BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks - Rowes Bay — Hotel in Belgian Gardens

To start, booked and paid full amount by direct deposit to save credit card fees.  Was then charged for the full amount again, including credit card fees.|Called up to explain the double charge, and was reimbursed the lesser amount excluding the card fees.   Called again and advised that I had already paid to avoid card fees, and that the refund due is the gross amount inclusive of card fees.  Cheeky, but was only refunded the proper amount after two phone calls|2. Park management severely lacking in customer care and service.  There seems to be a really bad culture with the staff, as they are surly, most occasions rude, and not a pleasant welcome nor pleasant experience going to the front office.|3.  Upon arrival to check-in at 1.33pm - was told to come back in 27 minutes and then they would be ready to check in and not before.|4. Office member was unwelcoming and surly.  A real bad start to a long stay holiday.|5. We were due a food delivery to the reception office on the day of arrival.  The courier assured us that the delivery was delivered to the reception, but the box was not there.  We requested camera / video footage of the reception area for the 10 minute time slot that it was alleged to have been delivered and was advised we would get it emailed to us.  A few days later, was told that they reviewed the footage and there was no delivery, but they would not share the video footage as previously promised.|This only raises one suspicions.  |6. The Ocean View Cabin was not clean.  The fridge was disgusting - dirty, smelling and void of shelving to store items.  Went to the office and the fridge was duly replaced - appreciated!!  But, dirty and defunct appliances should not arise as an issue upon arrival.|7. Requested a cabin service.  We were advised that it would be done the following day.  Service was not undertaken so went to office and was told that I hadn't requested a service and that they couldn't do it now. So I requested clean linen, towels, rubbish bags etc and did it ourselves.  Upon leaving, the front desk lady thought it a joke and laughed, until I turned around and looked at her, she only then embarrassingly stopped giggling.  |8. Later in our stay, we once again requested a cabin service.  We were assured it would be undertaken the following day, but once again it did not happen.  Once again I requested clean linen, towels, rubbish bags etc and we did it ourselves.|9. The Ocean View Cabins (which are priced at a premium) look over a busy and noisy road.  No fault of management, but pretty ordinary hearing traffic all hours.|10. The Ocean View Cabins overlooks and directly opposite a public carpark where a coffee van with a noisy generator starts at 6:30AM until 11:00AM 5 days of the week.|11.  The Ocean View Cabins overlooks and directly opposite a public carpark where a pizza food van with a noisy generator starts at 4:00PM until 9:30PM most evenings.|Very annoying hearing the constant drone of a generator most mornings and most evenings whilst relaxing on holiday.  ||Based on the above, It was not a pleasant experience that we expected and...

If you have a Big Rig and medium/large dogs then avoid this place like the plague. For you are not welcome and that will be made clear to you. Also do not book through Wiki Camps, the information there is incorrect. The reception staff were argumentative

What can I add to this review? RULES, RULES and MORE RULES yet the Park is an OH&S nightmare. Don’t do this, don’t do that, it’s a wonder anyone would want to stay here.

❌ They insisted that only small breeds of dogs were allowed into the park, yet we saw a number of border collies that were being walked (which was in breach of their Rules). ❌ There is No dog exercise yard on site.

❌ They put our Large Rig next to a most unfriendly, surly couple in a Camper Trailer. Obviously not dog lovers, they gave us foul looks right from the get go.

❌ We received a visit from, what we can only assume, was the Park Manageress. She is a nasty piece of work. No hi, how are you, enjoying the park type banter. Nope it was straight to the point…. There have been complaints that you have not cleaned up after your dogs…. (a blatant lie). That we had consistently left our dogs unattended and that they barked and whined continuously ….. (another blatant lie) At which point the conversation went downhill rapidly. We denied the accusations that were made, but would she listen to the truth. You guessed it. No she would not. All the time waving a piece of paper about the rules that we had agreed to. We maintained that there was no truth in the complaints and that she should inform the complainer of that fact. She finally said that they could ‘make’ us go, if anymore complaints were made. At no stage was she subjected to either verbal or physical abuse. The thing that really upsets me is that she immediately took the side of the complainers and anything we said was irrelevant.

❌ There are so many trip hazards around the park, steps without the yellow safety strips, speed bumps damaged, No edge warning strips on the concrete pads, Water points with metal stakes angled out and nothing to wam anyone of danger..There are sewer traps on raised concrete slabs with metal entry covers, and No yellow warning stripes. One of which I tripped over on our first night in when walking the dog.. I injured my knee, but when I later reported it at Reception, the girl there was not interested in writing down the details, just told me that it had to be submitted via email. No, how are you, no kiss my arse, no nothing. Absolutely no concern that I had suffered an injury due to their lack of compliance with OH&S regs.

❌ The markup on their drinks is off the planet with 750ml bottles of soft drinks costing $8. each. (Bloody highway robbery)

Will we ever return? ………..Not in this lifetime ❌ Do we recommend this place?…. You are joking, Right! ❌

If I could, I would give this place a Minus...

The site I stayed in was a dirt slab with sharp rocks and twigs all over the ground. No working wifi and a closed amenities black meaning a long walk to the next ones in the middle of the night to share 2 toilets with the entire park that looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in days! On top of that I received the worst customer service I have ever experienced this morning. I was spoken to appallingly by the plus sized lady with brown hair and hand tattoos at the reception. I went in to request a second night extension due to a late return ferry from magnetic island. She had zero urgency to help with my inquiry and was instead fixated on something with the printer for 10 minutes with no communication towards my inquiry. When I explained I had a ferry to catch and if someone else could help me she was rude and blunt and said no I’m looking at it. After some back and forth with rude attitude from the woman she said that there’s no availability even though i could see plenty on line so that was clearly a lie… I left the office and after reflecting on the disgusting communication I received from her I went back in to lodge a compliant. As I walked back into the reception 15 minutes later I hear her mocking me to her co worker …. After asking for her name she replied “ I don’t have to do anything I can just tell you any name” Her co worker in the wheel chair said “just give her your name” to which she replied “it’s ren” I asked to speak to the manager which she said no but and said “you can just leave” I am absolutely appalled by her attitude and sarcasm towards a paying customer and would never stay in this park again. I recommend anyone wanting to stay in Townsville to choose...