Ruffles Lodge & Spa
423 Ruffles Road, Willow Vale, Gold Coast, Queensland 4209 Australia
Full view
View all photos(230)230
Room & Suite (44)
Dining (32)
View prices for your travel dates
Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View allDid you already book this hotel?
About
4.0
#1 of 1 lodge in Willow ValeLocation
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Set amongst 50 acres of gardens and forest in the Gold Coast Hinterland, our retreat offers an opportunity to truly relax and reconnect. All Villas and Suites are beautifully appointed with private outlooks, natural timbers and warm interiors. Immerse in our infinity pool or Jacuzzi spa overlooking the Gold Coast, enjoy a cocktail at our pool side bar or curl up in front of the Vue 175 fireplace with a glass of wine… The retreats award winning restaurant, Vue 175 offers an innovative dining experience, with panoramic views of the coastline from Coomera to Coolangatta. Our talented Chefs use only the freshest local ingredients to produce a sensational culinary journey for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Ruffles Day Spa are passionate in delivering an experience which rebalances the profound energies of the body and mind. Grounded at the heart of the retreat, our Day Spa welcomes you to escape and reconnect with your Zen.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Pool
Free breakfast
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Spa
Hot bath
Infinity pool
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Room features
Air conditioning
Room service
Minibar
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
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
Charming
Location
423 Ruffles Road, Willow Vale, Gold Coast, Queensland 4209 Australia
Getting there
482 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
228Reviews4Q+A57Room tips
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 134
- 30
- 19
- 28
- 17
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
My partner organised a surprise Getaway at this resort for my bday/pre-babymoon and after the reading all the amazing reviews combined with the cost of the accommodation I had very high expectations.
The tree villa we stayed in was in a beautiful location and had an amazing spa bath...
My partner booked the Villa for the pool however we arrived and he noticed the pool was freezing cold and the pump wasn't working. After 2 calls to reception maintenance was called out to fix the faulty pump and the pool was back in action. To out dismay despite the pump working the pool never heated up and we were unable to use the pool the whole stay. So disappointing as this was the main reason he booked this particular villa. To top it off the third day maintenance did something to the pool and it turned brown so even if we wanted to take a dip in the freezing pool we couldn't..
Other disappointments we encountered were the big deck overlooking the amazing view had 2 small chairs and a table in the corner of the deck. There was no day bed, no place to relax on the deck and read a book so one of had to relax and read on the bed with the other on the outdated sofa.
Other things that surprised us was:
The fruit bowl they left us had old fruit in it. The apples were old and one of the oranges had a big cut in it
The wood provided for the fire not good burning wood and we struggled to get the fire going. There was no poking stick to turn the fire and may partner nearly burnt his hand.
There was no quilt on the bed just a blanket with 2 sheets and we were cold, especially since the fire did not take very well.
We tried to use the buggy to go to dinner our first night and it wasn't working ( wouldn't the staff check things like this?).. The battery needed to be replaced..
Dinner was tasty but highly overpriced and overrated. Eaten at fine dining restaurants and would not call this fine dining. ..The lady that served our dinner was lovely despite dropping wine over our table and one of the tasters over herself and the table.
Breakfast - I had to go in search for sugar for my coffee, ask for salt and pepper on the table as well as be served burnt pancakes the last morning.
The cleaner took it upon herself to throw away fresh fruit we had bought and left in the apartment in a plastic bag.
Also we found it very strange that the hotel restaurant closed on Monday's and Tuesday. There r no cooking facilities so they expect people to drive down the mountain to town to get food. The menu to have food delivered to room stopped at 5pm and the only thing that we could order in our room was from the overpriced restaurant menu. Disappointing!
For more than $300 a night I would expect so much more than the above. I don't normally complain and have stayed ant many hotels/accommodation/resorts/eco lodges all over the world and I must say when I read all the other reviews it makes me wonder if things have just deteriorated very badly in the last couple of months as it has so many people raving about it!
Some good things was the amazing location, massage,some of the service was great...
if the pool had been heated it would have made the stay SO much more enjoyable..
I think this place has the potential to be amazing however they need to think more about the little things that make a guests stay enjoyable, update the outdated furniture, ensure everything is working before guests arrive, put some comfortable furniture on the verandah so guests can relax and enjoy the serenity of the villa and most importantly heat the pool. if you are to close the restaurant some nights add kitchen facilities or at least have light meals delivered to the guests..
So much potential but so disappointing, especially for Peppers!!!
The tree villa we stayed in was in a beautiful location and had an amazing spa bath...
My partner booked the Villa for the pool however we arrived and he noticed the pool was freezing cold and the pump wasn't working. After 2 calls to reception maintenance was called out to fix the faulty pump and the pool was back in action. To out dismay despite the pump working the pool never heated up and we were unable to use the pool the whole stay. So disappointing as this was the main reason he booked this particular villa. To top it off the third day maintenance did something to the pool and it turned brown so even if we wanted to take a dip in the freezing pool we couldn't..
Other disappointments we encountered were the big deck overlooking the amazing view had 2 small chairs and a table in the corner of the deck. There was no day bed, no place to relax on the deck and read a book so one of had to relax and read on the bed with the other on the outdated sofa.
Other things that surprised us was:
The fruit bowl they left us had old fruit in it. The apples were old and one of the oranges had a big cut in it
The wood provided for the fire not good burning wood and we struggled to get the fire going. There was no poking stick to turn the fire and may partner nearly burnt his hand.
There was no quilt on the bed just a blanket with 2 sheets and we were cold, especially since the fire did not take very well.
We tried to use the buggy to go to dinner our first night and it wasn't working ( wouldn't the staff check things like this?).. The battery needed to be replaced..
Dinner was tasty but highly overpriced and overrated. Eaten at fine dining restaurants and would not call this fine dining. ..The lady that served our dinner was lovely despite dropping wine over our table and one of the tasters over herself and the table.
Breakfast - I had to go in search for sugar for my coffee, ask for salt and pepper on the table as well as be served burnt pancakes the last morning.
The cleaner took it upon herself to throw away fresh fruit we had bought and left in the apartment in a plastic bag.
Also we found it very strange that the hotel restaurant closed on Monday's and Tuesday. There r no cooking facilities so they expect people to drive down the mountain to town to get food. The menu to have food delivered to room stopped at 5pm and the only thing that we could order in our room was from the overpriced restaurant menu. Disappointing!
For more than $300 a night I would expect so much more than the above. I don't normally complain and have stayed ant many hotels/accommodation/resorts/eco lodges all over the world and I must say when I read all the other reviews it makes me wonder if things have just deteriorated very badly in the last couple of months as it has so many people raving about it!
Some good things was the amazing location, massage,some of the service was great...
if the pool had been heated it would have made the stay SO much more enjoyable..
I think this place has the potential to be amazing however they need to think more about the little things that make a guests stay enjoyable, update the outdated furniture, ensure everything is working before guests arrive, put some comfortable furniture on the verandah so guests can relax and enjoy the serenity of the villa and most importantly heat the pool. if you are to close the restaurant some nights add kitchen facilities or at least have light meals delivered to the guests..
So much potential but so disappointing, especially for Peppers!!!
Read more
Date of stay: September 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Cleanliness
Service
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.
We stayed for 3 nights and while the location was nice and the rooms OK-nice, for $600 a night it was below par for the standard expected at this end of town.
It felt a bit dated / plain for a peppers, look still good and a reasonable standard, we just expected, well, more...
It felt a bit dated / plain for a peppers, look still good and a reasonable standard, we just expected, well, more...
Read more
Date of stay: July 2013Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
My husband and I ended a three-week study abroad tour of Queensland with a relaxing and wonderful stay at Ruffles Lodge. A bit beyond our usual price range, Ruffles was worth every penny. We spent two nights in one of the villas, had dinner both nights and also lunch on one day. On our second day, we enjoyed a morning spent by the pool, followed by an afternoon of in-room massages and facials by a most outstanding couple of therapists. On our second night, we dined alone as we were visiting during the week in the off-season. The Chef, Alan, created two spectacular dinners each night, and our breakfasts and our lunch were delicious, as well. The breakfast alone was heavenly, but the dinners were unbelievable; Alan even went out of his way to create an additional chocolate dessert for my husband, who loves chocolate.
The décor at Ruffles is one of understated, natural elegance. Beautiful wood floors and ceilings throughout the villas and main house gave it a relaxing, tranquil feeling; the views of the Gold Coast and the Pacific are stunning. We felt very secure and comfortable in our own villa, with its balcony and spectacular views, and also enjoyed the wonderfully appointed bathroom. Allison and William were our most gracious hosts, and we also had the pleasure of meeting John, one of the owners. Everyone at Ruffles was incredibly accommodating and friendly; I can’t say enough how beautiful everything was and how delicious the meals were. Our only regret is that we did not book for four nights as we originally intended. That would have given us more time to relax and also some time to explore the surrounding area. We found the drive to the Lodge to be quite short, actually, and it took us only about 30 minutes to get there from Brisbane. We would definitely recommend this property to anyone and will absolutely be returning as soon as we can get back to Australia.
The décor at Ruffles is one of understated, natural elegance. Beautiful wood floors and ceilings throughout the villas and main house gave it a relaxing, tranquil feeling; the views of the Gold Coast and the Pacific are stunning. We felt very secure and comfortable in our own villa, with its balcony and spectacular views, and also enjoyed the wonderfully appointed bathroom. Allison and William were our most gracious hosts, and we also had the pleasure of meeting John, one of the owners. Everyone at Ruffles was incredibly accommodating and friendly; I can’t say enough how beautiful everything was and how delicious the meals were. Our only regret is that we did not book for four nights as we originally intended. That would have given us more time to relax and also some time to explore the surrounding area. We found the drive to the Lodge to be quite short, actually, and it took us only about 30 minutes to get there from Brisbane. We would definitely recommend this property to anyone and will absolutely be returning as soon as we can get back to Australia.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2006
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
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.
Sadly I should have left this review up back in May to save a few people that have stayed since from the poor experience but I decided to wait as the property was apparently going to be extensively renovated and I wanted to give them the chance to prove me wrong.... 3 months on and I haven't heard back a thing since the initial communication and offer to stay again :-(
Stayed for a romantic weekend hubby booked as a surprise - had the 'owners villa' - was incredibly expensive but left us feeling very underwhelmed and disappointed. I don't know how they could justify charging what they do.
To list but a few things...
Remote for garage didn’t work, No wood for fire, no fire set but remnants of previous fire in fireplace,TV didn’t work – Austar box not even connected (2 other tv's in unit not even connected - just for show), Big stain on rug & another at top of the stair landing – makes feel you don’t want to take shoes off, Rip in fabric of inside day bed in kitchen area that even I could mend with a needle and thread, Outside chairs filthy dirty, Loose leaf tea & coffee for plunger in plastic containers were old and stale - just awful; hair in the shower drain,
We were offered a small bottle of port with some chocolates later the first evening which was a nice gesture and much appreciated – however, on Saturday evening after dinner when I felt like having the port we discovered that the bottle had been taken away when the room had been done earlier in the day, my husband had had one little glass the night before. Was almost like – we give you this port to make up for the mistakes on check-in but don’t actually drink it.
A number of other little things over the course of the weekend - I gave the management the opportunity to reply to our complaints which I found a very positive process and they offered us a return to review the renovated property in about 'one month or at our leisure' - that was back in the middle of May 2016, sadly since then I have had no response as to how renovations are going, when we can take up their offer and I am tired of waiting.
I feel partly responsible for the bad weekends others have experience during the time I have been waiting......
Stayed for a romantic weekend hubby booked as a surprise - had the 'owners villa' - was incredibly expensive but left us feeling very underwhelmed and disappointed. I don't know how they could justify charging what they do.
To list but a few things...
Remote for garage didn’t work, No wood for fire, no fire set but remnants of previous fire in fireplace,TV didn’t work – Austar box not even connected (2 other tv's in unit not even connected - just for show), Big stain on rug & another at top of the stair landing – makes feel you don’t want to take shoes off, Rip in fabric of inside day bed in kitchen area that even I could mend with a needle and thread, Outside chairs filthy dirty, Loose leaf tea & coffee for plunger in plastic containers were old and stale - just awful; hair in the shower drain,
We were offered a small bottle of port with some chocolates later the first evening which was a nice gesture and much appreciated – however, on Saturday evening after dinner when I felt like having the port we discovered that the bottle had been taken away when the room had been done earlier in the day, my husband had had one little glass the night before. Was almost like – we give you this port to make up for the mistakes on check-in but don’t actually drink it.
A number of other little things over the course of the weekend - I gave the management the opportunity to reply to our complaints which I found a very positive process and they offered us a return to review the renovated property in about 'one month or at our leisure' - that was back in the middle of May 2016, sadly since then I have had no response as to how renovations are going, when we can take up their offer and I am tired of waiting.
I feel partly responsible for the bad weekends others have experience during the time I have been waiting......
Read more
Date of stay: May 2016
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 genuine mistake was made with the booking. We asked if there could be some consideration given....we were told no way. Thanks very much for your understanding and compassion. A lovely 40th wedding anniversary surprise ruined. A great example of how to not look after your customers. If I could give a zero I would. Happy to take the money. Easy money for doing nothing!!!!!! We have travelled the world and never been treated so badly.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
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.
My husband had planned a two day getaway to what we thought was going to be a magical place. Not so! The Lodge is tired and shabby. The main restaurant is under renovation however we were not advised of this prior to our arrival. The dining room was set up in what look like a reading room. The menu was limited and extremely disappointing. The worst meal ever!
None of the staff introduced themselves. They are young and relatively inexperienced. This establishment charge top dollar. We felt completely ripped off. Not the usual Peppers high quality standard.
None of the staff introduced themselves. They are young and relatively inexperienced. This establishment charge top dollar. We felt completely ripped off. Not the usual Peppers high quality standard.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2016Trip 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.
I normally don’t bother to write reviews . But this time I can help but caution others from staying here
The service is absolutely terrible for a 5 star resort . The bathroom had mould in the showers and cracks and broken tiles in the room , out door spa was dirty with dead skin around the rim and dirty water .
We order ice for our room . 1 hour later we still had no ice . I physically went to restaurant to get the ice and told to wait 45min unitl they start work .. 45 min later I rang reception and was told to go to bar and get it myself . Really is the a 5 star resort ???
Our dining experience was atrocious.. reception called us at 7.15 to tell the chef is leaving at 8.00pm so we have to attend the restaurant now ... even though the hotel information book inform you it closes at 9.00pm ..
Anyhow we rushed over to the restaurant where we pushed through to the able and pressured to order . Because the chef need to go home .. lol .. so we order dinner and desert for 4 people, with no time for entree. We were blow by the inexperience and professionalism of the staff . Really they untrained kids at best ..
10 min into our meal we enjoying ourself and having a laugh between us . A staff member then told to be quite and the laughing is not excepted in the restaurant and would offend the one and only other person in the place who had no issues at all with the laughing . They actually were bemused at what has just happened .. .. lol
On to the food .. we were served warm truffle bread rolls on the side . I though yum , I attempted to break the bread and couldn’t do it .. it was rock hard and unbreakable .😵 so asked the staff “ is this bread fresh ? “ she replied “yes” I then asked “ when was this bread baked “ to my amazement she replied it’s baked 2 days ago but was re heated fresh .. “
Served with 2 day old stail bread , we though we continue on with the meal . We really should have just left then .
On the the main course , we served with old reheated risotto, re heated veal and and wagyu steak that look like it came from ALDI ..
While trying to eat through this reheated mush my partner then bit on broken plastic . Her meal was contaminated with plastic from a cheese food container. With absolute discuss I approached the chef to explain why the food is contaminated. To my amazement he explained the broken plastic shards had come from the Chinese food container which the meal was stored in .. I absolute disbelief. We all left our meals , left place hungry .
Then billed $400 for the experience.
If you took the time to read this . DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY . You will be disappointed.
The service is absolutely terrible for a 5 star resort . The bathroom had mould in the showers and cracks and broken tiles in the room , out door spa was dirty with dead skin around the rim and dirty water .
We order ice for our room . 1 hour later we still had no ice . I physically went to restaurant to get the ice and told to wait 45min unitl they start work .. 45 min later I rang reception and was told to go to bar and get it myself . Really is the a 5 star resort ???
Our dining experience was atrocious.. reception called us at 7.15 to tell the chef is leaving at 8.00pm so we have to attend the restaurant now ... even though the hotel information book inform you it closes at 9.00pm ..
Anyhow we rushed over to the restaurant where we pushed through to the able and pressured to order . Because the chef need to go home .. lol .. so we order dinner and desert for 4 people, with no time for entree. We were blow by the inexperience and professionalism of the staff . Really they untrained kids at best ..
10 min into our meal we enjoying ourself and having a laugh between us . A staff member then told to be quite and the laughing is not excepted in the restaurant and would offend the one and only other person in the place who had no issues at all with the laughing . They actually were bemused at what has just happened .. .. lol
On to the food .. we were served warm truffle bread rolls on the side . I though yum , I attempted to break the bread and couldn’t do it .. it was rock hard and unbreakable .😵 so asked the staff “ is this bread fresh ? “ she replied “yes” I then asked “ when was this bread baked “ to my amazement she replied it’s baked 2 days ago but was re heated fresh .. “
Served with 2 day old stail bread , we though we continue on with the meal . We really should have just left then .
On the the main course , we served with old reheated risotto, re heated veal and and wagyu steak that look like it came from ALDI ..
While trying to eat through this reheated mush my partner then bit on broken plastic . Her meal was contaminated with plastic from a cheese food container. With absolute discuss I approached the chef to explain why the food is contaminated. To my amazement he explained the broken plastic shards had come from the Chinese food container which the meal was stored in .. I absolute disbelief. We all left our meals , left place hungry .
Then billed $400 for the experience.
If you took the time to read this . DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY . You will be disappointed.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2018Trip 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.
The good
The staff though largely untrained and undirected try hard
The bad
Basically everything else
The facilities are tired and poorly maintained.
Our room was missing the cover over the bathroom light and heater. There were water stains from previous damage.
The man hole cover in the roof was ajar.
One of the vanity sinks leaked.
The tiles around the bath were coming away.
The wifi only worked on the patio. The room was not clean with clumps of hair on the floor and a covering of dust on everything.
There was Bougainvillea which was growing over the handrail and onto the patio.
The garden beds which look so good in the photos are I fact overgrown with weeds and in some cases have no plants at all.
Many of the paths are in poor repair with various trip hazards and overgrown from the garden beds.
The breakfast experience highlights the inconsistency for me.
Saturday morning we were treated to a cafe style service and meal not what is acceptable for a 5 star resort.
Sunday morning we got what should have been the standard for a 5 star resort.
Different staff on Sunday meant far better food and service.
The funny
I left a detailed list of the areas I felt were inadequate and this morning I received an email from Ruffles thanking me for my feedback and asking me to share it on TA & FB.
If you are reading this and other reviews then you should now be aware this place is not close to being what it claims and is not worth the money.
Photo is an overgrown section of the rain forest pocket walk
The staff though largely untrained and undirected try hard
The bad
Basically everything else
The facilities are tired and poorly maintained.
Our room was missing the cover over the bathroom light and heater. There were water stains from previous damage.
The man hole cover in the roof was ajar.
One of the vanity sinks leaked.
The tiles around the bath were coming away.
The wifi only worked on the patio. The room was not clean with clumps of hair on the floor and a covering of dust on everything.
There was Bougainvillea which was growing over the handrail and onto the patio.
The garden beds which look so good in the photos are I fact overgrown with weeds and in some cases have no plants at all.
Many of the paths are in poor repair with various trip hazards and overgrown from the garden beds.
The breakfast experience highlights the inconsistency for me.
Saturday morning we were treated to a cafe style service and meal not what is acceptable for a 5 star resort.
Sunday morning we got what should have been the standard for a 5 star resort.
Different staff on Sunday meant far better food and service.
The funny
I left a detailed list of the areas I felt were inadequate and this morning I received an email from Ruffles thanking me for my feedback and asking me to share it on TA & FB.
If you are reading this and other reviews then you should now be aware this place is not close to being what it claims and is not worth the money.
Photo is an overgrown section of the rain forest pocket walk
Read more
Date of stay: January 2018Trip 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.
We engaged Peppers Ruffles to host our wedding and provide accommodation to our guests on 2 December 2012 due to its perfect setting, exclusivity, amenities and atmosphere. We had several trips down there prior to the wedding to ensure everything would be ok, and it was here I got a bad feeling in my stomach. The manager Kelly was prickly and difficult to deal with, and wasn’t prepared to be flexible with anything. At the time, a minor issue although this proved to be Ruffles’ approach right the way through.
I would like, however, to say how helpful, professional and charming Jessalee and Sharna were on the night – perhaps the rest of the staff and particularly the owner, John, need to take a leaf out of their books. And as for the setting, and the buildings, the peaceful bush surroundings – just superb.
However, here is a summary of the appalling issues we were presented with:
1. The wedding meal – The Chef Steve Houghton prepared the main course steak dish exactly the opposite of my instructions (both written and verbal) even though we ran through this many times. I’m not sure why, a supposed Executive Chef surely must have some degree of competence, and yet the result was exactly as I wanted to avoid. How on earth could he not follow are agreed steak course?
2. Dirty brown water. Several villas had dirty brown water and all the owner John Nicolls could manage was to make excuses such as ‘it’s a natural phenomenon’, ‘it’s not in my control’, ‘We didn’t know about it’. All excuses as its a continuing issue at Ruffles as I understand it, and not one that would be expected at a supposed 5 Star expensive resort. The result was that several guests were unable to bath in their villa’s baths or drink the water. Response from the owner was diabolical as well.
3. Room drinking water. Ruffles provided 250ml of drinking water per villa which is ridiculously insufficient. When my guest rang reception and spoke to the owner to ask for more, he was told to drink tap water. When he explained that he couldn’t because it was dirty brown, he received an argument as to why it was dirty brown, and then as to why should he want more water? Eventually he had to hang up, when all he wanted was some more water. Again, a diabolical response from the owner, when the only correct response from a 5 Star resort would be ‘yes sir, it’s coming right away’
4. Turndowns. Ruffles failed to provide turndowns or remove dirty lunch dishes from several villas – indeed guests had to see to this on their own. Again, Owner John made excuses.
5. Sound system. We were told that Ruffles had a premium sound system and their web-site also says this. We trialled (at low volume due to dinner guests) their system connected to my laptop under the supervision of Jess, and never were we informed that it was inadequate. On the night, when we couldn’t get the volume above speaking volume, we were first told that the speakers had blown following the last wedding, and then later that ‘everybody knows the system is insufficient and to bring their own sound system’ (again, directly from the owner John Nicolls). As a result, we couldn’t hear music during dinner or the bridal walz and dancing after dinner was an un-event. Owner John continues to make excuses such as ‘you should have known’ in-spite of their resort claiming to be fully equipped.
6. Billing – Ruffles incorrectly billed me for guests’ accommodation the night before, even though this was not to be paid by me. When I asked them to reverse this, i was told ‘the system won’t allow it – you will have to collect the money from them yourself’ Again – an example of the inflexibility of the resort. Of course they can reverse it – it’s their system, their billing system. Instead they put the onus back on their guests, rather than provide good service.
The owner John Nicolls, on numerous times John Nicholls argued with my guests and I, instead of providing satisfactory service commensurate with the Star rating code of conduct. Indeed, John seems to be of the mindset that he is providing a favour to guests, rather than a paid service (and a steep price too, our wedding added in the region of $17,000 to their coffers which would have been money well spent if not for the above).
We have since spoken to John numerous times over the above issues and continue to be provided with excuses 9as documented above) and reasons why ‘it’s not his fault’. So, my advice would be to not consider Ruffles, indeed I regret having done so. However, if you choose to, my recommendation is to ensure that everything will be working, get that in writing, and that back-up plans are made for when they don’t. I wish I had – our wedding was a one-off and priceless moment in our lives and unfortunately was significantly marred by Ruffles and it’s owner John.
I would like, however, to say how helpful, professional and charming Jessalee and Sharna were on the night – perhaps the rest of the staff and particularly the owner, John, need to take a leaf out of their books. And as for the setting, and the buildings, the peaceful bush surroundings – just superb.
However, here is a summary of the appalling issues we were presented with:
1. The wedding meal – The Chef Steve Houghton prepared the main course steak dish exactly the opposite of my instructions (both written and verbal) even though we ran through this many times. I’m not sure why, a supposed Executive Chef surely must have some degree of competence, and yet the result was exactly as I wanted to avoid. How on earth could he not follow are agreed steak course?
2. Dirty brown water. Several villas had dirty brown water and all the owner John Nicolls could manage was to make excuses such as ‘it’s a natural phenomenon’, ‘it’s not in my control’, ‘We didn’t know about it’. All excuses as its a continuing issue at Ruffles as I understand it, and not one that would be expected at a supposed 5 Star expensive resort. The result was that several guests were unable to bath in their villa’s baths or drink the water. Response from the owner was diabolical as well.
3. Room drinking water. Ruffles provided 250ml of drinking water per villa which is ridiculously insufficient. When my guest rang reception and spoke to the owner to ask for more, he was told to drink tap water. When he explained that he couldn’t because it was dirty brown, he received an argument as to why it was dirty brown, and then as to why should he want more water? Eventually he had to hang up, when all he wanted was some more water. Again, a diabolical response from the owner, when the only correct response from a 5 Star resort would be ‘yes sir, it’s coming right away’
4. Turndowns. Ruffles failed to provide turndowns or remove dirty lunch dishes from several villas – indeed guests had to see to this on their own. Again, Owner John made excuses.
5. Sound system. We were told that Ruffles had a premium sound system and their web-site also says this. We trialled (at low volume due to dinner guests) their system connected to my laptop under the supervision of Jess, and never were we informed that it was inadequate. On the night, when we couldn’t get the volume above speaking volume, we were first told that the speakers had blown following the last wedding, and then later that ‘everybody knows the system is insufficient and to bring their own sound system’ (again, directly from the owner John Nicolls). As a result, we couldn’t hear music during dinner or the bridal walz and dancing after dinner was an un-event. Owner John continues to make excuses such as ‘you should have known’ in-spite of their resort claiming to be fully equipped.
6. Billing – Ruffles incorrectly billed me for guests’ accommodation the night before, even though this was not to be paid by me. When I asked them to reverse this, i was told ‘the system won’t allow it – you will have to collect the money from them yourself’ Again – an example of the inflexibility of the resort. Of course they can reverse it – it’s their system, their billing system. Instead they put the onus back on their guests, rather than provide good service.
The owner John Nicolls, on numerous times John Nicholls argued with my guests and I, instead of providing satisfactory service commensurate with the Star rating code of conduct. Indeed, John seems to be of the mindset that he is providing a favour to guests, rather than a paid service (and a steep price too, our wedding added in the region of $17,000 to their coffers which would have been money well spent if not for the above).
We have since spoken to John numerous times over the above issues and continue to be provided with excuses 9as documented above) and reasons why ‘it’s not his fault’. So, my advice would be to not consider Ruffles, indeed I regret having done so. However, if you choose to, my recommendation is to ensure that everything will be working, get that in writing, and that back-up plans are made for when they don’t. I wish I had – our wedding was a one-off and priceless moment in our lives and unfortunately was significantly marred by Ruffles and it’s owner John.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2011Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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 John Nicholls, Owner at Ruffles Lodge & Spa
Responded 2 Feb 2012
We thought we had another successful wedding, as we received compliments from some of the 40 guests on the night of the wedding commenting on how they had enjoyed the food and what a beautiful place it was to have a wedding, followed the next morning by guests checking out who told us how much they had enjoyed their stay. We were extremely surprised when that afternoon we learnt that there was a review by the groom’s brother on Tripadvisor named “almost Faulty Towers”, it was the speediest we had ever heard of, he must have written and sent it while still at Ruffles. It seems a little incongruous when the quality of our internet connection was one of his complaints. You can read my reply to that review. We had an agreement with the reviewer (the groom) that, as he was leaving on the night of the wedding and not able to settle the final amount on his account, we could use his card for this purpose. We didn’t do anything about it until the following day, when it was reported to me that the card wouldn’t work and I offered to phone him. When I did he was immediately aggressive and stated he didn’t owe me anything, in fact I owed him. (This has been borne out by the substantial bill he later sent me). When I put the phone down and turned to the other staff, who had overheard the conversation, we looked at each other in amazement, I shrugged my shoulders and said “and we thought they enjoyed it.” Both Jan and I and our staff are proud of the reputation we have built over the years. We have held over 120 weddings at Ruffles with very satisfied clients (many have returned to celebrate their anniversaries) so it is extremely disappointing to read a review from a person with such a negative mindset. I have no objection to negative reviews in fact I am very suspicious of hotels where all the reviews are glowing but it would be nice to believe they were honest.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My partner and I decided we would stay somewhere just the 2 of us for New Years weekend. We have a baby on the way and 3 other children and were able to have a rare kid Free couple nights away to make the most of some quality time together before bub arrived. I suffer from back pain so wanted to make sure the place we booked had a spa I could relax in. After finding this place online I sent an email to check it had the spa facility as this was important to me when booking. Had an email response almost immediately stating that yes there is a spa facility here next to the outdoor infinity pool. So I thought great it looked lovely from the photos so I went ahead and booked. Cost us $660 for 2 nights stay. Well on arrival it was clear to me it was not worth the money we just paid. The initial staff member at the reception on check in was very rude, not friendly at all and looked like he didn’t even want to be there. Not a good first impresssion. After being checked into our room we went for a walk around the resort to check it all out. Spa was in fact out of order even though I asked prior to booking if there was a spa, asked bar staff at pool bar how long it had been out of order and he stated it had been a while. So why wasn’t I told this when booking?? The
Pool was very uninviting with black mould around the bottom and dead leaves that should have been cleaned on a daily basis . When u would hop into the pool it will all come up to the surface and stick to you, not very hygienic. The website states the property is a smoke free property yet everywhere u go there are ashtrays with dirty cigarette butts left in them, dirty dishes left on the tables outside in the gazebo area and uneven pavers with no warning that they are a trip hazard. I nearly fell over them and being 30 weeks pregnant that would not have ended well. There is a sewer smell that comes from the toilets near the pool and restaurant which would surely put anyone off their food or drink. The overall grounds maintenance is dirty and rundown and needs attention.
In our room the main bathroom vanity light was blown and not working which states maintenance isn’t even checked before new guests arrive and our shower water would turn freezing cold every couple minutes in the middle of the showers. Very disappointing considering I sent an email stating my concerns we had with our stay and was advised someone from management would get back to me, upon check out mentioned a few extra issues we faced during our stay and again was told we would have someone reply to our concerns and offer compensation for the horrible stay we had there yet 4 days on and still no reply to our issues. Would not recommend or stay there again. Looks very nice on the pictures on the website but Photography can be very deceiving and it’s definitely not worth the money we paid to stay there. Health and Safety concerns need to be addressed and I will be looking into this matter further and providing the photo documentation I have since nothing has been done about it from management as promised.
So in all of this we basically paid $660 to spend our New Years weekend in a room watching tv when our money could have been spent elsewhere on a hotel or resort with working facilities that didn’t lure customers under false advertising on their website.
Pool was very uninviting with black mould around the bottom and dead leaves that should have been cleaned on a daily basis . When u would hop into the pool it will all come up to the surface and stick to you, not very hygienic. The website states the property is a smoke free property yet everywhere u go there are ashtrays with dirty cigarette butts left in them, dirty dishes left on the tables outside in the gazebo area and uneven pavers with no warning that they are a trip hazard. I nearly fell over them and being 30 weeks pregnant that would not have ended well. There is a sewer smell that comes from the toilets near the pool and restaurant which would surely put anyone off their food or drink. The overall grounds maintenance is dirty and rundown and needs attention.
In our room the main bathroom vanity light was blown and not working which states maintenance isn’t even checked before new guests arrive and our shower water would turn freezing cold every couple minutes in the middle of the showers. Very disappointing considering I sent an email stating my concerns we had with our stay and was advised someone from management would get back to me, upon check out mentioned a few extra issues we faced during our stay and again was told we would have someone reply to our concerns and offer compensation for the horrible stay we had there yet 4 days on and still no reply to our issues. Would not recommend or stay there again. Looks very nice on the pictures on the website but Photography can be very deceiving and it’s definitely not worth the money we paid to stay there. Health and Safety concerns need to be addressed and I will be looking into this matter further and providing the photo documentation I have since nothing has been done about it from management as promised.
So in all of this we basically paid $660 to spend our New Years weekend in a room watching tv when our money could have been spent elsewhere on a hotel or resort with working facilities that didn’t lure customers under false advertising on their website.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2018Trip 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.
Hi, seems like things have slipped since we stayed. I remember the private pool being extremely cold - we did not swim in the main pool. The resort is certainly at the high end cost wise. I guess you could ring and speak with the manager and reassure yourself and follow up with an email so you are covered. Or, if you are able to, cancel the booking and book somewhere else. Good luck.
I have just read Joe M's review and am very nervous about staying here. Can you please let me know ASAP if all the issues he wrote about have been addressed? Thank you.
Not in room pool not sure re main pool
Nothing looked under construction in the restaurant. But the villa looked aged and tired - bathtub tile grout cracked along entire length of tub and sitting out from the strip edge. Grout heavily discoloured in bathroom. Was clean but tired.
…
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Peppers Ruffles Lodge & Spa
LOCATION
AustraliaQueenslandGold CoastWillow Vale
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingRUFFLES LODGE & SPA (Willow Vale) - Lodge Reviews & Photos - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Ruffles Lodge & Spa
What are some of the property amenities at Ruffles Lodge & Spa?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
Which room amenities are available at Ruffles Lodge & Spa?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Ruffles Lodge & Spa?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Ruffles Lodge & Spa?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Ruffles Lodge & Spa offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to a banquet room and conference facilities during their stay.
Is Ruffles Lodge & Spa accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.