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Reviews of Daintree Rainforest Retreat

3.5 out of 5
Daintree Rainforest Retreat
1473 Cape Tribulation Road, Cow Bay, QLD

Reviews

8.2

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 60 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 59 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 15 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 8 out of 149 reviews" "

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

6.2/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

Edward

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
When we arrived, the entire place appeared abandoned suddenly, no one there, some room doors open. We called out and no one responded. The place was in disrepair and dirty. The experience was creepy and we left, to find another motel. We want our money back!
Response from Manager on 13 Jun 2023
Thank you for your feedback, Edward. The emergency circumstances surrounding our current closure were unfortunately unforeseeable. We understand how this has left you feeling disappointed and we extent our apologies again for the inconvenience.

2/10 Terrible

Catherine

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
There was nothing to like. They were out of business. The grounds were disgusting. Windows we’re broken and had plywood of plastic over them. Bed frames and garbs
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from Manager on 13 Jun 2023
Thank you for your feedback, Catherine. The emergency circumstances surrounding our current closure were unfortunately unforeseeable. We understand how this has left you feeling disappointed and we extent our apologies again for the inconvenience.

2/10 Terrible

Craig

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Booked and paid for accomodation only to arrive and find the place has closed down, so we had nowhere to stay for the night.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from Manager on 13 Jun 2023
Thank you for your feedback, Craig. The emergency circumstances surrounding this were unfortunately unforeseeable. We understand how this has left you feeling disappointed and we extent our apologies again for the inconvenience.

2/10 Terrible

robin

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Even though we received a message the day of our arrival we coming us they we closed. Property was very unkept. Very hard to find. No cell service.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from Manager on 8 May 2023
Thank you for your feedback, Robin. The emergency circumstances surrounding this were unfortunately unforeseeable. The message you received is automated and we will review this system to avoid any further issues in the future. Unfortunately, the area does suffer from cell coverage issues outside of our control. I understand how this has left you feeling disappointed and we extent our apologies again for the inconvenience.

8/10 Good

Alex

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Being in the middle of the rainforest was amazing, especially at night when a massive rainstorm came through. The place has a rustic charm. There is only one staff person and he does the best he can to make you comfortable. The location to the ferry and Cape Tribulation is perfect.

2/10 Terrible

Clint

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wanted to love the place...but don't.
I wanted to enjoy this place...but the check in was brutal. Closed for the first hour, the place looked deserted. After an hour, I was called and said check in was finally ready. Checked into the room, it was less than clean - long black hairs everywhere, no towels for a shower. Black mold on the kitchen walls. I have photos of all this. In speaking with the check in person, from check in, I was promised towels. I texted him once, reminded him again while he was walking about .. yet never received any towels. In speaking with other guests, they informed me it took them three days to get towels. They had an extra clean one they gave to me .. The place advertises Wifi, but it isnt in the rooms, only in one common area. It also advertises AC, but again, no AC in the actual rooms. I am not one to negatively review a place...I've stayed at a lot of hotels in the last couple of years...this place takes top spot in categories that you don't want to lead in ..
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

8/10 Good

Simon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The resort was quiet and peaceful and conveniently located close to things. The staff were very pleasant. There was a problem with the plumbing which interrupted the water supply for a few days.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

4/10 Poor

Anusha Vijay

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities
The room and the property was clean and good. But the room did not had fan working in poor condition, it was difficult for us to tolerate the heat. On asking for a better alternative we were told this is a forest and we shld make do with it. The Wi-Fi was crap too.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Trent

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Beautiful setting and quiet location. It is a little away from food and meal options so BYO or be prepared to drive up to Cape Trib and in-between for lunch or dinner options. Limited breakfast options. Rooms have a microwave and basic crockery and utensils, but no sink and there is no camp kitchen in the BBQ area which makes cleaning difficult in the bathroom sink. The site is on generator power so be prepared for some small hiccups but nothing dramatic at all. Wifi is available but good for messages only, not websites or social media.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Sandra

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sue

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
As it has only recently re-opened Cameron has done an exceptional job managing the property to where it is at. We can only hope that the owners support the property financially. The room was very clean and comfortable, in amongst palm trees and the Daintree Rainforest. The hotel opposite has closed which was disappointing however we had an excellent meal further down the road. Would recommend for a great stay, thanks Cameron!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

2/10 Terrible

Taylor

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

4/10 Poor

Gerry

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

Brett

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

6/10 Okay

Brenden

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Heaps of potential
This place has heaps of potential but needs some tlc Very friendly staff
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

2/10 Terrible

Neil

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It’s a joke. Unclean
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Emilie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

4/10 Poor

Brett

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

2/10 Terrible

ZH

Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property is not well maintained.. Sheets in the room was dirty and dusty.. Shared BBQ and cooking area is dirty and not working so don’t even bother to cook there. Not wifi signal from room and if even connected to wifi at reception, there was no internet access.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

6/10 Okay

Ben

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
The facility advertised WiFi but you couldn't connect to it. The rooms TV's had been removed. No air-conditioning. Water pressure was horrible and undrinkable. Frequent power losses so lights and fans would stop until power was restored.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

8/10 Good

Phoebe

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021

8/10 Good

Cherie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A piece of rainforest magic
A great little motel in the Daintree Rainforest. Our host did everything to make our stay enjoyable. Currently undergoing some renovations which will look great once completed
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Motel Manager on 27 Aug 2021
Hi Cherie, Thank you for your review. Yes we are a work in progress. It was a pleasure having you and your family stay.

6/10 Okay

steven

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Overpriced for condition
The motel is old and in need of a revamp. Carpet in the bedroom is original 70s and dirty and the room needed a good dust and clean. Not all rooms had a kitchen sink to clean dishes. Under cover parking. The single staff was pleasant but overwhelmed. Also no telstra service at motel. There is 3g in the area though patchy. Wifi at the motel was poor.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
location was great and the staff were excellent. the rooms were super clean and the shower was to die for after such a long drive... its proximity to where we wanted to go was perfect as well... our only regret is that we did not allow a longer amount of time there.. Thank you again to the staff who were so accommodating and we look forward to when we come up there again.. just as soon as we can
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Timothy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
nice and quiet
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Cabin in the woods
The owners are really friendly and approachable and make a great impression on check-in. The rooms are pretty dated and ours had some mould in the bathroom and the kitchen was a bit grubby. A firmer bed and potentially AC would be great additions (although it's an off-grid property, so AC may be unrealistic!). These are minor gripes though that didn't really detract from our stay. There's no TV in the room, which is a good thing -- it encourages you to soak up the sounds of the rainforest! Speaking of which, the location is wonderful, peaceful and very atmospheric. We enjoyed our stay and saw some cool wildlife. Sadly the Cow Bay Hotel is closed at the moment, so there is no pub nearby -- I hope it re-opens soon, as it would be a big bonus for the community and for anyone staying here.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Quirky, rainforest setting which was great for a quiet.restful break.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020
Response from Em on 28 Oct 2020
Thank you for staying with us at Daintree Rainforest Retreat Motel. We are so glad that you enjoyed your stay and we look forward to seeing you again! Stay Safe and Happy Travels. Kind Regards, Emily

8/10 Good

Sarah

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Response from em on 7 Jan 2020
Thanks so much for your review, we hope that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to see you again soon :) Safe travels and happy adventures

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice place to stay in the Daintree. Staff were friendly, the place was spotlessly clean. We had a relaxing time and would have no hesitation in recommending this place.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019
Response from Em on 5 Nov 2019
Thank you very much for your review, we really appreciate your feedback and we are very glad that you enjoyed your stay with us. It would be great to see you again on your next Daintree adventures. Safe Travels and Kind Regards, Katie & Emily

8/10 Good

Janet

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
This property is tucked back off of Cape Tribulation Road, and is a little difficult to spot. If you see the Cow Bay Hotel on the east side of the road, you have gone a little too far north. This property is set back off the road amidst the rain forest, and you feel like you have stepped back in time. The new owner of the motel bought it about two months ago, and she and her daughter are putting a lot of love into the property. The building is concrete block, colorfully painted, and reminded us of some places we have stayed in Costa Rica. The rooms are basic but clean. The bed was comfortable, and we had a refrigerator and kettle for coffee or tea, but no microwave. They do provide an outdoor grilling area and supplies needed to BBQ. The shower was a little slow getting started, but there was plenty of hot water. There is no electrical grid north of the Daintree River, so businesses and homes rely on solar power and generators. We did not have cell phone coverage, and I was surprised to have Internet access at the motel. The motel operator suggests bringing supplies you need to cook, as things are more expensive north of the river. However, if you choose not to cook, they do serve food and alcohol at the Cow Bay Hotel, which is within walking distance.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Response from Em on 18 Oct 2019
Thank you for your review Janet, We hope that you enjoyed your stay with us. Wishing you safe travels and happy adventures. Kind Regards, Emily

8/10 Good

Suzan

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice!
Perfect location in the rain forest. WiFi was on and off The room was clean and beds comfy. Not fancy but it met our needs very well.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Response from Em on 14 Oct 2019
Thank you very much for your review Suzan, we hope you enjoyed your stay with us. We wish you all the best. Kind Regards, Emily

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location. Right in the middle of the rainforest. Dawn chorus was amazing.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2019
Response from Em on 12 Oct 2019
Thank you very much for your review. We hope you had a great stay and enjoyed your time at the Daintree Rainforest Retreat. Safe Travels and Best Wishes

8/10 Good

Michelle, Adelaide

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really tucked into the rainforest, very peaceful and unique, genuine and lovely service. A very comfortable base for a family to explore the daintree from. We thought from the listing that there was a restaurant onsite, when there's not - they just arrange breakfast for you on request. But there is a pub just across the road.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Em on 5 Oct 2019
Hi Michelle, Thank you for your review. We look forward to getting the restaurant back up and running in the future. We hope that you enjoyed your stay with us and we wish you all the best. Kind Regards, Emily Daintree Rainforest Retreat Motel

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Not quite what we expected, but a pleasant stay nonetheless. Saw some cool bats.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Em on 5 Oct 2019
Thank you for your review, we are happy that you enjoyed your stay with us. There are some pretty amazing animals tucked away in the Daintree and we're glad that you got to experience some of the wildlife! We wish you all the best from the Daintree Rainforest Retreat Motel Kind Regards, Emily

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous spot. It was exactly what I dreamed of as a rainforest immersion. Funky room decor. Old but clean. Lovely host who gave us lots of tips for exploring the area. Where the rainforest meets the ocean. Cow Bay and other sights just exhilarating Having the pub in walking distance was a bonus for dinner and a cool ale. Recommended 😊
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Wonderful location - you felt like you were right 'in' the forest here. The sounds of animals at night time made it very authentic. Unfortunately though, there was no cooktop in the room - even though there were pots and pans provided and the pictures created the impression of an equipped usable kitchen. Also, as the pool is unheated, it's too cold to swim in winter.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We liked the rain forest setting. Very hospitable.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The peaceful rainforest setting. Staff were very friendly and relaxed. Good position near pub for dinner
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Rainbow Resort was just great - the setting is very tropical and green and Travis pointed out so many interesting walks and things to do and there were so many to choose from - every recommendation was wonderful.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019

8/10 Good

Erwin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful setting, lovely room, amazing pool, I will stay here again when I come to the Daintree
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
A wonderful warm welcome from Travis. We were the only guests but that didn’t stop him being open for business
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Excellent service!!
Travis and his family put us up for a surprise Christmas lunch!! They were amazing host! Thank you again for the lovely treat!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Lee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really lovely hotel in the middle of the Daintree rainforest. Ideal if you want to get away from it all and explore this region of Queensland. Very friendly and helpful staff there. Loved our stay!
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Michele

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to stay in the Rainforest!
The hotel was in the Rainforest and had a great ambiance. We had everything we needed. Our host was friendly and helpful. There is a restaurant/pub right across the street and it is a quick drive to the awesome Daintree discovery center.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Francois

Great stay
Host was really kind helping us with booking. Room was as advertised and enough space for the 5 of us. Great place to be with Cow bay beache nearby. Would come back.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Ros, Wyalong NSW

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great basic place to stay
Our stay was fantastic, the rooms were basic but roomy, clean and comfortable. It is only a small motel, so you are not swamped by other guests. We took our own basic food items such as cereals, bread and fruit so we could make our own breakfast in the room. There’s a great country pub a short walk across the road for other meals, and next door to the pub is the most fantastic organic, homemade ice cream shop which is well worth a visit! Our host, Travis, was great and couldn’t be more helpful showing us things to see and do. He even provided a torch for us to use when walking to the pub for tea. Well worth a visit!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Brian, Hong Kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hidden Gem
Very nice and helpful host. Extremely clean room. A very relaxing stay we had. Data network is a challenge in this area, WiFi of facility is not great either. But this was not such a bad thing if you want to stay away from outside world during your vacation.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018