy their stay here....!
4 of
5 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 10848)
Loved it here, April 16, 2005
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n/a
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n/a
Anonymous
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Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
This place is one of the nicest hostels I have stayed in in Oz. Very clean apartments with sofas and tv and you only have to share the kitchen with 8 people max. Loads of wildlife, nice pool and free kayaks. And we got a free t-shirt for staying a week, which comes in handy fruitpicking!
0 of
3 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 10849)
What a fantastic place!!, March 10, 2005
Reviewer:
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
I fully recommend staying at Noosa North Shore Retreat! I origionally went there for two nights and ended up staying there a week. It might be a little bit out of town but there is a bus that goes back and forth from the retreat all the time. The rooms are really spacious (two rooms share a kitchen and each room has an ensuite and only sleeps four people) and are amazingly clean. With the great accomodation, the fantastic staff (especially Mickey D and that cute bar guy...), the cheap drinks at the bar, the awsome bistro meals and the atmosphere - this place was like a home away from home that I will definately return to. Thanks guys for making my stay so wonderful... xx
5 of
6 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 10850)
Fantastic, March 6, 2005
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Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
A lovely place to stay for a break from the town in a friendly atmosphere. Apartments, 2 bedroomed each room with own clean bathroom and clean kitchen / lounge with t.v shared with other second room. However we've had it to ourselves. A distance to town but not a problem with the free bus. Kangaroos outside rooms morning and night. We booked 3 nights and are staying 5! Discount vouchers given out for 3 night stays!
