We were driving back from Melbourne after the nightly ferry ride took us through the Bass Strait…read morefrom Devonport, Tasmania... Headin' up to Canberra we were... trying to decide if we should take a chance with the floods through Wodonga... or head up the coast along Princes Highway... opting for the latter, fighting the z monster along the way. All the splashing and rocking the night before on the Spirit of Tasmania, made it difficult to make it all the way to Canberra without nodding off, so we stopped at Cann River to rest... stretching our legs and havin' a Captain's Cook... we decided to extend that rest into the next day. Glad we did! In this little sawmilling town, surrounded by beautiful mountain views... There is a remote possibility that this area could have been Sydney Cove, if only Captain Cook sailed a few more kilometers up the river. Noting that the river was able to accomodate large ships with little improvement to adequately unload their wares and supplies for the new colony. I also have a strong belief that my Mate, Duncan had a beer or two at this Pub Hotel, but I'm pretty sure he came here to taste the rack of lamb that is usually offered at dinner! An experience we won't forget, we had a great time on this little tour. Thanks to me New Mates we made at the Cann River Hotel!

Clean, comfortable, well sized. Only stayed for a stopover…read moreso not much to go off but it was nice.

I love the Esplanade. Always reasonably priced, and clean. The kids also loved the heated pool and…read morespa.

Sometimes it's not about the accommodations themselves. Sometimes the overall feel of the place is…read morethe important thing; and the people are the final decider. The BW Sea Spray Motel was my home-away-from-home while working for an extended period just outside Merimbula. And by my second week, it really did feel like coming home. (A home where you could feed wild parakeets in the yard; have a beer with one of the hosts - who told great stories - and chat with other guests across balconies) Our hosts, Antoinette and Tony, made this place special. "Lovely people" is the term that fits best. Affable and outgoing, they became friends with most of our group. Saying goodbye on the last day was actually a little tough for me. As for the motel itself, the rooms themselves were clean and spacious, if a bit outdated (though they appear to be making rapid upgrades). Still, you'd be hard-pressed to find something better nearby. The accommodations were certainly good for the price, and I slept great here; which is KEY of course. Other services: -- Breakfast option to your room for a charge. Antoinette is a good cook -- Large DVD collection in the lobby for borrowing at will -- Laundry done for a cost (AUD 10) if you're lazy (I was) -- Wi-fi worked pretty well, with a few minor slowdowns during peak hours I occupied two different rooms during my stay, and each suffered only from minor issues (fussy water temp; one noisy fan; one burnt-out light bulb). My second room with a balcony and kitchenette was the best, offering a deck with nice views of the town and lake below. The deck became my go-to spot to hang with a beer after a long day. (Note: It was early summer in Oz). There's a chance I will be back to Merimbula someday for a second project. If so, I won't even bother looking elsewhere - I'd go back to the Sea Spray in a heartbeat. An easy choice.

Metung Institution This pub is apparently the place to eat…read morein Metung. It has a lovely dining room with views of the water. The food is standard pub grub - but it's well cooked and presented. The service is incredibly slow - we were there with friends for a mid-week lunch and the food took almost an hour to arrive!

We were advised that the Metung hotel was the only place in town serving dinner on a Sunday, so off…read morewe went. If you're from the US as we are, know that hotel doesn't mean lodging - more like a pub/restaurant. On Sundays they serve food from 6-8 and we were advised they'd be packed so jump on the list right away. As soon as we arrived, a friendly barkeep did just that. The mister started with breaded scallops - he really liked them, followed by fish and chips. I had a giant chicken schnitzel. Everything was honestly very good and the prices (on drinks as well) are reasonable. FYI, there's no real table service - you'll place both food and drink orders at the counter. If you are a betting man there are automated bet taking screens and the TV's show the races. Or you can sit on the terrace and admire the incredible views.