Estate Tuscany — Restaurant in Pokolbin

My partner and I stayed at Estate Tuscany for the Labour Day long weekend, checking in on Friday, October 3rd, and checking out on Monday, October 6th. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by poor maintenance, unresponsive staff, and unexpected closures, making the entire trip inconvenient and unenjoyable.

Upon entering our Olive Grove Queen room, it was immediately apparent that it had not been properly maintained. The walls were cracked, there was a persistent unpleasant odor emanating from the bathroom tiles, and the toilet was clogged with toilet paper, rendering it unable to flush. No air freshener or bathroom spray was provided to mitigate the smell. Additionally, the hair dryer lacked a nozzle and included only a humidifier attachment, which was inadequate for basic use.

The next morning, my partner attempted to report these issues. However, there is no dedicated reception desk; the building is closed, and guests are redirected to the on-site Broken Back Bar. The staff there informed him that no maintenance personnel were available on-site to address the problem. They claimed no prior complaints had been received about the room but advised us to notify them of any further issues. Despite the severity of the toilet malfunction, no alternative room was offered, even though the property appeared under-occupied—out of approximately 15 rooms, only two others seemed to have guests during our stay from Friday. We were forced to endure these conditions for three nights.

Most other guests stayed for just one night, which might explain why such issues go unreported. However, for a long weekend booking, it is unacceptable that the property lacks on-site management or maintenance support to handle basic problems promptly. The grounds were also poorly maintained; full of bindis, making it unsuitable and unsafe for pets.

Adding to our frustration, we had been informed in advance of weddings scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings, which resulted in the on-site restaurant (The Mill) and bar being closed to non-wedding guests for those days. On Friday, we had already eaten dinner before arrival. On Saturday, we were forced to walk to the nearby 4 Pines Brewery for a meal, which was uncomfortable due to the freezing nighttime temperatures. It would have been helpful to receive advance notice of these closures to make alternative arrangements, especially since the rooms lack kitchenettes and the property offers no courtesy bus or recommended taxi service.

By Sunday, we hoped to dine at the on-site Broken Back Bar, as Google listings indicated it was open all day until 9:00 PM. (Note that Monday was a public holiday, when it is expected to be closed.) After returning from a day of wine tasting, we discovered both the restaurant and bar were inexplicably closed for the entire day—despite it being a peak long weekend period. This left us with limited options and further highlighted the property's poor planning and communication.

At 6:08 PM on Sunday I called the after-hours number and spoke with Sophie. I explained the ongoing issues, and she apologised, stating she would note the room number and ensure someone followed up with a call. However, no one contacted us on Sunday or Monday, leaving us feeling completely disregarded.

On Monday, during checkout, I visited the bar to discuss our experience but was redirected to the restaurant, as there is no reception. I spoke with a woman who acknowledged the issues, apologised for our inability to use the facilities, and suggested we could have used the pool instead. I pointed out that the pool was not a viable alternative for dining needs and was itself unclean, with bugs and leaves floating on the surface. She offered another apology but provided no compensation, resolution, or further action.

Estate Tuscany failed to deliver a hospitable experience. The staff's indifference, even for guests staying more than two nights, was evident throughout. I wouldn’t recommend Estate Tuscany for a weekend getaway, when basic amenities and services should be...

Our wedding at Estate Tuscany was a magical day, thanks to Kate and her team. We booked 3 months out from the date that we got married on and from the moment we paid the deposit Kate walked us through the process step by step accommodating all our requests where ever possible.

We were meant to have both the ceremony and reception outside in the courtyard which is absolutely stunning. When we visited to go over the day a month prior. It was this visit that we realised that it was so hot that we should reconsider our plans and decided to move the event indoors, we are so glad that we did this as the wedding day Feb 10th 2018 was close to 40’C, being that my now husband was in a suit and myself in a wedding dress, and we didn’t want any of our guests to pass out! Kate was so understanding and flexible with our requests giving us many options to choose from.

In between the ceremony and reception, we were able to set up our lawn games, whilst we had a bar and ice cream tab for guests to enjoy in the Brokenback Bar. This was a great way to keep everyone satisfied and out of the heat while we had our bridal photos.

We drove nearby for the photos, there are so many beautiful spots to explore, I recommend scouting prior to the wedding day, because on the day time seems to escape you so having a plan helps.

All the staff had smiles and were super helpful throughout the night. The table service was excellent, the staff served drinks at the table so guests did not have to go to the bar. Many of our guests commented on how great this service was. The food was delicious, and the chef even created a unique desert for myself that suited what I can eat.

The staff also assisted with putting our decorative items aside on the night for us to collect the following day. Nothing was too difficult for the staff and the wedding all went to plan, it’s safe to say that they know what they are doing coordinating weddings.

We stayed on site which was very convenient to walk between, especially for friends and family with small children, which they also accommodated well during the wedding. This was a big positive keeping everything nice, close and easy.

The girls and myself got ready in the conservatory room, this is very big and is beautiful for photographs also, we were able to have sandwiches, cheese and wine while having our hair and makeup done.

Fernando and I want to thank all the staff that were a part of making our special day at Estate Tuscany so perfect, we will always have wonderful memories from the 10th of Feb. we both highly recommend The Mill Restaurant and Estate Tuscany to host...

Booked a table for 6 for a Birthday lunch. We started by ordering sparkling wine which the waitress seemed confused by having us physically point to the name on the wine list to reassure her of what we were ordering. She then brought the bottle to the table and asked us if we wanted to open it ourselves. “Why would we want to do that?”. After she wrestled with the cork for a few minutes she had to call over a colleague to finish the job. One of our party was then given a chipped glass. We weren’t off to the best start. But everyone has bad days we say to ourselves and hope the food makes up for the service. Unfortunately not, 6 amuse come out all pork and with 2 members of our party being vegetarian, something I made a point of noting when booking, this was surprisingly thoughtless. Our first course is average across the board and tiny for the price tag. The service remains dismal and unprofessional. Having to call over for attention when our glasses sat empty. The waitress just plopping the wine I ordered into the ice bucket and walking away - “I guess we’ll serve ourselves”. The main course was better for some. The Barramundi being well prepared and tasty but for the two vegetarians at the table an undercooked eggplant just topped off an average meal for them. We left without ordering dessert. We’d seen enough. For the $100+ per person I expected...