Diamond Island Resort

Diamond Island Resort descritpion

Built in 1856, Diamond Island Resort offers free WiFi just 5 minutes’ walk from Diamond Island. There is a restaurant and a swimming pool. The property is home to an abundance of wildlife, including small penguins, which guests may spot in the evenings.
All apartments feature a private patio or balcony offering ocean views. Each includes a fully equipped kitchen and a living area offering a flat-screen TV with satellite channels.
Restaurant, 1856 is open daily and offers an a la carte dinner menu featuring seafood platters and steak. The bar serves a selection of beer, wine and spirits.
Guests can play a game of billiards, ride bicycles, or enjoy a stroll on the pristine white sand beaches.
Bicheno Diamond Island Resort is 5 minutes’ drive from Maclean Bay, Whalers Lookout and the Bicheno Golf Club.

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Facilities of Diamond Island Resort

Outdoors ：BBQ Facilities | Grounds | Terrace | Sun Deck

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Food & Drink ：Bar | Breakfast in the Room | Restaurant with Dining Menu | Special Diet Meals (upon request)

Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in some hotel rooms and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available at a location nearby (reservation is not needed).

Services ：Room Service | Laundry

General ：Non-smoking Rooms | Facilities for Disabled Guests | Family Rooms

Reviews for Diamond Island Resort

Review 1：Tired property, very basic facilities for a self-contained villa. Lady at reception was quite unprofessional, couldn't care less when we complained about a bad odour in the room. It was a damp, musty smell, might have been due to a leak in the shower. Couldn't have been a surprise to them when we mentioned it. Her reaction was 'So?' !!

Review 2：Fantastic location

Review 3：Fantastic location, beautiful beach with night penguin views. And the restuarant had awesome food especially the seafood which was so fresh and cooked to perfection.

Review 4：The staff was horrible. Unfriendly, no smiles, no Thank you for your stay or good bye, this piace is run by a family with children. So most of the staff actually working are the parents and their children, a year 6 boy and maybe a 15 year old girl. Our apartment was dirty, there was rubbish in the bin from the previous guests , stains on the sheets, cobwebs and spiders everywhere, stains in the bathtub and horrible smell from the toilet. In general we stayed for one night only so we even did not dare to complain. The breakfast was from 8-9. When we arrived at 8:50 we were given strange looks and our plates were taken away while we were still eating. when we asked to leave them as the kids were still eating we got looked even worse. There is more to tell about this dodgy place but I will keep it short. The location is wonderful and the infrastructure looks great , it is just not maintained at all and the service is horrible. You can see that all the good things were done under the old management and the new one is on a good way to destroy what was built over years, the reputation!

Review 5：The location was great, close to the beach, lot of space for kids to play and enjoy the nature,

Review 6：WiFi didn't work Air con controller - no batteries Filthy putrid venetians Fire extinguishers and fire blanket tagged out of date by years Fridge light not working

Review 7：TV worked well & parking was easy Fan on bedroom loft ceiling a nice touch Polo was very nice

Review 8：The place was horrible. The toilet constantly leaked and when we told staff they did nothing about it. We couldn't flush, we had to use a bucket! The place had dirty dishes, holes in the wall, no shower screen amongst other things. We were desperate to leave and we were upset that we had two nights there.

Review 9：The staff were rude and arrogant. The rooms were shabby and un kept. Curtains falling off tracks, stains on linen, the most uncomfortable beds I have ever experienced, appliances didn't work. Cutlery and crockery didn't match, light globes not changed. Door to room didn't lock. Grounds were appalling and badly maintained. Pool steps were covered in mould and big holes in timber pool deck. This was supposed to be a holiday highlight destination for us and it was far from it.

Review 10：Being close to the penguins

Review 11：The "resort" is very unfinished. was given zero information when checking in, not even a mention that the onsite restaurant was closed. There were many amenities listed that we were either not told about or did not exist altogether. Penguin "Tours" are just standing on a platform watching them go by. Not worth the amount charged.

Review 12：The bed was really comfortable.

Review 13：A little attention to the state of the sheets would have been better and there was baby oil left over on the bedside table from the previous occupants. Plates were still wet in the cupboard but all this was fixed ourselves and shouldn't reflect on the owners or managers, only the staff they hire. I would check each room before signing off as cleaned, but that is because we are in the business. Noone else would probably notice it.

Review 14：Noel and his family treated us like royalty. Their enthusiasm was a stand out. Our boy had been ill and our new years dulled and they made him forget everything and made it an unforgettable trip!

Review 15：More effort required with cleaning rooms and linen.

Review 16：The location was fantastic...sunrise...exploring Diamond Island and to see the Penguins in their natural environment at dusk was awesome...

Review 17：very poor attitude of staff, not helpful when confirmed booking was not honoured and we ended up with 2 of 3 booked rooms. lip service to provide more beds but nothing eventuated.

Review 18：location

Review 19：Units were old and in need of renovation (though, admittedly, this problem is endemic to Australian holiday properties in remote areas). Cost was too high given interior of units.

Review 20：The property is located in an amazing place with beach access and a nearby penguin colony.

Review 21：Mismatched furniture, dust hanging off bathroom fan, lack of water pressure and a box of tissues would have been nice Overpriced for current condition

Review 22：Liked the location and the penguins

Review 23：The resort is under new management which explains why some of the comforts of the apartment are outdated or need replacing. So we look forward to going back with the new management being there for a while

Review 24：The gentlemen that runs the resort is wonderful. And he upgraded us for free, which is always a massive bonus. Also loved the accessibility to the fairy penguins, the beach and surf.

Review 25：Wished we could stay longer!

Review 26：Location!! Friendly! New owners have given a homey touch! The property needs a freshen up but the style of accommodation & the location wins every time.

Review 27：I could saw that all the bad reviews are true. Is dirty and neglected. I not dared to eat there.

Review 28：where it is located. Good to see Sunrise and Penguins.

Review 29：Rooms were in need of numerous repairs. Our external door wouldn't lock. We had 1 plate, 1 bowl, 1 fork, 1/2 roll toilet paper for 5 people for 3 days.

Review 30：The location was definitely the best part of the resort.

Review 31：We were so disappointed at the standard of our villa. The place had a bad smell and there were cracks and scuffs. There was a piece of carpet missing in one bedroom and it was covered up by a small rug. The main bedroom sliding door was faulty. A window in the 3rd bedroom was jammed shut. We left a day early.

Review 32：The location was beautiful. The beach and the island are just lovely.

Review 33：Accommodation was old, overpriced, needs refurbishing and a good clean. Pool area had power cords in the pool, empty beer bottles and meat cleaver near dirty BBQ area. Not safe.

Review 34：Penguin viewing

Review 35：The room was basic, but comfortable. It served it's for ya, which was a comfortable place for a one-night stop over. It seems our room hadn't been maintained in a while, though for the price we couldn't complain too much. There were lights with missing globes, or globes that didn't work. A lamp shade that was broken. The curtains were broken. The fan in the bathroom didn't work. One of the panels in the kitchen under the sink was loose. Could have been cleaned a little more thoroughly.

Review 36：The price was great.

Review 37：Over priced $220 for 4 star, should be rated a 2 star back packer, dirty, worn-out, most things broken and make shift shoddy repairs, no remote for bedroom TV, heater didn't work, dirty, dirty, dirty, stay away!!!!

Review 38：little Penguins

Review 39：Manager disorganised and off hand; Told restaurant not open on evening of arrival (Saturday), told where to go to supermarket. On return a tourist bus had arrived so then told restaurant would be open. As we had bought something said we would definitely eat there the next night. Restaurant did not open. Price way too expensive for the facilities available.

Review 40：The location

Review 41：It was very unclean including the room itself and also all the servery, crockery etc.

Review 42：We had a free upgrade to the honeymoon suite which was very much appreciated. Very nice place. Very friendly and professional staff.

Review 43：on edge for young children safety in apartments, narrow steps , lights without lenses just above beds - lights close to beds accessible by a one year old, when we asked about light safety switches they could not answer, however they did allow us to change to a single unit away from steps - filthy moldy bathrooms - staff who acted as though they were the guests - management kids lurking outside units - other guests knocking on our door to see if we know about the continental breakfasts as there was no sign of anyone in dining area appeared closed - no phone contact from room to reception - and no one tells you penguins don't come out until dark - waiting until 9.30-pm at night with tiny children was not fun particularly when they didn't see what they were promised

Review 44：Picturesque, Every where we visited around the area was delightful.

Review 45：Units in very much needed repair. Hope the recent owners can renovate them because it has huge potential

Review 46：Staff very friendly and position of units superb

Review 47：Beds had dirty linen with pubic hair and mud. Place is very run down. BBQ was covered in bird poo.

Review 48：Amazing location. Beautiful coastline views. Fairy penguins at front door step!!!

Review 49：The resort is being done up, so many of the facilities were not available when we visited.

Review 50：The owners are really friendly and the accommodation very comfortable. Our children loved their room upstairs and seeing the Penguins a few steps away from the villa. The beach is beautiful too.

Review 51：Room not prepared properly on arrival .Used hair products left for us to use .wardrobe stuffed with used blankets .Bed not made .Last users rubbish in cupboard

Review 52：WiFi reception was unstable / villa had only basic facilities / outdoor furniture was dirty / remote for air-conditioner was missing / very small shower / significantly over-priced at $220 per night

Review 53：Great location / electric blankets / hot towel rail

Review 54：No staff on duty, none of the facilities were open and available. No breakfast provided. No free WiFi or satellite TV. Basically a bed for the night at a 4 star price. We contacted mgmt and were promised a call back 2 weeks ago - still waiting.

Review 55：The Resort was absolutely amazing! Great view of the open grass area and ocean view. The room so beautiful and had great facilities. We stayed in one of the upstairs room and was worth every dollar. Wish we were able to stay longer. Will definitely be back when we travel to Tas again. The staff was so friendly and accommodating. There are even penguin watching every night and you actually do get to see them! Just need to be a little patient.

Review 56：Contents of wardrobe looked dirty & messy - pile of blankets and who knows what else dumped in there.. We were advised the facility had just changed managers and there was a lot of maintenance to be done to get it back to standard. The restaurant was closed as being renovated.

Review 57：Proximity to beach/penguins. Good sized apartment.

Review 58：Missed the hot fresh bread on arrival,had visited twice in past and waslooking forward to that and to a seafood dinner at the restaurant,Iunderstand new owners have taken over I wish them well

Review 59：Location

Review 60：We love the new management. They were so friendly, helpful and have great plans for the resort to come. The food was great. The Penguins were so close to the viewing platform and that was all included too.

Review 61：Place a bit run down. New management have keen attitude and vision. If they can achieve their vision it will be superb.

Review 62：Great location. Staff friendly and helpful. Penguins!

Review 63：Resort needs a lot of repairs New managers committed to fixing

Review 64：New managers very committed Great location able to see fairy penguins Kids loved the experience

Review 65：no chef for restaurant, algae in pool, rusty verandas, weed infested tennis court, two single beds put together to make a king bed in honeymoon suite, no towels in kitchen to clean up with, no laundry it was out of order, closed beach at night time

Review 66：The co Manager Mel came down to the penguin platform and was drunk. She didn't stop talking and I think, scared all the Penguins away with her shrill laughter.

Review 67：The Manager Noel was very friendly and helpful. He couldn't do enough for us.

Review 68：nothin

Review 69：very helpful and friendly staff and free viewing platform of viewing penquins without a doubt friendlist and most helpful people who make ur stay the best it can be nice one diamond valley

Review 70：It'd be even better if the toilet taps and some window curtains are well repaired.

Review 71：Thankful to the receptionists for taking us to watch penguins. The house is nice. Located by the sea and next to a farm it is perfect. I played boomerang with my kids on the grassland and it was wonderful

Review 72：Accidents do happen sometimes, despite no one would like to see. We were just travelers who were unfortunate enough to have a member got hurt during our stay in a resort. Host, could you stop showing your annoyed faces and provide more practical assistance? We understand that's mid-night but you're the only one we can reach out for.

Review 73：Nothing to be honest.

Review 74：The staff were great. Location was a short drive into town which was no issue. Apparently there was free wifi but we couldn't find it or get it then again we weren't there long enough to ask about it. There was a penguin viewing deck at the back of the property which was brilliant.

Review 75：Lack of maintenance is obvious. Lots of things need fixing - e.g. electrical fittings, broken smoke alarm, frayed carpet, a very stiff door handle. We were not impressed that the coffee mugs had illustrations of toilets and urinals with a caption about 'movers and shakers'. Completely inappropriate.

Review 76：The views are spectacular, and there is easy access to the beach.

Review 77：Half of games room equipment not working and bar shut at 8pm . Also not able to see penguins due to lighting problem which given one of reasons for choosing location was disapointing .

Review 78：Location and views Food was excellent .

Review 79：No welcome - told it is 1:30 and check in is 2pm . Smoke alarm beeping from 1am - no sleep Penguin viewing was a joke - no interp and can only view penguins that walk past viewing platform. Saw 3 penguins briefly and told that is enough - recommend stay somewhere cheaper and pay for tour No info on resort given at check in or in room Brekky didn't start til 8am however there was no info about times are given - 2 people inside would not come to door to explain Couldn't open door to unit 14 unless used force

Review 80：Bed was comfy

Review 81：Checked into and apartment was dirty, there were bugs dead on the bed upstairs, more dead bugs in the lounge on the floor. The glass sliding door railings were full of bugs and dust and looked as though hadn't been cleaned for months. After sending a child down to inspect the room, They changed the room which was admittedly a little Better but still had bugs throughout and generally untidy and they then flat out refused to refund our booking and said we would have to phone bookings.com who in turn said it was up to diamond island and after bookings.com phoning them they refused to offer a refun period. Has huge potential with great location but stay away!!

Review 82：laundry had pre-pay coin washing machine so ended up doing the washing in the room. Part of the promotion of the resort is the restaurant and its fresh produce, but restaurant would only open if there were bookings by 4pm and then to an extremely limited menu. Wofi is available however connection is really bad.

Review 83：good location with great beach area

Review 84：The standard of the room for the price was very poor. Carpets looks dirty, rooms very small and bathroom don;t even know what to say. Needs a full renovation.

Review 85：The staff were very understanding when we advised we did not wish to stay there due to the poor standards of the room. Ensured we were given a full refund

Review 86：I discovered that they had charged us TWICE for our stay when I checked my credit card bills!! Be careful and make sure you check your bills after your stay at this resort.

Review 87：The hotel is very tired. The children's playground was in tatters. At $220 a night you expect much more than this. Unfortunately the penguins seem to have left. We saw 2 hiding in the scrub.

Review 88：The view is amazing. It is very close to a lovely beach.

Review 89：Advertised as free breakfast, manager and receptionist stated that cause we had a cheap booking via booking.com we didn't get breakfast. ($250 is definitely not cheap) Insisted it was not on the booking.com site but after I pointed out the sentence on the computer in front of the receptionist was told I was the first person to notice it and offered me a Tassie apple. The guy that ran the evening penguin tour spent the majority of his time complaining about the poor behaviour of various tourists. This was disappointing considering he was no doubt an expert. A one line of advice about respect for the penguins would have been enough without needing to give blow by blow description of bad behaviour

Review 90：Nice location

Review 91：felt it was over rated was more like a 3 star resort, grass needed mowing, maintenance seemed poor,lights not working etc

Review 92：room etc was just ok location was goodand easy to find views and nearby beach was excellent

Review 93：We were lead to believe in advertisement that we would see Penguins within the cost of stay but this wasn't the case you needed to be on a $ 30 tour. A group of women paid big costs and were very disappointed. Room decor very tacky.

Review 94：The beach view

Review 95：Kitchen facilities limited. We were only one night and ate out but would have struggled if staying and wanted to be self catering as advertised. Pool not heated therefore not option to use although still summer!

Review 96：Accomodation nicely set out with lots of sleeping options. Complimentary penguin tour.

Review 97：Very little not to like - very keen to help make your experience a great one!

Review 98：I had made an error when booking - thinking I was booking a two room place with two queen beds. This quickly became apparent when I realised what I actually had purchased in discussion with the managers.Shortly after that the managers and owner had put their heads together and offerred us another property in addition to the one we had occupied. Extraordinarily generous and very much appreciated. Was the highlight of our trip.

Review 99：Bathroom had a few hairs in it. The pool looked great and at first they said we could use it, then they told us we couldn't use it due to renovations and adding chlorine when we went to swim. There were no pool renovations, and adding chlorine was a silly excuse. There was no tennis court like advertised . I don't think they like people much. No Aussie tea in kitchen. Should put a resort map/info in the room, and have someone proof read your menu- very bad English.

Review 100：Great location, excellent penguin viewing, nice spacious room, very comfy bed. Beach right there, and very nice beach. Not far from town. Kid friendly mostly.

Review 101：The apartments are ageing and extremely small if you have a family. The furnishings are basic although clean and fairly updated although plastic feel to dining table. There was no information in the room to tell you about the servicing. Bathroom really old with nowhere to hang towels except on broken off plastic rail ends. Therefore towels remained wet for two days. Grass around children's play area overgrown. Games room looked as though it was a storage unit for replacement apartment features. Really overpriced for what we had expected. Misleading information on Internet. As place had a general feel of run down and messy it was not appealing to go to resort restaurant. Should not be called a resort until fully refurbished including new bathrooms. A back door light would be great so you can see when you stepped outside at night. Back door leads to big grass area. BBQ's were filthy so we did not use. Good stopover place for one night.

Review 102：The location was perfect for beach access and too see the Penguins. The staff were really friendly and came straight away to resolve a door locking issue. The owner/ staff member told us about some equipment you could hire from office when he came to fix door lock. There was no information in apartment so this was verbal interaction was good.

Review 103：I'm sorry to say there are only one things I didn't like is the WiFi.

Review 104：I like the view of my room, it is very very good and I never lived. All the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Review 105：Our apartment wasn't quite big enough for 5, only 2 seater couch. Breakfast at resort was included but not much variety.

Review 106：Just a stones throw from Diamond Island.

Review 107：Their 1 bed apt are actually studio apt. We weren't informed of free continental bfast throughout whole stay, only discovered after we left. Property run down - woke to loud bang of frame falling off wall at 2am. Toilet and air con leaked water. No information booklet about the resort in the rooms. Had to ask basic info like phone use, wifi access etc. Our complaints were not in our opinion taken seriously by the receptionist.

Review 108：Easy access to beach. Free penguin sighting every night. Kids' playground and trampoline, parking outside apartment

Review 109：BBQ facilities not maintained and in poor condition. Could not use. Dining facilities would have been used if the means we're not so expensive.

Review 110：The hotel red light for penguin was out of order that night. Staff used brighter light instead so that penguins were not dare to come out. What a pity! And we were so disappointed.

Review 111：Nice view

Review 112：Advertised as having its penguin tour, but there was no commentating, the owner's young (minor) daughter was kind enough to sit with us and she was happy to answer any questions . I was hoping for an indepth commentary

Review 113：Nothing

Review 114：We were very impressed with the layout and furnishings. It was like being in an up-market home. We also love the location with its own beach front. Most of all we loved the way the staff worked so hard to protect the little penguins by educating guests and sharing the penguin experience with them, and ensuring that the beach remained a safe place for them to have their burrows.

Review 115：we stayed during the low season and obviously not all facilities were fully open.

Review 116：This has a stunning location with with the ability to watch fairy penguins returing to their roosts in the evenings.Therewas comfortable accommodation with easy parking.Staff were keen to ensure that we enjoyed ourselves and had a very positive attitude.

Review 117：room could do with some maintenance - struggled to close sliding bathroom door, cleaning not up to usual hotel standard

Review 118：roomy apartment, position was great - water views from balcony, penguin viewing platform was excellent with dozens of penguins walking past

Review 119：・WiFi doesn't work properly. (but it is not so important)

Review 120：・Lovely and helpful staff ・Great and beautiful beach ・Comfortable accommodation I want to stay here again, next time in summer may be !!

Review 121：We are not sure if the hotel or booking.com mixed up the date of we booked. Anyway they had arranged the house that was not originally booked.The house is quite dirty and you could see scatter of dead flies and insects on sofa. wifi is extremely bad and cannot connected at all. There was a big mirror closet right in front of the bed which is uncomfortable. Maybe our expectation for this resort is too high at the first place...

Review 122：Very expensive for two friends when one has to sleep on a sofa bed. We paid half the tariff in other locations for two-bedroom units. Exterior of unit shabby. Breakfast selection poor.

Review 123：Proximity to Diamond Island and penguins, although weather was too inclement to experience either. Staff pleasant and generous gift basket appreciated.

Review 124：Rubbish in the bin in the kitchen had not been taken away from previous occupant.

Review 125：Location was the best! Rooms nice but would have preferred hand held shower. Also a more private courtyard looking onto a nice garden.

Review 126：Full kitchen didn't include an oven but there was a stove and microwave. BBQ's have to be paid for (only 20c though!). We saw penguins on the property both nights but it was a bit of a non-event really. If you are desperate to see lots of penguins for a good amount of time then it would be worth doing a tour.

Review 127：We stayed in a 2 bed unit which was clean and tidy. Queen and 2 singles upstairs, another single bed downstairs in the lounge room. Beds and pillows very comfortable. Lovely sleeping to the sound of waves! Staff were friendly. Play equipment for kids. Direct access to beautiful beach.

Review 128：Rusty broken balconies, broken light fittings, rusty shower fittings cob webs, cooking utensils worn out fry pan not usually. Smelly fridge in general run down would not stay again.

Review 129：The location, that's all.

Review 130：When we arrived we were admonished for being late (by 10 minutes). Then were told that there was no one in the restaurant and if we want dinner we have to order now (in reception) as it is really too late to be organizing dinner - this is at 5:10pm. On getting to our room, we had someone else's used soap in our shower and lots of stray hair still on the bathroom floor. Also the penguin viewing was run by a 12 year old girl.... While she was very lovely, would have preferred knowledgeable adult guide.

Review 131：Comfort of the double bed and pillows were pretty ordinary the doona wasn't in its case properly and the shower was too small for such a large bathroom. Meal prices in the restaurant were very extravagant..

Review 132：Loved the location the access to the beach here was magnificent. The penguins coming out of an evening was adorable.

Review 133：sliding door lock was broken, light was hanging down in the batroom, air con remote flat battery

Review 134：bed, comfort, great location, relaxing seeing a whale!!

Review 135：Poor kitchen facilities. Tired looking Even though we booked a two bedroom apartment there was no privacy for two couples travelling together. Had to walk through one bedroom to get to the other.

Review 136：Location good, Penguins cute

The Fine Print

If you expect to arrive outside reception opening hours, please inform Diamond Island Resort in advance, using the contact details found on the booking confirmation.Please note that there is a 2.5% charge when you pay with an American Express credit card.Please note that the restaurant service can be limited during certain times, and bookings are encouraged.