Having travelled extensively over the years throughout Australia and NZ, staying in motels, cottages, cabins, etc we get an overview of what’s available out there and value for money. As we are wildlife and birdlife lovers, we are always on the search for nice accommodation that is suitable and satisfying for our needs. Otway Blue ticks all the boxes. Not just that, we would honestly have to say it was the best experience so far. The cottage sits on a gentle slope overlooking the Separation Creek beach area (a peaceful and beautiful hamlet) and is easily accessible unlike the many steep properties around the corner at Wye River. There is bush walking at the back door, and an easy return walk to the water’s edge. The best part was the birdlife. We counted 21 cockatoos at one stage sitting on the balcony rail. The green parrots and kookaburras that visited throughout the day were happy to be handfed. Magpies, currawongs and crimson rosellas also dropped in for their share. At night you could hear the koalas grunting and the gorgeous sound of the surf.
Amenties we appreciated - Foxtel! (hardly ever seen in accommodation, perfect for watching the cricket, glass of red wine in hand and occasionally taking in the sea view), very efficient air conditioning, kitchen supplies that you quite often forget, i.e. salt/pepper, coffee, sugar, a very comfortable bed for our backs, separate toilet and shower, BBQ, to name a few. The outstanding features of Otway Blue as well as the birdlife are the ocean views and total privacy. The deck wraps around three sides of the house, with an amazing sea view, with no neighbours looking out on you, and the house below is only visible by it’s roof. The living area has a bush view at the back and an ocean view at the front. The bedroom also has a sea view.
Quite often the description of holiday homes does not live up to the reality when you arrive, but Otway Blue lives up to all it’s claims and far exceeded our expectations. For Australian or overseas visitors this property is very hard to beat. We hardly ever return to accommodation as we are always exploring new places, but Otway Blue is a treasure we will come back to. It has set the bar very high.