Block Eight Hunter Valley — Hotel in Belford

Block Eight Hunter Valley accommodation is advertised to be a top notch choice according to its previous reviews. However, upon closer inspection, it is disheartening to find that these reviews are quite dated and no longer reflective of the current state of the property.

The villas themselves appear to be in a rundown condition, lacking adequate maintenance and proper cleaning. The utensils provided for cooking, such as pots and pans, have seen better days and are in dire need of replacement. To make matters worse, there were visible signs of mold on the inside window and bathroom blinds. Surprisingly, a band-aid was found stuck on the air conditioning unit in the bedroom, indicating a lack of attention to cleanliness.

The shower screen in the bathroom had been repaired in a shoddy manner, with unsightly amounts of silicone applied haphazardly. Furthermore, the water from the shower tends to flood the entire bathroom, which can be quite inconvenient. Moreover, despite the presence of a bath, it is strongly advised against using it. This is because the property relies solely on tank water, which is not adequately treated, resulting in brown and dirty water. They only seem to filter the drinking water, neglecting the other aspects.

Water stains on the ceiling further contribute to the overall decrepit appearance of the villa. Additionally, the rooms themselves do not seem to be cleaned thoroughly, as they appear to be covered in dust. Photos have been provided to showcase these issues in detail.

Overall, based on the current condition of Block Eight Hunter Valley accommodation, it is evident that the property is not living up to the positive reviews from the past. Potential guests should be aware of the various cleanliness and maintenance issues that persist within the villas.

In terms of location, Block Eight Hunter Valley accommodation falls short of expectations. It is situated quite far away from nearby attractions and amenities, making it inconvenient for guests who prefer easy access to everything. Additionally, reaching the property requires traversing several kilometers of dirt roads, which can pose a challenge for those with luxury or delicate vehicles. Therefore, if you own a nice car, this property may not be the ideal choice for you.

On a positive note, the grounds of the property are a redeeming feature. They are well-maintained, showcasing the care taken by the management. Despite the cabins being positioned in close proximity to each other, this is not immediately noticeable due to the clever design that ensures each cabin offers a private outlook. This provides a sense of seclusion and tranquility, allowing guests to enjoy their own space...

We came up over the weekend and stayed at the Gum Tree villa at Block 8. It’s a beautiful self contained villa on a secluded, quiet, private block. On this private block from memory there are about 4-5 villas here with a wine room located outside. The wine room is a shared facility for guests and it’s a wonderful little spot where you can have a small get together amongst friends.

The toiletries, vegetarian breakfast hamper and insides were lovely, thoughtful and generous. I really liked the hamper as they had locally sourced produce from the area and really nice sourdough! It just makes a get away so much easier when these are provided (and much appreciated when it’s good quality). The olive oil provided in the kitchen comes from Block 8 itself and we ended up getting a bottle because it was so lovely. Toiletries were lovely with even bubbles for a bubble bath!

Things to note when coming here - as we are in the country, insects will come in! When we first arrived I saw some small dead insects on the stove and in the bath tub. Originally I thought the cleaners didn’t clean up properly but over the course of the 2 night stay we realised being in country side, these buggers come in even despite the fly screen. It’s not hordes of insects that come in, but a couple throughout the day. In the villa they’ve also stocked it well with insect repellant if required and insect spray as well just in case you need it.

The other thing which might be helpful to note is that the water is from memory tank water but tripled filtered. When we arrived on Friday, the Hunter region had a month’s worth of rain coming down in that day. As such the water which came out of the tap (in the tub) came out a bit tea brown which was a shock to us initially. But afterwards we found out it was due to the fact water collected (the book in the villa was great at explaining but I couldn’t quite remember the ins and outs of it!)

While not related to Block 8 directly, it was also really helpful to be able to call up Weekenda anytime of the day - as there were some areas which were flood prone, even if they weren’t aware of how to best manage they were able to call the owner and let us know. On a day where you have good weather, this probably isn’t such a big deal but on days when it’s simply pouring, any assistance is helpful!

We also were given complementary late checkout as no one was coming in the day after us so this was really awesome.

Thank you guys for making our...

Highly recommend for couples. Amazing cabin which are spacious, new and have a great scenery. Pros: No interaction required : we didn't talk to anyone at any point. Checkin is online and you are sent a pin code to access your cabin on the day. So super easy.

Location - so beautiful and peaceful. There are only 4 cabins plus the owners house so max 8 guests at any time. As a result it is extremely quite and peaceful. You have views of bush, dams, vineyards and rolling green hills. Its so nice sitting on the deck just relaxing. Can also take a walk around the property with olive groves as well and lots of kangaroos.

Breakfast box - great touch and they give you any milk you ask for e.g. Oat.

Cabin - its huge and quite new. Quality shower products, bed is comfy, nice big tv. Couch isnt positioned for tv viewing but you can move it just move it back before checkout.

Olive oil - i seriously wish i could buy a bottle it was so good and made from their olives grown on site.

Wifi - is strong and good speed. Can use tv to watch streaming servies.

Cons : Flooding - The quickest road to get to Block Eight is prone to flooding. We had the unpleasant experience of facing this at 1030pm on our way to checkin. Luckily we worked out you can enter via the other end of the road. Suggest Block Eight / Weekenda add this information or even sms you when flooding happens to take away the stress. Also the only road to get in can have minor flooding so if you have a small car be aware but in a AWD or 4WD it wont be an issue.

Breakfast - you receive a great breakfast box of supplies to cook yourself HOWEVER this largely only covers 2 days so if staying longer just know you'll need to either get your own supplies or eat out.

Location - is a bit of the way but thats the charm too. If the road isnt flooded the drive to restaurants or wineries is short.

Bathroom - no handheld shower so for ladies you mightn't like. Also there is no exhaust fan so gets very steamy.

Aircon/heating - you cant use the wood fires outside Oct. There is reverse cycle though but the remotes take a bit of playing around to get it to work ocne you do though...