This would have been a lovely stay… I find it very difficult to leave negative reviews, and would always rather handle incidents privately; but feel this one needs to be done.
The house certainly is spacious and beautifully styled. However our children used the markers / textas to do some drawings while sitting at the coffee table - the markers that were provided by the host for guest use. Unfortunately, although we laid down our own towels to protect the surface, the markers provided by the host were so ‘permanent’ that they bled through the paper and towels, leaving behind some minor marks on the raw wood.
We were always sincere and cooperative in our communication, and more than willing to work amicably with the host to find a solution; so when we received a request for a large sum of money to replace their designer table, without first even considering the option of having the marks professionally removed (at a fraction of the price), we were shocked and upset. We left the house in spotless condition, and treated it with utmost respect during our stay.
We have travelled the world over the years and never come across this kind of communication by a host.
Other points to note: overall cleanliness of the house was substandard, no bin bag provided in the toilet bin; we even had to clean the toilet ourselves before feeling comfortable to use it upon arrival as there were so many marks left over from previous guests. The kitchen could definitely have done with a thorough clean especially under the bin cupboard; and the lawns appeared as though they had not been mowed.
Positives are how close the house was to beautiful Bellingen and how much room there was to move around in for our two families. Jodi was also very hospitable in allowing an early check-in which we were very grateful for. Wish we could say we would like to stay again.