Keswick Island Guesthouse - Reviews, Photos - a huge let down - not sure what other reviewers were talking about

nksb223

Brooklyn, NY

Contributor

11 reviews

Reviews in 8 cities

11 helpful votes

“a huge let down - not sure what other reviewers were talking about”

Reviewed 22 January 2012

6

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If you are looking for a romantic weekend away with private time, this is not the place. Keswick Island might be the place, but certainly not the guest house.

If you are looking to be a guest at your Auntie's house (on a gorgeous island) who doesn't like children and her kooky husband who bills himself as a "museo" aka musician then this is your place!!

Not the place if you are a light sleeper. Two of the five rooms share walls with the kitchen and you can hear the clanging of pots and pans before you awake in the morning and well into the night. Oh and if the sound of dying birds doesn't sound like a lullaby, think twice.

In terms of food, Michelin is a term to be used by people who have experienced that level of food and service in their lifetime. The Keswick Island Guest House offers neither. The food is fine- it's good. It's certainly not rivaling anything from any decent-sized city.

And the service... Well there is island time... And there is Keswick Island Guest House time. Due to a oven on its last breath, meals slated to start at 6:30 kicked off at 9:30!! Bring Your Own Nibbles!!

And when thinking about byo.... Try to byob. Not sure who wrote about Brian filling glasses...but yes. He fills glasses quickly to sell more of his wine!!!! And it's expensive! So beware.

The thing about this place is that it is a guest house. You are their guest. It is not an inn or BnB where hosts leave you to do as you please (and help you make it happen). Being a great inn keeper requires humility. A level of interest in the guests. Listening more than talking. A knowledge of the place ( don't allow guests to walk to a beach knowing it is high tide). Love. Care. And a desire to make guests feel the same way about a place as you do. This was not our experience at the Guest house.

Lastly it requires manners. Having manners means not turning off the lights when the guests are chatting into the night on the porch when the hosts want to go to sleep. Having manners means not talking about other guests in front of existing guests...god know what they said about us before we arrived and what they will say about is afterwards.

Though the setting is lovely, the accommodations were clean, the beds were comfortable, etc. we would not recommend staying at this guest house unless you can really stomach the hosts.

Room Tip: We were on the 1st floor next to the kitchen. It was EXTREMELY LOUD. All rooms on the first floor sh...

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2 March 2012

Brian & I are more than disappointed with the comments that have been made here; we are actually quite shocked; we genuinely believed these guests enjoyed their stay.
If at any time guests are unhappy with any aspect of the service or anything at all we are only too happy to rectify the situation. It is unfortunate this couple did not mention their dissatisfaction or disappointment to us at any time during their stay.
Keswick Island is very quiet. There is no background noise. No cars, sirens, dogs barking or babies crying. I am sorry these people were disturbed by the sounds of us preparing guests meals or the sounds of washing up. It was Christmas Eve, & there was some preparation to complete for Christmas lunch to be served for 26 people the following day.
The haunting bird call was most likely a bush stone curlew. They are very common on Keswick Island and most other islands in the Whitsundays. They call to each other at night & it is sometimes quite loud. I am sorry the guests were disturbed by these birds. Ear plugs are available, but we were not asked for any. We also have owls, & orange footed scrub fowl that sometimes call at night.
On Christmas Eve we organised a performance by a professional singer visiting the island to entertain our guests for approximately 50 minutes, before dinner. All our guests seemed to enjoy this entertainment as well as enjoying complimentary drinks during the performance. This performance, combined with a small problem with the oven meant dinner was served a little later than usual. I don’t believe it was 3 hours late. Nibbles are always served before dinner so there is no need to bring your own.
We do not refill guests’ wine glasses against their wishes. Our wine prices are reasonable, certainly no higher than on any other island, & lower than many.
I am confused as to why these guests were disappointed at the high tide at Connie Bay. I am very sorry if this is not what was expected. I was led to believe the trip to the beach was to swim & high tide is the best time for that. Keswick Island experiences 6 metre tides so swimming is not possible at low tide.
My apologies for turning off the lights, it certainly was not our intention to offend anyone. We didn’t realise any guests were outside chatting. As the Guest House runs almost exclusively on solar power all exterior lights are turned off after everyone has gone to bed.
Over Christmas, in addition to the Christmas Eve performance, our guests enjoyed complimentary martinis’ on Christmas Day, supplied, mixed & served by some of our Keswick Island residents, & our guests also enjoyed a full day boat trip at no cost, arranged by us and courtesy of these same residents, including snacks & wine enjoyed at this residents’ home on the island after the boat trip.
A request was made for stinger suits to be supplied on the day these guests were due to arrive. We do not usually supply stinger suits for guests, however, as the guests seemed very disappointed at having to buy their own suits, Brian offered to reimburse the guests the price of the 2 stinger suits, which they readily accepted, & we removed $140.00 from their bill.
Sometimes a guests expectations and the reality are disappointingly different. Perhaps this couple were expecting a five star hotel experience. Keswick Island Guest House is not a hotel. We do not have waiters, kitchen staff, or cleaners. We offer a unique, personal experience when we welcome guests into our home. We very are sorry these guests did not enjoy their stay with us. Perhaps if they had chosen to speak to us about the problems at the time, we may have been able to resolve them.

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Bruce M

Healesville, Australia

1 review

“The Ultimate Break!”

Reviewed 4 November 2011

After having visited the Keswick Island Guesthouse for the third occasion it was about time to question why.
Could it be the delicious meals that Lyn prepares for lunch and dinner? There is always something different and tantalising for the taste buds. Each meal is presented beautifully and can be guaranteed to satisfy your appetite. Not that Brian can be outdone. His breakfast offerings set the tone for the day ahead and are served with a smile and a willing chat whatever time you may awaken.
Perhaps that’s the secret – the hospitality? Lyn and Brian are always willing to meet your every demand but do it in such a way as to not encroach upon your space. Then there is the entertainment. Brian’s rendition of the great Mingu Mingu is not to be missed and if you are lucky he may do the Keswick Island version of the twelve days of Christmas. Similarly the other resident Keswick Islander’s are a sociable lot and have many tales to tell, be it in passing or over a glass of bubbly.
Or could it be the relaxation? After a sound nights sleep in a wonderfully comfortable bed, the morning rays entice you out. Once the breakfast is done there are many options before you. Depending on the tide, it could be off to Basil Bay for a dip in the crystal blue water or to wade amongst the marine life to find the clams off Arthur Bay. Then there is the seclusion of Connie Bay and the walk past the local bee hives and down through the paperbarks. The other option is to pick out a book from the extensive library and recline on the deck, occasionally putting the book down to take in the magnificent views of the Coral Sea.
Just maybe it is the uniqueness of the roundabout at the main intersection on Keswick Island. The fleet of Keswick Island golf buggies whip around it as if it wasn’t there. But then perhaps it isn’t!
What we do know is that we will return to Keswick Island for another visit again and again and again ....

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sf2010

Sydney, Australia

Senior Reviewer

10 reviews

Reviews in 10 cities

14 helpful votes

“Fabulous Island getaway with great hosts”

Reviewed 29 September 2011

We were looking for a quiet place to rest and recuperate from a busy year and were very happy we chose Keswick Island Guest House where we stayed for 6 nights. The hosts, Brian and Lyn went out of their way to make us feel welcome and were very hospitable and accommodating. Brian is a great storyteller and entertainer and made our evenings lots of fun. Lyn is a fabulous cook and we enjoyed delicious fresh meals every day. Lyn also catered to my need for gluten free meals, baking fresh gluten free bread and wicked chocolate desserts! Our room was very clean and well furnished. The verandah was a great place to relax with a book or a glass of wine and watch the whales. We went for lots of walks and swam and snorkelled at all the beaches. The fringing coral reef provides a limited but good variety of snorkelling. We felt totally relaxed and re-charged after our stay here!

Room Tip: Paperbark Room was very spacious with great view

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Nossy

Brisbane, Australia

2 reviews

Reviews in 2 cities

“Extraordinarily Special Birthday”

Reviewed 6 May 2011

I was extremely fortunate to spend my 40th birthday (long weekend) at Keswick Island. From the moment we stepped off the helicopter the stress just seemed to melt away. We were met at the airstrip by Brian and Lyn and their enormous smiles which never seem to faulter.

I cannot rave enough about Lyn's food and the hospitality of the Guesthouse. We were made to feel totally at home and relaxed. Our room was large, the bed was incredibly comfortable and the room and rest of the house was spotless. Nothing was ever a trouble and I even recieved a special card and breakfast on my birthday. Caution however, the guest house has magical wine glasses that never seem to empty! We both had a bit of a headache the next morning. But a lovely breakfast and dip in the ocean at Basil Bay had us feeling brilliant!

If you are looking for a relaxed get away where you can have as little or as much excitiement as you want at your own pace, love great food and wine and enjoy the absolutely beauty of unspoilt beaches, gorgeous coral then you can't go past Keswick. Say hi to Lyn and Brian for me!

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arent

Voorburg, The Netherlands

Senior Contributor

21 reviews

Reviews in 17 cities

1 helpful vote

“Fantastic place with great food and nice people. What else do you want?”

Reviewed 29 April 2011

We stayed in the questhouse on Keswick Island - which is a fantastic place to be- for three nights ! Brian and Lynn, the owners, do their upmost to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Lynn is cooking like a professionel one star Michelin star chef. We enjoyed our stay in paradise very much and in case of return in Australie - it's rather far from Holland- we absolutely go back to Keswick Island Guesthouse. Yvonne and Herman- Holland