CUTE BUT WHERE'S THE VALUE FOR MONEY.
I booked Rosina based on the amazing reviews and location for a birthday getaway in June. Off-grid living is not foreign to me so the concept of Rosina was very appealing. The boutique aesthetic of the eco tiny-house was simply stunning.
Communication with the hosts was effective and mostly timely. Check in and out was easy and there was a decent amount of information provided after booking.
There were a few downfalls where I would have expected better considering the price paid, however.
First, one host messaged the day before to inform me of their recommendation to only use the split-system heater for 10-15 minute bursts at a time at 21degrees only to avoid the power completely cutting out. We were also recommended to limit the number of appliances being used at once. This contributed to my guest and I second-guessing when to turn lights or the heating on, and how to coordinate cooking. Based on the host's advice we decided not to turn the heater on until right before bed so we could heat the room and then switch it off again. When I tried to turn the split-system on I then discovered it didn't work at all. I messaged the hosts but didn't hear back until 5am the next morning. Turns out the system had been switched off at the mains which was outside. Temperatures were sub-10 degrees and this made for a very cold, disappointing night that could have easily been avoided if the mains was checked by the hosts before our stay.
Second, we were messaged and told to bring our own firewood as everything at Rosina was wet and wouldn't burn. When booking, I was very attracted to the description of Rosina stating guests could forage for their own firewood in the 10 acres of bushland - very eco and renewable. There was ample fallen branches and tree trunks around Rosina and some pre-cut logs but all were laying out in the open and were saturated. I would have expected the hosts would store firewood under the house or verandah to keep it dry for guests to use, granted the outdoor fire-pit this is a key feature of Rosina. It was disappointing to have to add another expense to an already pricy stay and supply my own firewood. The fire-pit also hadn't been cleaned out and there was no tools to clean it out with. The bath was also markedly dirty and required cleaning before use. I would have expected the hosts would have cleaned these items before our check-in, granted check in was in the late afternoon at 3pm.
Third, we had trouble with the electric cook-top. One half wouldn't work which made coordinating cooking difficult. I was in contact with the hosts about the heater not working and one host suggested their husband would come to Rosina to look at the solar battery percentage and back-up generator - at this time I suggested they might be able to look at the cooktop too. I was told to read the instructions to troubleshoot. While my guest and I were out for the afternoon one host's husband came to Rosina to check the solar battery and generator. He also let himself into Rosina to look at the cook-top. I wasn't aware of this until after he had left. I would never expect a host's husband to let themselves into a BNB without permission while the guests are not present, unless explicitly agreed upon prior. When I had suggested the host to check the cook-top I would have expected this to occur by one of the hosts (female) while I was at the property. This felt like a violation of privacy and security.
Overall the stay was very aesthetically pleasing and felt special. However I question where the value for money lies, granted the heating was only to be used for short bursts and didn't work at all on the first night, firewood was BYO, electricity and appliances were temperamental, and the host's husband let himself into our BNB while we were not there. I'm left questioning what I got for the >$500 / night stay. I would recommend the hosts review and correct these downfalls or consider lowering the cost to stay to accurately reflect the value of the experience.