Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge — Hotel in Carnarvon Park

Setting out on a 2 month long Queensland holiday, Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge was to be the highlight. They took our $885 payment (for 3 nights stay commencing 7 June) in full back in March. The lodge offered full restaurant facilities for all meals (at extra cost of course) as there was no self catering in the rooms permitted, which we were happy with, as it would give us a bit of a luxury stay midway through our holiday.

Extract copied from their website:

"The Lodge offers a fully licensed Wilderness Restaurant headed by our award winning chef with a delicious menu to explore...Food and Beverage Dining, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner."

On 30 May I hopped on their website to check our booking for 7th June as other travellers had heard rumours, and they had posted this message..

"Due to staff shortages, we need to reset to ensure we give our guests our best. Therefore, we will be temporarily closed from the 5th May, re-opening 7th June 2021. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused."

That was worrying so tried getting in touch for re-assurance, but no re-assurance given.

5th June (2 days prior to check in) we receive an email (luck we had reception) advising we have to self cater as the restaurant is closing indefinitely. No phone call - just an email. They offer the use of outdoor kitchen/bbq, pots pans etc. Also going to supply continental breakfast for us. There goes our touch of luxurious living during our Carnarvon Gorge stay.

7 June we arrive for check in a tad early at about 12 midday. Remember they've had a month to "reset", but nope it's not possible to check in until 2pm as the cabin is not ready! "we have to put plates and cutlery into each cabin" the receptionist advises! We go away and return at 2pm and check in. They swipe my credit card for incidentals, but how can there be any as the restaurant / bar is closed. "it's company policy for the things in the room" we're told. Hmmmmm!?

Although not what we wanted when we booked, the first evening of self catering goes OK - about 24 people sharing the impromptu facilities. As well as the crockery in room they've provided more in the area set aside for guests to self cater. There were fridges plus a good range of pots pans and utensils and a bin for dirties with a note saying to please leave dirty dishes etc here and they would wash up. As it happened we & other guests washed our own dirties but many of the others used the bin provided.

Cabins are excellent and well equipped and we were very comfortable and slept well.

We were heading out to Big Bend, so an early start - the "free" Continental breakfast was cheap and nasty Supermarket sliced bread, butter and jam sachets plus cornflakes and milk. Two toasters - one of which didn't work. Nothing else - not a sign of a piece of fruit! No gluten free for folks. Very very stingy on their part. Last evenings dirty dishes still there so no clean plates for Breakkie unless you washed some. Very poor service on their part - remember we're paying $295 a night for this appalling service & lack of customer care.

Evening 2 self catering.... the supply of crockery no longer available and no tub for the dirties. Clearly the effort of washing up was too onerous for the staff. Shameful and disrespectful to paying guests! A group of about 15 old folk had checked in - they were catered for! Plus they had table places laid ready for them...How come?? Made us other guests feel like 2nd class citizens!

So in our 3 nights there, we spoke only once to a staff member at check in, and had a Gday from the groundsman. There was never an apology, and not once did staff approach us or ask how we were going in the circumstances they had put us in, which were nothing like we expected and paid for based on their website description of the lodge.

So my rant is over and was to do with the appallingly lacking management style of the lodge who showed virtually nil concern for their guests paying close to $300 a night.

As for Carnarvon Gorge NP - simply stunning and highly...

We did enjoy our stay at the wilderness lodge. The grounds are beautiful, and the cabins nicely spaced apart. Set amongst the bush, there were cockatoos and kangaroos during the day, and we had brumbies come in during the night.|The cabins are spacious, the shower water hot, the bed firm and comfortable and the doona was very snug to combat the cold night. Although, the small heaters in the room struggled to keep the cold at bay.|Like other travelers at the lodge, we were not sure what to expect for the camp kitchens, so did not bring much food with us. We were pleasantly surprised. They were well stocked with ample fridge and freezer space. There was salt, pepper and cooking oils, BBQ, gas burner and a microwave. Pots and pans are provided, and your cutlery/crockery is in a bucket in your cabin. |The location of the lodge is perfect. A short 3klms drive to the visitor information center and entrance to the gorge. The gorge itself is magnificent, a truly beautiful place to visit. Most of the walk is on relatively flat, well-marked tracks peppered with multiple river crossings with lots of river rocks to cross. The highlight for us was the amphitheater. |Overall we enjoyed our stay at the lodge, but I was disappointed by a couple of things. We paid the extra for the executive queen cabin that promoted 'a large balcony overlooking the impressive rock wall of the Gorge’. But this was not the case as we had no view of the rock wall of the gorge. It also refers to the A frame and the fire, however, two of the three nights we were there, the fire was not lit. (And it was cold enough for a fire).|We also ate in the restaurant one night, which is quite pricey for the offerings (and they had run out of a couple of the items on the menu) I had a chicken burger, and part of the chicken was raw.|Despite these disappointments, I would not hesitate to return. The accommodation is tented – do not expect 5 star luxury - and prepare to be cold of a nighttime- but the location and ambience was amazing. The minor issues did not detract from an overall wonderful...

BEWARE! My partner and I booked 5 nights, 9th-13th October. We drove 500kms from Sunshine Coast to Roma on the 8th with booked motel overnight. We planned the 3-4 hr drive on the 9th to the Lodge. We received an e-mail from Renee from reception which was sent at 1000 hrs. The e-mail stated there were fires in the Gorge areas but we could still make it to the lodge that day. As we were driving we did not get this e-mail till we arrived at our motel in Roma at 1500 hrs. We found another e-mail from Renee sent at 1400 hrs informing us that the road was now closed and our booking had been cancelled. We checked the Qld Parks website and discovered that they had closed the whole Gorge on the 6th October till the 13th October due to wild fires in the Gorge. We attempted to contact Renee at reception, left multiple messages but heard nothing. In a frustrated state I sent an e-mail stating their communication was "piss poor", that we needed information, ie do we stay in Roma and wait it out or do we head home. We got an e-mail around 1800 hrs that our booking was cancelled. On the 9th we left Roma and drove 500kms back to the Sunshine Coast. On the drive home we managed to get through to Renee at reception. As I was driving my partner attempted to have a conversation with Renee but was bullied and abused, " we don't want people like you in our park", " she will talk to her boss to see if we will get our $1250 refunded". We received no apologies, were talked over. Several issues arise from the experience. 1. Despite the park being closed at 1600 hrs on the 6th we received no phone or e-mail to warn us. We were told we could drive to the lodge on the 8th despite wild fires in the area. Looking at other reviews our experience is not unique. The management do not have policy and procedures adequate to deal with fires and flooding. As the Lodge is remote an adequate warning and communication system is part of "Duty of Care". Several days later we received a full refund. Another reviewer had to take legal action to get a refund 4...