Lunch and dinner served, garden views
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Reviews of Balgownie Estate Bendigo

4 out of 5
Balgownie Estate Bendigo
46 Hemitage Road, Maiden Gully, VIC

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 99 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 36 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 8 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 149 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 149 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Debra

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
On a busy weekend, we were limited for accommodation options, and overlooked it had a shared bathroom - we thought we'd paid extra for own bathroom. Sharing the facility with a family that didn't use the bathmat (to be fair, Balgownie only supply one bathmat per facility) and clearly didn't close shower door while using resulted in water everywhere. Said family had baby that cried almost until curfew, only to be replaced by noise from the party tent behind that continued until after 1 am. Bed was just like camping on an old style blow up mattress - hard to stay out of sag in the middle. For some reason the very rustic side table had a screw dangerously protruding through the top. Oh, and breakfast. Uncooked eggs, untoasted bread, just inedible. We headed back to Bendigo to eat. I don't know what employment conditions are like, but certainly the staff we encountered did not look or sound happy.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Roy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Nice and quiet
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

2/10 Terrible

Sharang

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

2/10 Terrible

Kelvin

Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
1. Safari Tent that i reserved were right at the end of all the accommodation, and the path there is rocky and full of rough surface. I was worried the wheels of my luggage would give way. (if you have expensive luggage don't bother staying here.) 2. The staff did not offer us the buggy service even though they knew the safari tent is a distance away. And they happily drove past us without offering help when we were struggling to drag our luggage through the rocky path. 3. When I tried to arrange the buggy service with the front desk, I was turned away and told to call back on the morning I check out for availability. You can't pre arrange the buggy service earlier. 4. There were 2 blackout in the middle of the night and 1 the very next morning. It was very cold and we had a child with us, having your warmer switched off right when you need it the most is no joke.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

WARREN

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Rachel and staff were most hospitable. Nothing was a hassle. Had a great stay, great food, great weekend away!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Connie

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ann

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Comfortable quiet stay
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Desmond

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great Service, top room and wonderful view at an affordable price. Brilliant
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

4/10 Poor

Felicity

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
Was so excited to stay here when we booked... our first ever bell tent experience. It was quiet to begin with and the tent was lovely and bed comfy and as there was only one other tent being used that we could see, I guess they were saving on cleaning as they gave us the one shared bathroom which was to be expected however the other guest didn't obviously understand that it was shared as they left all their used items strewn about the bathroom including large clumps of hair everywhere that i had to clean before i could use the facilities. The hotel did not offer breakfast the next morning only a breakfast box which was disappointing. But wait theres more.... this is a massive warning... DO NOT STAY HERE IF THERE IS TO BE ANY FROST AT ALL... they have these fans in the vineyard right where the tents are and OMG.. they are noisy.. i was told that they might turn on from 4am but that was not the case.. they started at 12.30am and ran until after 8am.... i felt like i was sleeping in the engine turbine of an A380... it actually drove me insane and i woke up dizzy... i could not wait to get out of there... such a massive shame...
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Raymond

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Samantha

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My husband and I had a wonderful stay in the Homestead Deluxe room. The room was large, with an impressively large bathroom! My husband was particularly impressed with the double shower. The under floor heating in the bathroom was also a treat. Bed was very comfortable and the area was quite (although we did think we could hear the person next door to us snoring through the walls). Room was very clean and modern. Reception staff upon arrival were a bit blunt and didn't come across very welcoming. Before I arrived when I rang to inform them we would be arriving after 5pm like requested on the courtesy email I received, the lady I spoke to seemed to be confused as to why I was letting them know. Overall a nice stay though and we will return.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tracey

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was nice quiet accommodation very clean would definitely stay again 😊
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lina

Stayed 1 night in May 2023

8/10 Good

Rosa

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Beautiful place, staff are very friendly, room was great. The only thing was that you looking at the bed the left side of the bed was soft and i would roll to the edge and the left side was firm, my husband had the good pillows and i had the feathered one which don't like which i did not realized that there was two style of pillows. So i did not have a good night sleep and had a very sore back. I would probably Suggest the you flip the mattress around. Overall a nice place
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sheng

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Zoe

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Overall, everything is good.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Katie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great space and vibe, extremely clean and well kept. The only downside was the uncomfortable couch in theiving area and strange placement of said couch. Otherwise superb place to stay!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Shirlyn

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good and relaxing environment
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Vineyard getaway.
Homestead stay, fantastic clean room with views over the vineyard, great en suite with heated flooring. Good communal kitchen and lounge area. Short walk to restaurant. Restaurant meals were excellent with personalized attentive service.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Geoff

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice service, food, wine and tranquility.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

Peter

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness
Great Staff, Lovely place, however- cleanliness in the rooms within the homestead is poor.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

John

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great value for money in a fantastic location

10/10 Excellent

Kevin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good place to relaxing

8/10 Good

Sidonie

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a lovely time glamping with our 18 month old daughter. The tents are surprisingly spacious and well equipped. The restaurant is great, but our favourite thing was all of the wild kangaroos hopping around the vineyard and in the bush just behind our tent. The temporary shared bathroom (one between two tents were okay) but the more permanent bathrooms currently being installed look a million times nicer.

10/10 Excellent

Lence

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Better than expected!

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Sonia provided great service at check-in. Very friendly and went above and beyond normal expectations.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022
Response from Balgownie Estate on 3 Nov 2022
Hi Patricia, Thank you for your review. We look forward to welcoming you back to our Estate in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great winery retreat.
Stayed in the homestead accommodation. Lovely spacious room with roomy en suite. Shared full size kitchen and dinging room. Lounge room with lovely gas log heating. Restaurant great. Will defiantly return
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022
Response from Balgownie Estate on 9 Oct 2022
Hi Anthony - Thank you for your review. We look forward to welcoming you back to our Estate in the future.

8/10 Good

Taylor

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved our stay, the restaurant staff didn’t make us feel very welcomed when we booked breakfast for the next day. Unfortunately left a sour taste in our mouths in what was otherwise a great trip
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Response from Balgownie Estate on 9 Oct 2022
Hi Taylor - Thank you for taking a moment to review your recent visit to our Estate. It is disappointing to read your comments regarding your experience whilst staying with us - At Balgownie, we strive to provide a superior service experience for every customer; therefore your feedback is very important to us. Your feedback will be passed on to our Senior Management Team.

10/10 Excellent

Harsimran kaur

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Christian

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing property I really enjoyed my stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Balgownie Estate on 11 Aug 2022
Hi Christian - Thank you for your lovely review. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

10/10 Excellent

FEIYAN

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
good environment but no room survey on night time. can the restrant open whole week not just few day？
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Balgownie Estate on 21 Jul 2022
Hello - Thank you for your review. Due to staff shortage we unfortunately are only open limited hours. We do hope to improve our open hours soon.

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Matt and Nell July roadtrip
Short stay for us but close to a friendly pub and had excellent accomodation.Wine tasting was a nice bonus
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022
Response from Balgownie Estate on 21 Jul 2022
Hi Matthew, Thank you for your review. We hope you both enjoy the rest of your road trip.

10/10 Excellent

LINDA

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The location and surroundings were tranquil and in the midst of native bush. Our outlook was superb overlooking the vineyard. On 2 occasions we sat outside on our private porch (in spite of the chilly air). Staff were depleted (covid) and the menu was limited to 3 mains choices in the restaurant. However the food was outstanding and the wine lovely. I particularly liked the complimentary wine tasting and 2017 Cab Merlot. I would definitely recommend the venue (and experience) to friends. (car required) L.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Donna

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed in one of the Cottages on the property. It was spotless and the facilities were excellent. The staff were friendly and very professional. We had dinner at the Restaurant, which was amazing and great value. I couldn't find any fault with our stay.
Stayed 1 night in May 2022

8/10 Good

Jemma

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
The amenities were poor for the cost of a nights stay. The portaloo ensuite was dirty by the morning when we went to have a shower. Would have expected more for the amount paid.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Roger

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

4/10 Poor

Fiona

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

NI

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
environment
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mireille

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed in the deluxe room, it was so spacious, spotless, the bath tub and oversized bathroom was amazing, we felt so comfortable. The outlook and decking overlooking the vineyard was beautiful. The quality of food at the restaurant was exceptional, bursting flavourful dishes and good portions, the cocktails were delicious and the service was outstanding. We sat outside on the terrace, it was so romantic with the pretty lights and music. This stay exceeded our expectations and we will be back.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022

8/10 Good

Harpreet

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great restaurant and excellent customer service. Despite an issue with the room not being accessible for my wife, we managed to work things out, and the staff, one key person in particular, Lucy, went over and above to make our stay as enjoyable as possible under the circumstances - Huge thanks!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

6/10 Okay

Heather

Liked: Cleanliness
An expensive nice idea.
Glamping is a nice idea but not so much in the heat of summer. The deck area of the tent had no shade and the only place to sit is in the tent which despite some cooling is still hot. The campsite area is a hot, dry and scrubby landscape. The restaurant is not open every evening but the web site does not advise. If you do not want to travel back into town for a meal your only recourse is to order a "hamper" which is a cardboard box providing a selection of bits and pieces for $70. Bread rolls or a baguette would have been better than the 2 hard slices of sough dough for that price. Overall - expensive for a nice idea not entirely thought through.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rena

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Balgownie is something everyone should experience, from the staff, the laid back environment and the wine make this place a wonderful retreat. Great space and lovely views of the orchards.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

8/10 Good

Liz

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

mark

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
great views
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Beautiful views of the vineyard. Lovely deck for dinner.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Julia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

4/10 Poor

Elizabeth

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Upon arrival the reception girl was unfriendly. The room we booked online was not the one we received and she did not care. Given no information on what we could do around the winery just handed a brochure. Restaurant not open for dinner but not given any suggestions for eating out elsewhere. Being out of town this was inconvenient. Coffee pods supplied in the room but no machine?? Tiny uht milk in the fridge. Only great thing was the bathroom.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

8/10 Good

Vithiya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great spot for a getaway
My wife and I went for a couple of nights. Thoroughly enjoyed the stay. Great location and great meal at the restaurant. Only downside I would say is that the restaurant is stand alone from the accommodation so you can't really do room service meals.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021