This luxury spa-like hotel, with its villas (where we stayed)...was one of the MOST relaxing places…read morewe've been! The food was excellent, farm-to-table, classic. Next time we will stay longer! Totally recommend for some R&R.

We stayed here over the Easter weekend. It's really quite a stunning location and the grounds are…read moreimmaculate, despite it pouring most of the stay. The restaurant (Manfredi at Bells) has fantastic food, though a limited menu if staying for more than one meal. Service at the restaurant is stunning, can't say enough good things about the wait staff - courteous, attentive and, most importantly, not in your way when you don't need them to be. Unfortunately, hotel staff are a different matter. Reception are a bit meh, and don't seem to care when you've got issues with your accommodation. They seem to have multiple systems for the estate because housekeeping can't seem to see when people have booked into other areas of the estate to see when a convenient time is to clean the room. Yes, I know it's pedantic, but it's a bloody expensive stay, so you expect amazing service. When your heating doesn't turn on and your air con is broken, and the reception doesn't seem to believe you and takes four hours to respond to your request, and then can't fix it themselves, it doesn't endear you to their service quality. When your toiletries are watered down, I'm the first one to cry "First world problems", but again, you're paying a lot of money for this level of service so you expect it to be top notch. So, lessons for Killcare - invest in another maintenance person in case one is busy - cross training is essential - I don't care if one is picking up a helicopter from the next estate, all I care is that I'm spending a bloody cold day in a five star resort with no heating. Another lesson - track your guests - invest in the software to see their whereabouts pop up on your restaurant reservation system so you don't leave messages on their phone when the place has no cell coverage. And finally - your reception is your front of house - it's the bastion of welcome, first and last. Make sure they are trained well and give them the tools to make their guests feel welcome, not make their guests feel like they are getting in your way.

Great hotel, a lot of outdoor and indoor space, awesome atmosphere, nice food. On a Sunday…read morelunchtime only 40 people here. Parking was the biggest pain.

Lunchtime and mid week on a sunny day! Although, if you have the kids I am assured weekends are…read moreworthwhile as there is a playground with chooks and ducks. The outdoor dining area is fully covered and big with plenty of tables. Don't drop your keys or coins as it will go through the floor. The view is pretty good too. There were four of us and we all had something different. The quiche was "lovely"; the sauce on the hamburger was good; plenty in fisherman's basket but the pot pie was the pick. It is a bit of a drive from civilisation so make a day of it. Remember it is cash only and no cards.

Great little sandstone country pub with lots of tables outside under the trees to enjoy really good…read moresimple meals & the drink of your choosing. The menu is written on a chalk board & changes all the time but you can usually get most the pub food favourites and a bit more. 21kms from either ferry at Wisemans Ferry, driving from the main ferry is about half dirt/gravel but the road is flat & well maintained so makes a great scenic country drive or better still bring a bike & park at Wisemans & enjoy a leisurely pedal to really soak it all in. They have 4 comfortable but basic cabins if you want to get away to the country without travelling too far.

It's like someone took one of my favourite country pubs from England and plopped it down in the…read moreHawkesbury. Drive to Wisemans Ferry, take the ferry across the Hawkesbury, and drive north another 20 minutes. Just as the bitumen runs out you'll find the tiny village of St Albans. Cross over the one-lane wooden bridge and you'll nearly run right into the Settlers Arms. This is an old convict-built pub. It's a large stone building with little, dark, wooden rooms. They serve pie & mash and fish & chips and ploughman's lunches and other savoury treats. It's a simple, tasty feed. They have a the typical beers and wines and spirits available, but they also have their own hand-pumped ale. Proper, too, just below room temperature and tastes of twigs, like an ale should. I never drink anything else when I'm there. There's a dining room inside, but I imagine it only gets used in the winter. Because everyone sits, eats, and drinks outside. There are dozens of wooden tables and benches outside, under the eaves, under the spanning trees. Dogs meander, children run: it's a great community feel. Out back there's green lawn and more tables and, likely on weekends, someone sining or strumming a tune. If you in April, around Anzac Day, you might catch the St Albans Folk Festival. http://www.stalbansfolkfestival.com.au/ It's held on the grounds just down the lane from the pub, and while it's worth the few dollars entry you can usually catch most of the musicians drinking and eating and playing for free in the grounds of the pub. We'll often go up for lunch, just because it's a really nice drive. Go through Hornsby, and take the Galston gorge road for some hairpin descending turns (some with 5 km/h limits).

We took a ferry from Palm Beach NSW to the Boathouse in Patonga on the recommendation of family. We…read moreenjoyed the ferry immensely and recognized Lion's Head in the distance. There was a small sparsely populated beach next to the ferry dock and the restaurant was just ahead. They serve lunch from 11 am to 1:30. Another area called the Kiosk has breakfast from 7:00 to 11:00. We were there for lunch. Both of us opted for chicken Parmesan aka parmi, a staple on many Aussie menus. It was a big piece of white meat coated with some kind of crumb, deep fried and served with cheese, ham, and tomato sauce on top. Definitely not in the health food category, but definitely tasty and filling. It was paired with well-made chips(French fries) and a very fresh green salad. The generous portion was impossible to finish and we agreed we should have split the order. We sat outside, but there's also indoor seating. It must be very popular with locals as there was a table of ten friends having lunch and drinks next to us. There were various pastry treats and muffins on the counter where we ordered, and I thought I might get a dessert from those, but the parmi left no room for afters. Soon it was time to take the ferry back to Palm Beach.

This place has nailed the wow factor. Stunning location, adorable decor, classy and preppy…read moreambiance, awesome food. Going here is a must, especially at the end or middle of the Pearl to Patonga walk. Such a treat! My favorite thing on the table was the Trout Platter - the smoked trout and creme fraiche with fresh herbs and lemon on rye toast was so refreshing. Also come with trout pate which was a bit too salty for me. 2nd fav item was the garlic rosemary flatbread with manchego. Thin, fluffy flatbread and the're generous with the manchego which I appreciate. The ceviche was fine and fresh but not a highlight and something I'm happy to skip next time. They had edible flowers as garnish and presentation was outstanding. The chai latte with Tumeric can be missed. It was actually thin and bland and the cinnamon made a gorgeous anchor picture but was not that nice of a complement taste-wise. Location is the biggest highlight here and would absolute come again. The vibe is excellent and food is above average. Even the bathroom is outdoors and has a line of plants and another fountain to make you feel regal.

The food was all very delicious, the view was great, and the kids had fun at the playground! A…read morelovely lunch before heading to the beach for low tide.

The food is great and the views are quite impressive. Unfortunately, service is minimal and pretty…read moreslow. I guess you could call it laid-back. I ordered the fish and chips, which consisted of a battered barramundi fillet, fries, and a nice garden salad. The fish was delicious and nicely cooked. The accompanying tartar sauce was probably the best I've ever had - I was scraping the sides of the container. We tried a bunch of other things as well, all of which seemed well done. These included the prawn pasta, squid ink pasta, chicken parmi, chicken burger, chicken schnitzel, and fish tacos. It's really in a prime spot near Caves Beach. I would definitely come back if I'm in the area.

Great service, great food, wonderful atmosphere! Walk in and choose to sit in a cozy library…read moresetting, or head right up the pub style seating with high tops ,sorts in TVs, and local conversations. Large menus with lots of great choices. Had the oysters and they were sweet with a great minuet on the side. The wings were excellent, tender and tasty. Had the Bent Spoke Crankshaft beer and it was refreshing with a tropical vibe hitting the taste buds. The bartender was amazing, and the cook came out and served us our food, great guy. I would recommend stopping in and checking this place out. Cheers

First time to the Bayview and found it a good experience. Everything you would expect from a Modern…read morePub but with a twist of great water views from the semi open bar. Prices are reasonable and food, especially sea food very fresh and well presented. Side note ..... $12 cocktails ...... don't tell anyone as I don't want this venue too over crowded.

Good value accommodation on the central coast. Across the road from the beach and handy to small…read moregroup of shops. Rooms are simple but very clean and comfortable. A smart make over with great beds and good quality bedding. Excellent breakfast included. We had smashed avocado and a muesli fruit combo. Great welcome by owner also.

Awesome place to stay, delicious food, great staff LOCATION…read moreLOCATION LOCATION Breathtaking I can't wait to stay again

Terrigal is one of those beachside locations we'd be happy to return to time and time again. We…read morelove the beach, the fish and chip stores, the friendly locals and being able to stay in some great accommodation to make the most of the stay. We love the reliable and comfortable Crowne Plaza Terrigal. Absolute beach front with sweeping views of the beach, it's the perfect little getaway. The property is expansive, with 199 rooms, leisure facilities including a pool, table tennis, gym and Endota Day Spa. There's also three ocean front restaurants and bars so you don't even need to leave the property if you don't want to. If you're up in the area for work, there's meeting rooms and conference spaces too. The local area has boutique shopping, coffee shops, fish and chips, and plenty of places to explore. We stayed in an ocean front King room, with a balcony. The room was spacious, complete with a lounge, ottoman, workspace, mini bar and tea and coffee making facilities. A huge bathroom, with plenty of products, hairdryer and bathrobes. Free wi-fi is throughout the property and parking can be utilised underground for $25 per day. The hotel had a good mix of customers from groups of friends, to couples, singles and families with children. Come up to Terrigal, on the Central coast and enjoy your little slice of paradise to relax and unwind away from hustle and bustle of the city. In less than 2 hours from Sydney, it's the perfect weekend getaway. Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific Pinetree Lane, Terrigal, NSW, 2260 https://terrigalpacific.crowneplaza.com