Terrace/patio

Reviews of Sweet Dreams Retreat At Lara

3 out of 5
Sweet Dreams Retreat At Lara
69 Curletts Road, Lara, VIC

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 61 out of 97 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 27 out of 97 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 97 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 97 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 97 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We had a lovely, quiet, restful sleep in a comfy bed. Loved waking to bird and insect song. Wish we had more time to spend sitting relaxing on the lovely deck.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Janita on 20 Jan 2024
Hi Karen, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. You’re definitely not alone in wanting to spend more time on the deck taking in the bird song. Warm regards Janita

10/10 Excellent

Maria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Spaciousness clean room Charming Lovely host.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Janita on 3 Nov 2023
Many thanks for your lovely review. It was a pleasure meeting you also.

10/10 Excellent

Vicki

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice quiet place to stay. Restaurants close by. I was doing the local 10km fun run at the Serendip Sanctuary which was less than two kilometres drive.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Janita on 29 Oct 2023
Thank you for your review, I certainly love the peace and serenity. Trust you enjoyed the Fun Run.

10/10 Excellent

Julie

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good & comfortable bed. Lovely room and good area information
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Janita on 1 Aug 2023
Glad you enjoyed your stay, our beds are all comfy, locally made too :) If you return, be sure to ask about locations to visit or jump on our social media page for more ideas.

10/10 Excellent

Ernest

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Easy to find and ice and quiet!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023
Response from Janita on 25 Jun 2023
Hi Ernest, Thank you for the review, a nice quiet place at the end of a busy day is certainly a welcome place to be. Happy to be able to fit the requirements. :)

10/10 Excellent

Troy

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Comfortable beds, spacious room and amenities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Response from Janita on 24 Apr 2023
Many thanks for your review, glad you enjoyed your stay. CheersJanita

8/10 Good

Malcolm

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
good value
All good. Very clean and quiet
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023
Response from Janita on 1 Mar 2023
Thank you for your feedback Malcolm, it was a pleasure to meet you.

2/10 Terrible

Christie

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023
Response from Janita on 1 Mar 2023
Clean room, comfy bed, quiet location, numerous communications from us.If there is anything else we could have done for you, please let us know, as always willing to improve our guest’s experience. Thanks for the feedback.

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Peaceful and tranquil. Very well supplied with everything you needed.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
Response from Janita on 30 Jan 2023
Hi Christine, Many thanks for your feedback, we are glad you enjoyed your stay. Warm regardsJanita & Julie

8/10 Good

GARY

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Pleasant enough
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from Janita on 20 Feb 2023
Hi Gary,We appreciate your review.

2/10 Terrible

Sharee

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service
We didnt get to stay at the property as they had double booked the room. We were told the owner was overseas and would not be back for a month so we will have to wait for our review for a refund. We had stayed there in the past it is unfortunate that it is run like this and their checks and balances on bookings is lacking. We were there for a family matter, as we had nowhere to stay and had flown in from the Gold Coast, we then had to get ready for the occasion in our rental car. We managed to find an apartment in Geelong that was expensive as you would expect. Lucky for that or we would have had to sleep in our rental car. Very Very dissapointed. See how we go with our refund in the future when the owner finally gets back from Overseas in a months time.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from Janita on 22 Jan 2023
Thank you for you feedback, precautionary measures have been put in place to ensure this does not happen in the future. In 12 years, this is the first time this has occurred and we are most regretful that it impacted your plans, a refund has already been issued.

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We arrived late-ish and it was so nice to be still greeted by our host Janita who showed us to our room which was lovely and comfortable.
Response from Janita on 5 Jan 2023
Hi Michelle, It was lovely to meet you both. Thank you for your review, much appreciated and glad you were comfortable, we get great feedback on how comfortable the beds are.

8/10 Good

Simon

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice place. We arrived on a very hot day so an air conditioner would have been nice to cool the room down. Nice area outside the room to sit in the evening. Quiet location
Response from Janita on 5 Jan 2023
Hi Simon,Yes, it was an exceptionally hot day, this is rare for us to experience such heat. Normally the ceiling fan is enough. Glad that you enjoyed the outside space and location, we do too, perfect for enjoying summer evenings. Thank you for your feedback, it is most appreciated.

10/10 Excellent

Glenn, WESTPORT

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice, quiet and well stocked room. Janita stayed up till I arrived to show me the room. It was a simple overnight stay but it was good.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Response from Janita on 15 Sept 2022
Thanks for the review, I am glad you enjoyed your stay. Have also found a local taxi driver whom my guests will be able to use for airport transfers moving forward which is a great outcome.

6/10 Okay

Megan

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
The accommodation itself was nice enough but unfortunately the owner (or perhaps some other guests?) were having a rather loud party late into the night which wasn't ideal considering I booked the accommodation in the hope it would be a quiet retreat as I had to get up at 4am for my flight from the nearby Avalon airport. With less than 4 hours sleep, needless to say, I didn't have a very pleasant experience at this accommodation.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Response from Janita on 7 Sept 2022
Hi Megan, Thank you for your feedback on your experience. The host held an extremely rare dinner party with 3 guests in attendance and played a board game which did bring out some laughter. All guests had left premises by 10pm. However, we do understand the challenge to sleep when needed. Should you stay again in the future it would be worth letting the host know of your early start as she makes every endeavour to ensure her guests requests are met if advised of them.

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Just perfect. Would recommend and would stay again. Exceptional location to national and regional parks in the area, nature, food options.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Janita on 4 Sept 2022
Thank you for your review. I must say I agree, definitely ideally located for exploring a number of national and regional parks.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Freindly, helpful service and a great comfortable room. Thank you.
Stayed 1 night in May 2021
Response from Janita on 25 May 2021
Thank you for your review, I am glad you enjoyed your stay.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Tranquil setting with picturesque outlook. Spacious room with ensuite stocked with nice products to use.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2021
Response from Janita on 2 Apr 2021
Many thanks for your lovely review. So pleased you enjoyed your stay and of course the view. Look forward to seeing you again and be sure to tell your family and friends. 😊

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the location, and the host was very friendly and accommodating. The room was nicely furnished and the bathroom was large, clean and inviting. If anything, the room could have had an area for dining at, although it was not an issue for me this time. I will be back.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2021
Response from Regards Janita on 15 Mar 2021
Thank you for your lovely review and feedback. It is something I have been considering, looking for a suitable option. I look forward to seeing you again.

8/10 Good

John

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Serenity with the decking and trees. Would think you were in Queensland.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2021
Response from Janita on 12 Jan 2021
Thanks for your review John, I’m glad you enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you all again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Rachel, Ferntree Gully

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Janita was very friendly and helpful when making our booking. Excellent, fast communication. She made sure we had all we needed for a comfortable stay. The rollaway for our youngest was comfortable, as was the rest of the bedding in the room. The decor was lovely and the hammock on the balcony was a highlight.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021
Response from Janita on 9 Jan 2021
Hi Rachel It was lovely to meet you and your family. So pleased that you had a great stay. Thanks for your review and look forward to seeing you again or perhaps your family and friends. I love how people are exploring regional Victoria, still lots more to see and do. Warm regards Janita

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, modern room, massive bathroom, comfortable bed. Very peaceful and relaxing.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2020
Response from Janita on 30 Nov 2020
So glad that you had a relaxing time and loved your room. Look forward to hosting you again. Best wishes to you both.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020
Response from Janita on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you for your review, it is much appreciated. We look forward to having you stay again in the future. Warm regards, Janita

8/10 Good

Md Nadim

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Good experience
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020
Response from Janita on 17 Mar 2020
Thanks for taking the time to review. Much appreciated Regards Janita

10/10 Excellent

Beck, Bendigo

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful views, Janita was lovely, the property was lovely and so clean. Would love to have stayed longer if we had the time. Thankyou Janita xxx
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020
Response from Janita on 15 Mar 2020
I love the views too. Perfect for relaxing with a beverage and a book or good company. Thank you for your lovely review and you are most welcome anytime. Enjoy your holiday. Warm regards, Janita

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful surrounds, friendly folks, extremely clean & very homey.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020
Response from Janita on 19 Jan 2020
Thank you for your review, we appreciate your lovely words and are glad you enjoyed your stay. Regards, Janita

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020
Response from Janita on 19 Jan 2020
Thanks for the great rating and hope to see you again. Regards Janita

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The rooms were very clean and the bed was super comfortable. It was peaceful and had a nice outlook over the fruit trees.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020
Response from Janita on 16 Jan 2020
Love our beds too! Made locally in Geelong, a great nights sleep is ensured. Glad you enjoyed your stay. Regards Janita

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020
Response from Janita on 15 Jan 2020
Thank you for your review we appreciate you taking the time.

4/10 Poor

PraveenaNair

Travelled with family
The lake is not there as is advertised.. . It’s someone’s house and giving there on suite as a hotel.. no privacy coz looks like someone is watching you all the time .😳😢
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Janita on 6 Jan 2020
Hi Praveena, Thank you for your feedback. The lake you refer to is one of our beautiful local attractions, Serendip Sanctuary, with lots a incredible birdlife and other Australian native animals. It is 2 minutes by car or a lovely walk. As a guesthouse we offer ensuite motel style rooms with private entry, blinds to all doors and windows and some little extras we do not promote. Again thanks for the feedback and apologies for the confusion, we will be labelling our photos to assist clients. Regards,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place in a lovely area .Very peaceful.I would definately go back
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from Janita on 27 Nov 2019
Thank you for your review. We love the peace & serenity here, glad you did too and you are welcome anytime.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location . Quiet & peaceful rural area. Nice comfortable beds with good facilities . Breakfast cereals provided tea/coffee . Janita the host very helpful and made us most welcome. Would definitely stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from Janita on 24 Nov 2019
Thank you for your lovely review, it is appreciated. I look forward to hosting you both again. Safe travels. Warm regards

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from Janita on 23 Nov 2019
Many thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated. Please share with your family and friends. Regards,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Response from Janita on 26 Oct 2019
Thank you for your feedback, it is much appreciated.

8/10 Good

Pare

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice and close to airport
Cute little home with 3 rooms at the back that’s attached. All secure and private. The beds a little squeaky so every move felt like it could be Heard. Other than that. We had a great stay nice and close to the airport as we arrived close to midnight after a delay. Thank you.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from Janita on 29 Sept 2019
Thank you for your review, we are glad you enjoyed your stay, will look into the squeaky bed as that is the first time we have had that comment. Such a bonus being close to the airport. We look forward to hosting you again. Warm regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very close to Avalon A/Port, perfect for overnight transfer
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from Janita on 29 Sept 2019
Thank you for your review, such a bonus when you can stay so close to the airport. Warm regards,

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is not a welcoming place if you are on the spectrum (ASD), it costs too many spoons just to deal with the place. If you are not thin, you will find the bathroom problematic. Internet poor, heating had to be requested, fridge didn't work (found out too late) and was smelly, sheets were stained and dust bunnies were prolific so forget it if you have allergies. Walls were paper thin so I really enjoyed the snoring from the next room all night. Hope they enjoyed mine!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Response from Janita on 9 Sept 2019
Thank you for your feedback we apologise for any inconvenience. Warm regards,

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from Janita on 5 Sept 2019
Thanks for your review, much appreciated

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from Janita on 26 Aug 2019
Many thanks for your great review. So glad you enjoyed your stay.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family, Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Super comfy beds, relaxing atmosphere, beautiful surroundings.Plenty of room for vehicles and we were able to stow our mountain bikes on the ample decking. Loved the hammock! Close to everything we needed. We used an outdoor camp stove for breakfast cooking on the deck area.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Janita on 25 Jul 2019
Thank you for your lovely review, I must say I love the hammock too :) Look forward to meeting you again.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was really nice,we would love to come Back again when we can.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Janita on 15 Jul 2019
Thank you for your lovely review. We would love to have you stay again. Warm regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Janita on 30 Jun 2019
Thank you for your review, greatly appreciated. We would love you to recommend us to your family and friends as well. Warm regards

10/10 Excellent

Quinny, Kuala Lumpur

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We love it but we have Insufficient time to enjoy it ☺️
Stayed 1 night in May 2019
Response from Janita on 26 May 2019
Such a shame, next time perhaps allow an extra night to explore our gorgeous area. 💕

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Response from Janita on 16 Apr 2019
Thank you for your review, it is much appreciated as it assists others in choosing their accommodation. We hope to see you again.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nicen quiet, wonderful beds , very nice decor . Bathroom didn't have a door & limited privacy of those showering- kids are prudes but it is a consideration VERY happy
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Response from Janita on 13 Apr 2019
Thank you for your review, we appreciate all feedback.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very peaceful. Although in the middle of suburbia it felt like we were out in the country.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2019
Response from Janita on 12 Apr 2019
Thank you for your lovely review. This is just one of the many things which I love here, to awaken to the sound of the birds with transport, cafes, shops, close by.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Response from Janita on 8 Apr 2019
Thank you for your review, I look forward to seeing you again and it would be wonderful if you could tell your family and friends about us too. :)

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
As a 'ywalk in' I didn't have access to a vehicle. Uber was 'iffy'. Janita, the owner, drove me to the airport. Also, I didn't have dinner as I couldn't get out to a restaurant. The accommodations were very nice, clean and roomie, although no place to put luggage but the floor and no place for toiletries in the bathroom.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019
Response from Janita on 30 Mar 2019
Thank you for your lovely review.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The ambiance is very nice, greens everywhere. The airport is very near so it was hassle-free for us to catch the early flight. There's a big Coles and Woolsworth nearby (15 minutes walking, which we didn't notice due to the nice view at the area haha!)
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019
Response from Janita on 30 Mar 2019
Thank you for your lovely review, glad you enjoyed your stay and the lovely walk to the shops.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A very quiet and very relaxing place a very good place to getaway and relax
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from Janita on 11 Mar 2019
Thank you for your review, I totally agree and look forward to seeing you again in the future. Be sure to refer to your family and friends.