Over the past six years I have stayed at the Marineland Motel and have experienced excellent levels of hospitality, quality accommodation and service without complaint all under the control of Carol and Evan. The continental breakfasts were more than adequate and the restaurant was excellent with room service at no extra cost if required. However, at some point over the last eighteen months Carol and Evan retired from the hotelier business and the motel was sold. When I visited last year the same levels of quality and service had been maintained but this week (27 August 2018) was a great disappointment. The young man on reception had only been in the country a week and didn't know how to produce a gst receipt for my payment in advance. When I explained that I wanted to settle on departure so that the invoice included breakfasts I was advised that breakfasts were no longer available and when I asked about the restaurant I was told that it was no longer in operation but was advised that there was an Indian restaurant that would deliver as would Dominos Pizzas! If I hadn't paid I would have walked at that point but a refund was not possible. When I entered my room (Unit 7), although all rooms are advertised as non-smoking, the smell of tobacco smoke was overpowering and on reporting it to the guy on reception he returned to my room with a can of air freshener saying that would fix it. I pointed out to him that the drawers under the hanging rail would not open because the bottom of the top drawer had fallen through into the bottom drawer so neither would open; he said that he would tell the owner. There was an oil column heater in the room that was switched on when I entered but it switched itself off after a time. There was a built-in timer which was not set but when it was turned the heater switched on, and then off again after a time. This happened a couple more times then it seemed to settle down. The tobacco smoke smell had not really disappeared as it had permeated the fabric of the room, even the pillows and bedding. On my way out to dinner I called into the reception again and told the guy that has I known what I would be faced with I would never have booked. The heater switched off again at some point during the night when the outside temperature had been recorded as 1C. When I showered in the morning I found that the diverter didn't work and I could wash my hair and feet under running water at the same time. On my way out in the morning to find some breakfast I called into reception again and told the young lady in attendance this time that I wanted the heater changed and that I was very disappointed with the quality of the room. When I returned in the evening the heater hadn't been changed but it did seem to be functioning correctly so I didn't take that any further, but I did note that while the bed had been made and the wet bath towel and flannel had been replaced with ones that were just as grey as those that had been used (presumably they had been white at some time in their lives but no longer), the waste bins hadn't been emptied, the soap wrapper was still on top of the vanity and the toiletries hadn't been replenished. On the morning of my departure I decided to make a cup of tea but when I opened the cupboard door to remove the electric jug, it fell off. When I opened the door to the crockery cupboard the first mug that I picked out had a large chip out of the lip and a long crack. I did note that none of the electrical appliances carried tags to show that they had been tested and inspected for electrical safety as required by the Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010 and AS/NZS 3760:2010. The curtains of the room were drawn both on my arrival and on my return on the second day but when I did look through it was clear that the small garden outside the room had not been tended for some considerable time. On checking out I advised the guy on reception that this had been the worst motel experience that I had ever had and that I would never, NEVER stay at the Marineland again. He had said that he would report my concerns to the owners but from a look at other similar negative reviews it seems that no other similar negative reports have been recorded so I very much doubt that my complaints would be, and if there is a response to this review I fully expect that it will be in that vein. Previously I had recommended the motel to a number of colleagues and friends but I would never, NEVER do that again. If Carol and Evan could experience what it was like now they would cry. It is being run down and under the previous ownership it was booked out most nights, the car parks were all full and the restaurant did good trade, but no longer. If it continues this way it won't be long before it closes because guests looking for quality accommodation will very soon realise that the Marineland is no longer the quality motel that it used to be. I wouldn't recommend this motel any more, not even to my worst ememy!
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