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4.5
#3 of 9 hotels in Mollymook
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Discover a picture-perfect coastal retreat with uninterrupted ocean views in scenic Mollymook. Bannisters by the Sea combines dramatic cliff-top views overlooked by luxury accommodation and superb dining to ensure our guests a restful stay, right on the edge of the spectacular southern New South Wales coastline and the Pacific Ocean. Choose from 34 stylish refurbished rooms, most of which feature a private ocean-front balcony where guests can drink in the stillness and enjoy the relaxing rhythm of the breakers. Bannisters’ location, exceptional facilities and warm hospitality mean a truly memorable experience is in store for our guests
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
Quiet
Luxury
Languages Spoken
English
Location
191 Mitchell Parade, Mollymook, Shoalhaven, New South Wales 2539 Australia
Spent a few mid week days supporting the fire ravaged NSW South Coast and stayed at Bannisters for a couple of days. A stunning location sitting on the northern side of Bannisters Headland just north of the stunning Mollymook Beach. We had room 16 which was well appointed and included a spa bath on the external deck... the one that you love, a bottle of wine and star gazing from the spa... you get the picture. There was a well covered continental breakfast each morning and Rick Stein's seafood restaurant in site. Mollymook is a location that you can do as much or as little as you want. One Championship golf course in the hillside and a 9 hole course by the beach. Fishing, surfing, boating or just hang by the infinity pool with a well appointed bar at Bannisters. Will definitely visit again.
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Date of stay: February 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.
A lovely stay the accomodation was extremely clean with amazing ocean views you can sleep with the sound of the waves. Excellent breakfast served in Rick Steins restaurant and great cocktails and pizzas served at the pool bar. This is a place to come when you want to wind down and relax. The staff go above and beyond. Thankyou Bannisters by the sea !
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Date of stay: August 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.
Response from Elisha G, Guest Relations Manager at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Sep 10, 2020
Thank you MaryGreeceTravel for such a lovely review. Waking up to the sound of the waves is truly a beautiful experience. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Warm Regards Elisha Greenacre Guest Relations
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If Bannisters were to be rated only on service and location it would be 5 stars plus!
Upon arrival there were personalised welcome cards and genuine professional warmth from all staff. Given what these locals would be going through I couldn't fault it!
The views and location are amazing. Private enough to feel immersed in nature (almost surrounded by trees and ocean views) yet still only a few minutes from the town.
The few areas for ”opportunity to improve” for Bannisters would be, the size of the rooms (the toilet was in the shower) for the price and Rick Steins restaurant.
I have been blessed enough to eat at some pretty amazing restaurants around the world and was VERY excited to sample the food. It was delicious but underwhelming and my blue eyed cod was over cooked which was heartbreaking (yes I know first world problems). My partners fish pie was amazing though, so perhaps I just had bad luck on that particular night. The foodie experience wasn't a complete disappointment for us though, the local winery Cupitt’s food was extraordinary!
I would recommend a stay, just be prepared for small bathrooms (an old motel modified)
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Date of stay: January 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.
Response from Elisha G, Marketing at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Jan 29, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to provide this review, LeonaBoztepe, We are so proud of our team and the wonderful and warm service they provide to our valued guests. Your kind words will be passed along and are greatly appreciated. We are sorry to hear you were left underwhelmed by aspects of your experience, and again this feedback will be passed along to our teams for improvement where possible. We hope we have the opportunity to welcome you back to Bannisters again! Kind Regards Loren James BANNISTERS HOTELS Bannisters by the Sea | Bannisters Pavilion P 02 4455 3044 E feedback@bannisters.com.au
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I visited Bannisters Motel in 1970's as a child with my parents and have fond memories of this place, so decided to venture down to Mollymook again. We stayed here for a 3 night Bed and Breakfast in a King Spa Retreat Room (spa on deck) on the top floor. We visited for my husband's birthday and received a complimentary bottle of Champagne which was nice.. The room has a terrific view, spacious and nicely decorated, comfortable bed, but some of the furniture is deteriorating and the exterior of the building is now looking tired. Reception staff were very friendly and helpful and they are outstanding. Some COVID practices are followed at certain times and areas. Some sanitisation stands were looking a little grubby. The 3 days we were at Bannisters the pool was not vacuumed once. Hence there was a lot of leaves and dirt in the bottom of pool. The rooms are serviced daily, some room staff friendly and others not, some would not make any eye contact or even acknowledge you, which is a shame. Breakfast is served each morning from 7am in Rick Stein's restaurant with a limited menu - Juice, Yoghurt, Eggs bacon etc, waffles, continental platter. No cereals are served. We did have to ask each day for sugar, salt & pepper, butter etc. Service was fairly quick. Some service staff were quick to clean up used plates, cups etc but others not, and we noticed a staff member not even wipe down the tables between diners eating. So not a good COVID practice followed on this occasion. We did not dine for dinner at Rick Stein's so cannot comment on the food served. We did buy our own seafood (1kg prawns) for $30 at a local Ulladulla Seafood shop and enjoyed them sitting on our own balcony overlooking the ocean. Parking at Bannisters is first come first served. The gardens are nice, but a lot of leaf litter around and staff trying to keep it tidy at times looked to be too difficult. The Gardeners did arrive on Wednesday the day we were checking out. With the type of clientele that visit Bannisters by the Sea I would expect better. Overall a pleasant stay, but would not return again.
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Date of stay: November 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:King Spa Room with Spa on deck just beautiful
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 Elisha Greenacre, Guest Services / Front Office at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Dec 7, 2020
Thank you 84Cedarhouse for your review. I have to agree that the views are absolutely amazing. I am sorry to hear that your overall expectations were not met. I will be sure to speak with our maintenance manager re the pool and overall tidiness of the property. We do have a dedicated houseman looking after these tasks and with the consistent strong winds we are having at the moment, I agree we certainly have had a lot of leaves look after. I do hope that you got to enjoy the magic of Mollymook and feel free to reach out should you wish to return again. Would love the opportunity to redeem ourselves Warm Regards Elisha Greenacre
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After booking an Ocean Deluxe Room (Room 5) paying $999 per night during school holidays we were underwhelmed when we saw the room. Not a coloured cushion or throw rug in sight to make this Ikea Scandi style room appear inviting. Situated directly above the pool deck, kids were screeching as they do around a pool, so that relaxation on our north facing terrace with ocean glimpses was impossible. Breakfast service was dismal, 3 young ladies who looked but did not see, tables were left uncleared, uncleaned and reset. Each day we found a table, set it ourselves with cutlery and waited ages for service. One morning we had to ask 3 times before we could order a coffee. We also dined at Rick Steins one evening, entrees were excellent, mains perfunctory but at least the service was professional. Needless to say we wont be back.
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Date of stay: April 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Don't come during School Holidays or busy times, rates go up by 100%.
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 Rupert Sakora, General Manager at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Apr 18, 2021
Dear MadamJosephine, Thanks for choosing to stay with us at Bannisters by the Sea. We are glad you got to enjoy the great aspects and views of the Tasman from your Ocean View room and scenes over our infinity pool. Its lovely to hear that you had a great time dining at Rick Stein while you were with us, thanks for sharing. Bannisters Mollymook offer experiences across all our venues from the exceptional Rick Stein restaurant to our Bannisters Pool Bar and the funky Rooftop Bar and Grill at Bannisters Pavilion. We hope you had an opportunity to relax with a treatment at our Day Spa by the Sea. I have discussed your feedback re breakfast service with my team and we will do our best to ensure no one else experiences the same. Thanks again for choosing to stay with us. Warmest wishes, Rupert
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Given that we can’t travel overseas and even booking an interstate holiday is fraught with danger, it stands to reason places like this will be extremely popular, despite what on any view is a very steep price.The location and view is amazing and the pool area is extremely instagram able.We were in room 10 which had a couple of issues.Firstly, the deck was affected at times by cooking smells from the pool bar restaurant .Secondly, the shower and toilet were together and so if you want to the toilet after someone had a shower your feet got wet. There were not enough lounges by the pool and we ended up going to the beach ( which is lovely) Staff were on the whole good but with a few hiccups like our breakfast order “ disappeared” one morning. Our experience at the restaurant was 5 star ( see separate review) .
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Date of stay: February 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Avoid rooms above pool bar restaurant kitchen.
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 Rupert Sakora, General Manager at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Feb 22, 2021
Dear Julie1958594, What lovely feedback for the Bannisters team. The view and location of Bannisters by the Sea really help to establish that feeling of 'escape'. Yes, we have been fortunate that people can still travel freely within NSW and that our guests are exploring the beautiful offerings in their own back yards now more than ever. We do invest in improving our operations each year and have just refurbished our bathrooms to create more space and modernise them in the Hamptons style we love here. We will address the cooking smells and rectify, thank you for that feedback. Our 'instagram able' pool area is beautiful and very popular and as you said the short stroll to see the beautiful North Mollymook beach (one of Australias' most beautiful beaches) is also lovely. We look forward to reading your '5 Star Review' of your experience at our wonderful Rick Stein Restaurant. Warmest wishes, Rupert
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My partner and I go to Mollymook and Narrawallee a few times a year so when we were given Bannister's voucher for our engagement we were excited to experience a new level of luxury.
The view is spectacular, the ocean is mesmerising and the location is peaceful. The view is really the only thing Bannisters has going for it and nothing else justifies the price point this place charges (except the Kevin Murphy shampoo and conditioner which was the only other thing that wowed me).
Our room was not clean. It needed to be dusted and properly vacuumed as empty sugar sachets were found on the floor. The coffee pods were not replenished after the first night. The shower was mouldy.
The bathroom was newly renovated and looked beautiful but was poorly designed. The toilet was in the shower which meant you walked on wet tiles every time you used the bathroom. The vanity mirror is hung too high and the lack of counter space made it difficult to get ready.
Despite looking newly renovated, it is clear that maintenance isn’t regularly carried out. The bathroom door handle was loose, the balcony door kept getting stuck, the bathroom had a sewer smell and the furniture looked tired with the couch and the wooden furnishings all having stains and water marks.
The outdoor furniture looked like it had been picked up from a council clean up and is not acceptable in a hotel room that costs $600 a night. We could not use the setting as my baby kept scratching himself on the exposed metal edges.
The complimentary breakfast was okay and the wait staff were attentive, friendly and helpful.
We dined at the Rick Stein restaurant. When paying $70 for a steak you expect it to be the best you’ve had but it wasn’t. The waitress that served us did not refill our water glasses, offered us new drinks not did she take our plates when it was clear we had finished. The restaurant was like a hole in the wall that like the hotel, did not reflect the price point.
Our stay was okay but not $600 a night amazing.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
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 Elisha Greenacre, Guest Services / Front Office at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Apr 16, 2023
Hello, Thank you for taking the time to write a review and congrats on the engagement! Im really sorry to hear that on this occasion we did not meet your expectations. We will be sure to use your comments constructively and we will take it on board. Apologies if there were any housekeeping issues during your stay. I have followed up with the team to make sure any shortfall in experience is remedied. We do hope to see you again soon Warm Regards Elisha Greenacre
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My wife and I stayed two nights here to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We arrived during torrential rain and the Spa Retreat room on the first floor that we had booked had the gutter overflowing directly outside which was very noisy and made it impossible to enjoy the Spa. We notified reception and the lovely lady, Kim, gave us a couple of other rooms that were available that we could move to. The young guy there happily showed us the other options and we chose Room 4 on the ground level with an inside double spa bath, from which you can still enjoy a view. This was much quieter and very comfortable and overlooked the pool and had a view of the ocean. Despite the weather we had a very enjoyable stay. Our only disappointment was that Rick Stein restaurant, which were so much looking forward to dining at was very disappointing. Aside from that, the staff were very lovely, friendly and helpful. The infinity pool is fantastic and the Pool Bar is a great place to sit and enjoy a drink, coffee or one of the delicious pizzas. The continental breakfast has a great range of food to choose from and it is lovely sitting outside enjoying the view. The complimentary bottle of bubbly for our anniversary was much appreciated. I can highly recommend Bannisters By The Sea and will definitely stay there again.
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Date of stay: February 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.
Response from Elisha Greenacre, General Manager at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Jul 12, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review, peterp274 We are so pleased that despite the unfortunate weather, you and your wife were able to enjoy a lovely stay at Bannisters by the Sea for your special anniversary. We look forward to welcoming you back again and fingers crossed for sunshine on your next visit! Kind Regards Loren James BANNISTERS HOTELS Bannisters by the Sea | Bannisters Pavilion P 02 4454 7400 E feedback@bannisters.com.au
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We stayed previously at Bannisters Port Stephens so were interested in how this compared.Both properties are fabulous in their own way. This one is slightly smaller so that is nice, but it also has an amazing location with a sea/ bush land view that is spectacular. The location was great you could walk to nearby surf beaches or you could just hang around the pool or sit on your deck.Short drive to Mollymook and zullafulla shops and Milton. The rooms are comfortable and nicely furnished . Staff were friendly and efficient. Unfortunately we arrived just after the order to shut down restaurants and bars came into effect but we were still able to order meals from room service including the delicious food from Ruck Steins restaurant.
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Date of stay: March 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.
Response from Elisha Greenacre, General Manager at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded Jul 12, 2020
Thank you for your lovely review, Julie1958594 We are so pleased that you have enjoyed both Bannisters Port Stephens and Mollymook! It had been a difficult couple of months with restrictions and restaurant closures, so we are grateful for your support and glad that you could still enjoy fabulous food from the Rick Stein menu. We do hope we can welcome you back for another getaway and dining experience in our lovely restaurants. Kind Regards Loren James BANNISTERS HOTELS Bannisters by the Sea | Bannisters Pavilion P 02 4454 7400 E feedback@bannisters.com.au
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We’d stayed previously, about 7 years ago, and decided to go back to reinforce our memories. Sadly those hopes were dashed. In the first place, the room rates were reasonable at $600/$700 for Wednesday and Thursday nights but increased by more than 50% for Friday night - without a 50% improvement in service! And whoever designed the bathrooms needs to have their heads read! Who could possibly think it was a good idea to locate the toilet in the shower? And then have the brilliant idea to knock out the wall between the bathroom and the bedroom so that all of the bathroom “noises” and “smells” migrate to the bedroom??? Whilst the staff were not unpleasant, they all gave the impression that they’d been coached to within an inch of their lives to only spout learned platitudes. Hardly any eye contact and no thought of passing the time of day or any other pleasantries. For an organisation which clearly has five star aspirations, as evidenced by the outrageous prices charged, I could recommend a dozen or more true five star establishments, both here and overseas, where staff could usefully spend some time learning how to treat their guests.
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Date of stay: April 2021Trip 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 Elisha Greenacre, Guest Services / Front Office at Bannisters By The Sea
Responded May 9, 2021
Hi normann688 Thank you for taking the time to write your review on Bannisters Mollymook. I'm really disappointed to hear that your return did not live up to your expectations. We pride ourselves on our return guest rate so this is not great to hear! We were quite fortunate to renovate 90% of our rooms during the first Covid19 lockdown, and most of this has been very well received by our regular guests. If you would like to reach out directly, I would love to know what room you were in during your stay so I can investigate further. Best Wishes Elisha
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Our son and his family of four stayed in the ocean front penthouse and that is huge. They could've easily had more people staying as it has about 4 rooms I think.
We never did the pool because weather wasn't that flash....but we did stay in the penthouse and that was fantastic, if you can do it. Views were beautiful and if it's whale season, you should see them go by, take some binos
Dear Y_S_L,
Our room service operates during the restaurant hours of operation and our guests have a choice from the Rick Stein menu or more casual dining options from our Pool Bar.
Kind regards,
Rupert Sakora
General Manager
There are more places to choose from in the Mollymook area.
PRICE RANGE
C$453 - C$712 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
bannisters point hotel mollymook, bannisters point mollymook
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Bannisters Point Lodge
LOCATION
AustraliaNew South WalesShoalhavenMollymook
NUMBER OF ROOMS
34
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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